IZAKAYA by Nicky Rigby-Smith & Si Hall
If you think Japanese food is just sushi, think again.
Izakaya is a great new Japanese restaurant situated on Castle Street in Liverpool with a fantastic atmosphere. We were welcomed by the very friendly and attentive General Manager, Gabriella King.
We started with a couple of glasses of the sparkling Sake- served cold( we had only ever had it hot, it’ s more akin to a Japanese Prosecco- really good) and also ordered a bottle of the house white( a decent Pinot Grigio), reasonably priced at £ 18.
At Izakaya an exciting menu lists a huge range of dishes from every corner of Japan; there is the main menu and a separate sushi menu.
As there was such an extensive selection, we decided to order a number of small plates to share between our party. First up was the Karrage Chicken Tempura. What can we say- amazing – their own secret crispy coating recipe( KFC’ s Col Sanders will be turning in his grave) served with Japanese mayonnaise and lime. The Vegetable Tempura consisted of broccoli, aubergine, red peppers and was served with a Soy & Rice Wine Dressing. Heaven. We all noted how generous the portion sizes were.
Feeling very impressed at this point, our next dish landed. Pork Gyoza with a sliced chilli and sesame dressing- very nicely done and the chilli complimented the dish superbly. Next to arrive was the Salmon Teriyaki skewers with spring onion. At £ 4.95, this was not only excellent value but absolutely delicious, so fresh and buttery – highly recommended.
Next up was the Hoisin duck Temaki and Sake & Maguro Sashimi. You can watch them all being delicately prepared in the open kitchen. Yet again the presentation was outstanding. The Temaki was served with duck leg confit, hoisin sauce, cucumber, spring onion and sesame seeds wrapped in seaweed. The Sake Sashimi( Salmon) and the Maguro( Tuna) were the thickest cut slices we’ ve ever had, so fresh we felt cleansed. Excellent, we could eat this 24 / 7.
For our mains, we ordered a classic Chicken Katsu curry with Japanese pickles and sticky rice, along with Sirloin steak marinated in sake, soy and radish. The chicken was really moist and a really good size portion! The seared sirloin steak was served pink and juicy- perfect for us meat lovers.
There is a carefully planned list of Japanese drinks including cocktails such as Sake Spice – made up with sake, ginger syrup, maraschino, dry orange curacao and cardamom, served with an edible flower.
All the dishes was presented beautifully, but they weren’ t just pretty- they were seriously tasty. It is no surprise that they already have a great reputation due to the consistent excellence of their Sushi and Teppanyaki. Overall, if you want an authentic but modern Japanese gastro experience, this is in our opinion- the best place in Liverpool. Well done guys. Full marks.
Booking is advisable Tel: 0151 236 2018 www. izakaya-sushi. co. uk
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