I like yum cha. And I like chicken feet.
That’s right: I’m Chinese and slightly eccentric.
Anyway, this particular outing was in celebration of my mum’s, ahem, thirty-fifth birthday – or thereabouts. (Who am I to tell the internet my mum’s real age?)
Pete was a big fan of all the yum cha dishes, which my parents were pretty pleased to see. It’s funny how when Angus isn’t there (like on this particular Friday when he was at daycare), Pete seems to come into his own a bit more. Or maybe it’s simply that we have more time and opportunity and headspace to pay him greater attention and discern all the little things that make him the delightful boy that he is.
To my dearest mum, happy birthday and thanks for everything you do for us.
We love you!
Shimbashi & Jugemu is our go-to Japanese restaurant for pretty much all our date nights.
There are a few reasons why we keep going back:
- It is located in Neutral Bay, which is about 40 minutes drive from our place. This is perfect because it gives me a chance to nap and Rick the chance to fantasise (in peace) about a land where diesel is cheap and where Land Rovers never break down.
- The food is exquisite. Every mouthful seems to just burst with flavour. I kid you not, most our dinner conversation goes like this: “Mmmmmm….. yuuuummm…. that is soooo good…. ” Real sophisticated, right?
- The owner knows us by name now. At first, we were the bearded Aussie guy and his often-pregnant Chinese wife (I know this because when Rick rang up after the earthquake in Japan to see if the owner’s family was okay, that’s how he identified himself and that’s how the owner knew who he was). Now he knows us as ‘Richard and Rhonda.’ Sadly, we still can’t remember his name. Terrible, I know.
- We both like the familiar. It’s not that we don’t like to try new things. It’s more that we don’t like surprises. Plus, date nights are far and few between these days, so if we know something’s good, you can count on us to keep going back. Loyal, that’s what we are.
If you are ever in Sydney and decide to pay this place a visit, here are some dishes to try…
- Shimbashi roll: This is their signature dish, and trust me, you will never go back to normal salmon sushi roll again. Ever. Each serving contains eight pieces and I usually let Rick have at least one piece. See how much I love him?
- Wagyu beef steak: Even as a woman who’s rather impartial to steak, I have to say this is good. Picture the nicest steak you’ve ever tasted and then imagine it to be five times tastier. That’s what Shimbashi’s wagyu steak is like. It is a testament to how much Rick loves me that he doesn’t count how many pieces I steal off his plate. Not out loud anyway.
- Spinach salad: Popeye would be very happy with this one. There is some secret sauce that they use in this salad that makes you want to keep eating it and eating it and eating it. It’s literally spinach on steroids.
- Soba chips: Yummy chips – only healthy. Need I say more?