WAQU, Crows Nest

WAQU means quiet space, and this tiny eatery in Crows Nest offers just that - an oasis of calm and tranquility broken only by the shuffle of demure waitstaff who bring a seemingly endless procession of exquisitely plated morsels.

The dining room seats just 35, and over half of the diners tonight are reassuringly Japanese. The WAQU website offers both English and Japanese versions. We know we're in for a true Japanese dining experience.

A six-course tasting menu for a mere $45 sounds too good to be true. It is too good and it's definitely true. Our journey starts with a clear soup faint with the umami taste of dashi. Course three (entree) and course five (main) offer three options to choose from: we're a party of three and choose one of each to share.

[Apologies for the poor photo quality - light dimmers are not a foodbloggers best friend, and I always abstain from using flash photography in fine dining restaurants as a courtesy to other guests]


Starter: Japanese clear soup with yuba tofu sheet


Course 1: Assorted small eats
[Clockwise from front]: Deep fried soft shell crab taco;
Chicken and prawn fresh spring rolls with black sesame sauce; and
Beef tataki, ponzu and flying fish roe jelly


Course 2: Sashimi
Salmon and kingfish sashimi with lemon mustard soy sauce


Course 3: Entree (3 options)
Option 1 - Pan fried beef with basil and dill, mustard cream sauce


Course 3: Entree (3 options)
Option 2 - Sauteed yuan marinated kingfish in
white miso vinegar sauce


Course 3: Entree (3 options)
Option 3 - Tempura prawn with sweet and spicy ground pork miso sauce


Course 4: Sushi
WAQU sushi - salmon, avocado, creamy mayonnaised potato, plum sauce


Course 5: Main (3 options)
Option 1 - Salt black pepper beef tenderloin steak
with creamy mashed potato


Course 5: Main (3 options)
Option 2 - Oven baked spatchcock, WAQU four spice,
soy and balsamic vinegar sauce


Course 5: Main (3 options)
Option 3 - Oven baked miso marinated cod fillet


Course 6: Dessert (2 options)
Option 1 - Sweet sake creme caramel
(Option 2 - Chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream not chosen)

Meal highlights: the delicate crunch of the soft shell crab taco and the superb freshness of the salmon and kingfish sashimi. My favourite dish by far is the oven-baked miso marinated cod fillet, the fish is so soft it's almost buttery, and the sauce is such a divine harmony of salty and sweet that I practically lick the plate clean.

WAQU
32 Falcon St, Crows Nest, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9906 7736

Sun, Mon, Wed and Thurs 6.00pm-10.00pm
Fri and Sat 6.00pm-12.00am
Closed Tuesdays

No a la carte menu available on Fridays and Saturdays (tasting menu option only)

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