Sake Jr | Westfield Sydney
Sake has long been known for it's take on contemporary Japanese fine dining. We have visited once before and found Sake to have the perfect balance in service, selection, atmosphere, quality and most importantly, innovation. The only detriment to eating at Sake is that you are generally left with quite a large hole at the bottom of your wallet. Recently, Sake has taken the initiative to expand it's target market by bringing the same quality food at a fraction of the price. Located in Westfield Sydney, Sake Jr specialises in creating your own experience through the joy of food. With too many options to select, Sake Jr let's you mix and match your own bowl by selecting 6 key ingredients.
The ordering process can be confusing as your first time but luckily we are here to help!
Step 1: Choose your base
Step 2: Choose your protein
Step 3: Choose your vegetables
Step 4: Choose your sauce
Step 5: Choose your garnish
Step 6: Choose your condiments
Not too tricky after all is it? Just be sure to study the menu before visiting.. There are so many different combinations you can make you might be there for a while. Alternatively you can always ask the staff to assist with a selection!
Christie's Bowl
Popcorn shrimp karaage with charred cord, ginger glazed bok choy, crispy brussel sprouts, wakame seaweed, topped with apple soy ginger sauce and togarashi, on a bao bun base.
This was definitely the reason why you plan ahead before you start making your creation. This bowl is what we'd like to call a Frankenstein. Christie got a bit too excited with the range of ingredients, almost like when you stack your first plate at a buffet. Interestingly enough, it all worked! The popcorn shrimp karaage was fun and creative, although it lacked much flavour on it's own. Mixed with the charred corn and apple ginger sauce however and you had yourself a party. There wasn't much ginger flavour with the bok choy however it gave the bowl a refreshing edge. We wouldn't recommend ordering the bao bun as the base because it soaks up all the sauce making it soggy and hard to eat! Maybe next time I might try the udon rice noodle sticks!
Matt's Bowl
Crispy sesame soy pork with blistered beans in black garlic sauce, charred cord, fried spicy garlic and scallions, topped with Japanese salad dressing and served on a bed of brown rice.
You can see that there is a trend forming with Sake Jr's ingredients. They are made to form the concept of a healthy dining so you can "Eat Good, Feel Good and Look Good all of the time".
This bowl was a much improved version of the above. We had learned from our mistakes and had a thought process when building this bowl. The highlight of the dish was definitely the crispy sesame soy pork which had us fighting over the last bite. While not as crispy as expected, the pork was tender and the sesame soy glaze gave it immense flavour. The beans added texture, along with some tang from the black garlic sauce and the Japanese salad dressing really topped the dish, a perfect blend of ingredients! While the bowls look small, they are actually quite filling. The healthier options would obviously include salad as the base, eliminating all carbs from the mix.
Left: The Holiday (pineapple, orange, banana, mango and mint). This smoothie was refreshing and substantial which made it slightly heavy to stomach after eating a large meal. The mint was noticeable, but didn't overpower the drink. So it really just had a refreshing presence without the minty taste (just the way we like it!).
Right: The Starlet (blueberries, raspberries, pineapple and coriander). With berries being half of the ingredients, it's no surprise that it tastes like a berry mix. The pineapple wasn't evident, however there was a tang. We were surprised that there was actually coriander in the blend, who would have thought! We definitely didn't pick it up while drinking it, trust me.. Christie would have turned it down had she known.
Sake Jr is the perfect place to visit if you are rushed for time and want something healthy and convenient. If you don't have time to create a bowl, there are pre-made options for those on the go. Thank you to Sake Jr and Urban Purveyor for inviting us as guests.
Working so close to Westfield Sydney will see us return soon for the BREKKIE BOWLS!!