SUSHI ON

Overview

Chef Yong Hyun heads up the kitchen at Kew's Sushi On, bringing his twenty years of experience in Tokyo and his time at Melbourne's Komeyui and Kisume to the rolling mat. His philosophy is all about the beauty of balance — with creativity, appearance, consistency, taste, innovation and heritage all concepts given equal footing.

Yong's skills are applied at Sushi On in the form of omakase. If you don't know what omakase is then you must have been living under a Mount Fuji-sized rock for the last few years. It translates roughly as "I leave it up to you," and it's a Japanese dining experience that is guided by the masterful hands of a sushi chef.

The gastronomic journey involves entrusting the chef's expertise to craft a memorable, multi-course meal. The ingredients tend to reflect the season's freshest offerings, aiming to create a harmony of flavours, textures, and aesthetics. Each dish is a surprise, showcasing the chef's creativity and the essence of Japanese cuisine.

At Sushi On, it offers a twenty-two-course meal, which includes sixteen pieces of sushi for dinner, while the lunch offering is sixteen courses with twelve pieces of sushi. The courses change every night, so it's impossible to know what you're in for, but think scampis with bento butter, sardines with pickled kombu, King George whiting nigiri and Tasmanian oysters.

With so many unique flavours all wrestling for a place on your palate, finding the right drink to pair with your omakase experience can be challenging. Suitably, the wine list here is heavy on white and sparkling, which pair better with the flavours you'll experience. Whites include a Clare Valley resiling and a Gippsland chardonnay by the glass or bottle, as well as a stunning French chablis by bottle only. There is a large range of prestige sparkling, too, as well as more affordable options for those who just want to give it a try.