Kuni and the Japanese

April 1998

When Kuni's opened twenty years ago , Kuni Ichikawa put in Melbourne's first sushi bar. It was not an instant success. "No one would order it, we had to give customers some to try," he recalled recently. "People were horrified at the idea of raw fish, but times have changed. Now every Japanese restaurant (and there are about 100 of them in Melbourne) has sushi and sashimi."

And one of these is Japonica in Toorak Rd, South Yarra which Kuni and a former chef from his restaurant, Tony Lu, started last November.

Tony worked in the various sections of Kuni's (including the sushi bar) for five years. He is originally from Ning Bo, a small town near Shanghai, China. When he first came to Melbourne in 1990 the former bank accountant worked in a Thai restaurant before getting the job at Kuni's. So his experience in Asian cuisines is rather diverse. At this stage this is not reflected in Japonica's strictly Japanese menu which Kuni helped him devise. Tony is assisted in Japonica's kitchen by a 'temporary' Japanese chef and by Japanese waitresses out front. "It is very hard to find permanent Japanese staff here in Melbourne, every Japanese restaurant has these problems. it's easier at Kuni's because it is so well established."

The increase in Japanese restaurants in Melbourne has been quite dramatic over the past decade. When Kuni arrived in Melbourne in 1974 there were just a couple of Japanese restaurants which had started in the 60's. Kuni's first job was at Sukiyaki House (probably the oldest) which was then in Alfred Place. He recalls "it was expensive but quite fine and a specialist in sukiyaki." Other Japanese restaurants which followed were also expensive. But at Kuni's he aimed to do more "homely cooking" and prices were a lot lower.

Now, in Melbourne we have a big range of Japanese places to choose from at all price levels. But, with the exception of the highly praised teppanyaki at Japanese Teppanyaki Inn (182 Collins Street, City. Phone 9650 9432) and some sushi bars, note Sushi Chef (193 Clarendon St Sth Melb. Phone 9645 5008) there are no specialist restaurants which really concentrate on one dish, as they do in Japan.

Although there are a lot of keen eaters of Japanese food here, we don't really have a dedicated enough population to have that. Since Sukiyaki House closed in the late 80's there is no one specialising in that famous dish. "In Japan they all concentrate on one dish but here we have to serve everything so each dish 's standard is not very high, you have to compromise. Nor is there anywhere for the perfect tempura, one of the most difficult dishes for a busy restaurant to be able to do consistently well."

Kuni suggests that if you want to eat good tempura it's best to eat early when the oil is fresh and at just the right temperature. Once the kitchen gets busy, the oil may get too hot or there are too many orders at once and this very delicate dish is easily spoilt.

So far this has not been a problem at Japonica where chef Tony has found that dishes such as Tori Shiso Make (chicken wrapped in shiso leaves then pan-grilled with lemon juice) and Kabocha Soboroni (pumpkin simmered with minced chicken) and vegetable dishes, such as Nibitashi (green vegetables and shiitake mushrooms) are much more popular.

But he is thinking of making changes to the menu, with Kuni's advice of course. Perhaps of introducing some of his native Chinese dishes here. It will be interesting to see how this develops. Kuni has been a very influential in the Japanese scene here in Melbourne both directly and indirectly. After Kuni's had been open six years he and partner Ron Harrison, opened Kenzan. He was finding it difficult to meet the demands of the business people coming to Kuni's. "It was not sort of a place where businessmen could entertain. At Kuni's it was so difficult because it was always so busy, and they were demanding more and more service and food and we couldn't do that. So we set up Kenzan to do that and it has worked very well. " Kuni has now sold his share in Kenzan but still regards it as serving Melbourne's best sushi. Many others agree. Kenzan, Collins Place, 45 Collins St. City. Phone 9654 8933

Chefs who have worked with him are now responsible for other Japanese restaurants. The chef/owner at Akari (177 Brunswick St, Fitzroy. Phone 9419 3786) was at Kuni's; the chef at Diamonji (Level 3, 211 Latrobe St. Phone 9660 6500) was at Kenzan, chef owner at Izakaya Chuji (165 Lonsdale St. City. Phone 9663 8118) was at Kuni's

And for Kuni himself when he is not eating at the restaurant that bears his name, Kuni's, 56 Little Bourke St. Phone 9663 7243 or at Japonica (Shop 6, 180 Toorak Rd, South Yarra. Phone 9827 2968) , there are a couple of places he would choose, two of them are Japanese and the others, Italian and Greek. All will be revealed later in the year in Mietta's Eating and Drinking in Melbourne.