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Sunday, June 24, 2007

Ju Ju, Kings Cross


Tempura

EDIT: Ju Ju has closed

Dinner at Ju Ju.

It's most endearing aspect is the cosy booth seating, Japanese-style. Once you enter, it's shoes off (the smiling but silent nodding waiter offers everyone a plastic bag), before you shuffle across polished floorboards in your (hopefully hole-free) socks. Each booth is a wooden rectangle of seating, a table rises from the centre cut-out, as legs dangle into the "pit".

tables

The surrounding slats afford a moderate sense of privacy. It's easy enough, though, to peer over the slat wall to check out the other diners or try to catch the eye of a passing waiter).

We order a motley assortment of dishes. Some are snapped. Some are just too far away to photograph :)


Edamame boiled soy bean $6.80


Tomato slice salad $6.80

The tomato slice salad is a surprisingly tasty starter. Thick chunks of tomato encircle a central tomato flower, thinly sliced and fanned. It's dressed with a light wasabi mayonnaise that is fairly mild but refreshing.


Sashimi mix main $28.00

I'm very impressed with the presentation of the sashimi which arrives on a fan of dried twigs.

"It looks just like something out of Iron Chef!" I exclaim.

Unfortunately the fish is a little bland and the scallops are still half-frozen. When we politely mention this to the waitress she checks with the kitchen and says "oh, it's supposed to be served half-frozen."

We let them thaw out for another five minutes before attacking them again.


Una don eel on rice $18.50

The unagi teriyaki eel has a deep brown sheen of salty sweetness.

I happily tuck into a piece or two of the crunchy deep-fried karaage chicken.


Karaage fried chicken $8.80


Takoyaki $7.50

Others enjoy the takoyaki octopus balls and the pork katsudon set meal.


Pork tonkatsu set $16.00

I'm feasting on the tempura set.


Tempura set $18.00

There's agedashi tofu, two cubes of tofu deep-fried in a dusting of potato starch and splashed over with a sticky sauce of dashi and mirin. In the back corners are wedges of soft potato and a light garden salad. The main event is the tempura: two prawns, sweet potato, pumpkin, asparagus, sugar snap pea and eggplant, all coated in a lighter-than-air tempura batter.

The eggplant is my favourite. It's sweet and soft and deliriously good.



Ju Ju CLOSED
Kingsgate Shopping Centre
Shop 320, Bayswater Rd
Kings Cross, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9357 7100

Tuesday to Thursday 6.30pm - 1.00am
Friday to Saturday 6.30pm - 2.00am
Sunday 6.30pm - 1.00am
Closed Mondays

No credit cards, cash only
No BYO
Karaoke from 10.30pm until half-hour before close

Last orders 11.00pm (12.30am Friday and Saturday)
14 comments - Add some comment love

posted by Helen (Grab Your Fork) on 6/24/2007 11:57:00 pm


14 Comments:

  • At 6/25/2007 1:20 pm, Blogger Brooke - Little Miss Moi said…

    Dear helen. Ahh Ju Ju. This is where I went for a very memorable work leaving party. Fond memories of super yummy food and really bad karaoke :( The no CC thing is a pain, though, when there with a group (and work is paying).

     
  • At 6/25/2007 3:08 pm, Blogger Cass said…

    It's supposed to be half frozen? Oh god, I am crying inside at the Japanese food that awaits me when I move back to Australia in August. The rest of it looks pretty good though.

     
  • At 6/25/2007 11:18 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Didn't you try the tempura ice cream? It is nice. I love their tofu steak.

    I used to work in Jap restaurant. The fresh scallop, paradise prawn etc come from Japan so they are frozen. But customers always said "it's so fresh" hehe.

     
  • At 6/26/2007 7:20 am, Blogger Nora B. said…

    I like Ju Ju! Been there only once, but i would like to go back again. But they are often fully booked.

     
  • At 6/26/2007 1:52 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hi Helen. First of all, Id like to mention that I love reading your site. I am from Sydney but im living in Bermuda at the moment and I still visit your site daily :)

    I remember going to Ju Ju with a group of mates. Primarily for karaoke and some nibbly bits. Must say though, we werent particularly impressed with the freshness of their food (e.g. sashimi). I think the highlight of the place was 'pit' we sat in. Nevertheless, a fun place to hang out for a late night.

    If you like some unique makes of sushi combinations, give Sushi Train on Spring St Bondi Jn a go. I still dream of their flame grilled salmon sushi. I think you'll like their creations. Gets real packed around lunchtime though.

     
  • At 6/26/2007 1:56 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Sorry, I meant to say Oxford Street Bondi Jn. Not Spring Street. Here's the real address: Shop 4, 183-193 Oxford St, Bondi Junction

     
  • At 6/26/2007 9:48 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Little Miss Moi - Is there such a thing as good karaoke? lol.

    Hi Cass - I was a little disconcerted. Think of all our delicious and cheap beef though!

    Hi Lin - We had no room for tempura ice cream listed on the menu. Only green tea ice cream, black sesame ice cream and soy milk mousse puffet.

    I don't mind fresh frozen seafood. It's just I usually prefer it defrosted before eating :)

    Hi Nora B - We were there on a Tuesday night so it was lovely and quiet :)

    Hi Hilda - You're reading this in Bermuda? lol. Glad to have your sun-blessed company :)

    I haven't been to the Sushi Train in Bondi Junction but the flame grilled salmon sounds worth a trip!

     
  • At 8/22/2007 2:50 pm, Blogger Sydneyguy said…

    This place is really somewhere different, my friend who never been there was really impressed!!
    Taking off your shoes, the structure of your tables, karaoke if you wish it, taking off your shoes, my friends loved it!! And so did i!! The food is really nice and reasonably priced

     
  • At 8/24/2007 11:05 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Sydneyguy - It is rather cool. We've yet to get there for karaoke there. Probably a good thing for everyone!

     
  • At 4/16/2009 10:14 am, Blogger Two fit and fun gals said…

    i googled ju ju's cos im going there next sat & lok what came up! :)

    da octopus balls mm.... definitely going to order that!

     
  • At 4/16/2009 8:28 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Babydoll's Project 365 - lol. Enjoy. I hear their takoyaki is pretty good too :)

     
  • At 1/03/2010 6:57 pm, Anonymous jennifer said…

    your blog is fantastic, its so wonderful to read. in respect to this blog, im looking to hold a party for about 20 people there.. do you think they can cater for that? And how much do you think ill have to pay? i went once, but it was a while ago and havent been again since. Also, is the kareoke available every night after 10, or just some nights?

     
  • At 1/03/2010 10:42 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Jennifer - I'd suggest you ring Ju Ju's directly to answer all of your questions. Their telephone is listed above. They'll be able to advise if they can cater for your group, provide a rough price guide and let you know if karaoke is available. Hope you have a great time :)

     
  • At 11/15/2010 4:43 pm, Blogger Miss Feathers said…

    I think that Ju Ju is a lot of fun. Our food wasn't the most amazing Japanese that I've had in Sydney. But the pits and the Karaoke make it worth going back for. I'm off to Mizuyas next week for the same Japanese/ Karaoke combination, so hopefully that's a bit better!

     

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