Chefs at Newcastle restaurants Nagisa, Âpé and Susuru have been busy crafting new winter menus to coincide with the chilly change of season.
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Restaurateur and owner Taiyo Namba, who returned to Newcastle from Japan in April a married man, is full of praise for chefs Nicolas Pedemonte (Âpé Yakitori Bar), Chris Schofield (Nagisa Japanese Restaurant) and Takeshi Mizukoshi (Susuru Ramen & Gyoza) and keen to share details of their respective new menus.
But first, the wedding.
"It was amazing having our closest friends in Tokyo to celebrate with us, and we got dressed up in kimonos for a traditional Japanese ceremony," Namba says.
"Yuri and I were very blessed. We were able to dine at some amazing restaurants in Japan during our stay and we have a few surprise collaborations brewing in the background that I'll announce once the dates and details are finalised."
Âpé Yakitori Bar
"Chef Nicolas has an amazing local produce menu that rotates with the seasons," Namba says.
"His new omakase (degustation in Japanese) is a culinary experience."
New dishes include the H.V. dry age lamb belly with king mushroom duxelles, pickled daikon, ponzu, black sesame and shichimi; chargrilled teriyaki zucchini with smoked shio, konbu teriyaki aioli, crispy shallots, paprika oil and fresh chives; and the Little Hill chicken breast with umeboshi (plum) and fresh shiso.
"Nicolas takes a dedicated approach to cultivating close relationships with farmers and suppliers, engaging in ongoing conversations to stay informed about the upcoming harvests and plantings," Namba explains.
"This allows our chefs to anticipate the availability of fresh and seasonal vegetables, constantly inspiring them to devise innovative ways to highlight these exceptional ingredients for our valued customers.
"While the specific menu items mentioned above are truly sensational, they represent just a glimpse of the culinary experience Âpé offers."
Nagisa Japanese Restaurant
"Head chef Chris Schofield has had his new menu brewing from late last year and is finally able to showcase it to our customers," Namba says.
"It is the biggest change we have seen in 18 months, due to COVID and staffing issues. This will be accompanied by an invigorating new format including new banquet options for both lunch and dinner."
Schofield's menu is founded on a desire to expose diners to Japanese cuisine in a way that is both modern and accessible. With customers becoming more adventurous, the menu has adapted and moved towards a more refined, less Westernised version of Japanese food.
A greater effort has also been made to use quality ingredients in a more sustainable way. Nagisa kitchen staff use fish and vegetable offcuts to add richness to stocks, for example, and dishes like the dengaku pumpkin use every part of the pumpkin, including the skin and seeds.
Susuru Ramen & Gyoza
"Head chef Takeshi has extended Susuru's menu offering with more hot spice options in the ramens," Namba says.
"We are getting great feedback about the new spicy miso, the miso tonkotsu and the upgraded vegan shoyu."
Susuru's monthly "Special Ramen" collaboration with local businesses will continue, with Takeshi "currently experimenting on a Tokyo tonkotsu, a nostalgic favourite from his time in Japan".
"Having tasted it multiple times during its development, I can confidently say that this creation is set to captivate the palates of our patrons," Namba says.
"We are currently in discussions with The Falcon for an upcoming collaboration in August."
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