Izakaya Fujiyama, Surry Hills

What do three hungry food bloggers and the super-patient fiance of one of said bloggers order when visiting Izakaya Fujiyama? The tuna jaw. Naturally.

We joined Grab Your Fork at Izakaya Fujiyama, a new Japanese Izakaya located in leafy Surry Hills.

Asazuke, $4.50

We started with a bowl of Asazuke, a salt-cured jumble of crunchy cabbage, cucumber and carrot. I loved the tangy strips of crisp cabbage leaves, fragranced with a smoky sweetness from the addition of sesame oil.

Omakase sashimi plate, $24.50

Next to arrive was the beautifully plated Omakase sashimi plate, the Chef’s special of the day.

I could see J’s eyes light up when he spotted the ribbons of silky smooth salmon, kingfish, mackrel and tuna.

We enjoyed the cool fish with thinly grated daikon and fresh wasabi. Everytime I taste fresh wasabi, I find myself wondering why anyone bothers with the reconstituted “post mix” kind!

Kenji’s fried chicken, $13.50

Kenji’s Fried Chicken ticks all the boxes, if you ask me. We swooped on the sizzling chicken like magpies, enjoying the crunchy pieces with house made ‘Kewpie’ mayonnaise.  A drizzle of lemon juice added some welcome acidity, cutting through the richness of each mouthful. 

Crispy pork belly with yuzu pepper, $24.50

If only you could have seen the gleeful looks on our faces when this beautiful crispy pork arrived!

I was pleased to find generous chunks of meltingly tender pork beneath the crisp golden tiles of crackling. The tender meat was delicious with a smidgen of the tangy and hot yuzu pepper paste.

Teriyaki beef kalbi, $28.50

When I spotted the Teriyaki beef kalbi on the menu, I knew we had to try it.

Beef ribs are a favourite of mine, and these didn’t disappoint. Marinated in sticky sweet Teriyaki sauce and grilled to bronzed perfection, these ribs were beautifully tender and moreish.

You’ll need to fight it out to see who gets to enjoy the tender beef straight off the bone, Flintstones style.

 Tuna jaw, $38

The Tuna Jaw is a foodie’s scavenger hunt. It’s quite a sight, arriving on its own chopping block, with an astringent mound of freshly grated daikon on the side. Two bowls of dipping sauces are also provided, adding a kick of umami salty savoury goodness to each bite.

We dispense with all table manners and go for the gold, aiming to extract the tastiest morsels from the jaw.

It’s messy work, but it’s worth it. With a little patience, and the help of our trusty chopsticks, it’s easy to uncover tender pieces of tuna that are slick with a collagen-rich natural glaze.

And don’t forget the crispy wings – like fishy crisps, they are absolutely worth trying!

Fujiyama Jaffa, $13.50

It’s a struggle to make it to the end, but even so, we carried on. To end our evening, we decide to share the Fujiyama Jaffa.

This pretty dessert features frozen chocolate cake, a light yoghurt ice cream and smooth chocolate ‘yogo’. Sour and sweet cumquat sauce is drizzled over the dish with a sprinkling of sweetened popcorn.

A great end to a really memorable meal!

Read Grab Your Fork’s post

Read about our other food adventures in Sydney

• Sydney day 1: BBQ King, Haymarket
• Sydney day 1: Via del Corso, Westfield Sydney
• Sydney day 1: Spiedo Bar and Restaurant, Westfield Sydney
• Sydney day 2: Bills, Surry Hills
• Sydney day 2: Becasse Bakery, Westfield Sydney
• Sydney day 2: Cafe Ish, Surry Hills
• Sydney day 2: Emperor’s Puffs, Chinatown
• Sydney day 2: Chat Thai, Haymarket
• Sydney day 3: Bourke Street Bakery, Surry Hills
• Sydney day 3: Cafe Cre Asion, Sydney CBD
• Sydney day 3: Jackie M Malaysian Cuisine, Concord
• Sydney day 4: The Rocks Cafe, The Rocks
• Sydney day 4: Din Tai Fung, World Square
• Sydney day 4: The Star, Pyrmont
• Sydney day 4: Sydney Madang, Sydney CBD