Busshari – Potts Point, Sydney

As I mentioned in my latest Masuya post, some of my relatives had come over to visit s and watch my big brother graduate *sniff sniff* he is growing up to be a big boy now *sniff sniff* but more importantly, relatives over meant going out to eat ^^! Busshari was another place that I had wanted to try so I was glad to be able to finally give it a go
I had also heard that this was a play frequented by Nicole Kidman but the staff member I asked was relatively new and had not seen her dine there before.

Executive Chef – Nobuyuki Ito-san flaming something… mmmm tastes like burning

The restaurant was surprisingly small but had a very cozy and warm atmosphere especially with some mood-lighting action going on. I really like the rows of empty Sake bottles and the big round lanterns hanging above the counter. The staff were also friendly and quite attentive which made the experience all the better ^^! But when we first looked at the relatively small menu we were slightly disheartened since it looked like a pretty average menu with nothing really special standing out. It also seemed to be to be catered for Caucasians but never judge a book by its’ cover!
Here Comes the Food

Edamame
Mmm perfect for downing with your pre-dinner beer!

Chef’s Selection Sashimi plate ($29)
The sashimi was of very good quality as the freshness of the pieces of fish can be tasted with each bite. The presentation of the dish also followed the traditional balance of harmony and reflecting nature through the choice in seasonal fish. The wasabi was also fresh and provided the bite that is so nose-pitching but tasty at the same time.

Agedashi Tofu ($7)
Who can resist these soft, pillowy cubes of lighty fried tofu with dashi sauce and bonito shavings? Not us, and the ones at Busshari were very good indeed.

Seafood Sashimi & Seasonal Vegetable Salad ($22)
One of the must-get salads! This dish reflects the freshness of the fish used at this restaurant as well as the matched them up with fresh crisp veges for a good contrast in texture and a slighty tangy sauce for contrast in flavour.

Grilled Eggplant topped w miso paste ($12)
I love grilled eggplant with miso past and since they used half light miso and half dark miso, I was exceptionally happy ^^! The stronger dark miso was my favourite though the creamier light miso was also very nice mmmmm miso.

Assorted Seafood & Vegetable Tempura ($24)
Crispy and crunchy batter-coated delicacies were deep fried to a non-greasy and very flavoursome state. There was a flurry of chopsticks as people fought over the prawns (hah asians -__-) but there was plenty to go around as we ordered 2 of most dishes.

White Raddish Salad ($8)
Very refreshing with a pleasant crunch with each bite and a slippery sauce.

Pork Belly Kakuni ($17)
Oh my good heavens… this dish was definitely in the top 2 of the night. A tender and soft chunk of pork belly with a very generous layer of fat (clearly observalbe in the photo) for that melt-in-your-mouth flavour without being overly greasy as well. The sweet sauce also complimented the natural sweetness of the pork. Mmmm pure bliss ^^!

To be honest, I must have been in a pork belly coma after the Kakuni as I am not too sure about these 2 maki sushis…

Busshari Veggie ($13) (?)
This one was vegetarian from memory so I am guessing it was the Busshari Veggie.

Gyoza ($8)
These gyozas were some of the better ones we have had as they burst with delicious flavour with the initial bite. The bottom good be a bit more charred in my opinion for that bit more crunch.

Eel Sushi
Hee hee I know what this one is XD The eel was slightly small but the flakey goodness was tasty.

Karaage Chicken on Harusame Noodle Nest ($15)
Another winner of a dish with not only crunchy outer layer of chicken but the noodle nest was fun and tasty to eat. The chicken was moist and juicy and an absolute delight.

Prawn Tempura, Cucumber & Japanese Mayonnaise Hand Roll ($6.50)
I wasn’t able to try this but if it was as any good as the tempura from the platter then it would be extra tasty in hand roll form with some additional mayo.

Grilled Eel, Cucumber, Omlette & Sweet Soy Sauce ($5.50)

Ocean Trout. Avocado, Cucumber Hand Roll ($6)
I have been having more Ocean Trout recently as I am growing quite fond of this fish. It does very nicely in hand roll form I must say.

Wagyu Beef Sizzling Tobanyaki ($29)
Wagyu beef… good quality wagyu beef… veeerrryyy good quality wagyu beef = Pure heaven… The way the meat just melts is amazing and the taste and flavours that swirls around after you have swallowed lingers and coaxes you to have more and mooore! The Tobanyaki is also very good idea as you can control how well done you prefer your meat and the side of assorted veges are also very tantalizing.
Then came the desserts of which we had to try some of at least ^^!

Green Tea Ice Cream ($6.50)
Rich and creamy and goes beautifully with red bean, you can never go wrong with green tea ice cream. The combination of sweet and slight bitter is loved by all ^^! There were also these wonderful cubes of mochi which were delightful with some chew on them.

Sesame Tart ($7.50)
I used to loooovvveee black sesame and must had over-dosed on it a few years back as I tend not to order it as much anymore but this tart was spongy and very flavoursome. The deep, rich flavour of the black sesame is undeniable and can only be perfected with a scoop of ice cream on top.

Anmitsu-traditional Japanese style parfait ($8)
Another great dessert with good green tea flavours but maybe slightly too much fresh cream for my liking.

Black Sesame Ice Cream ($6.50)
Not as strong in flavour as I had hoped but still quite tasty.

Pumpkin Mousse Brulee ($7.50)
My favourite dessert was this pumpkin mousse brulee! It was a surprising and very original idea which works nicely. The only downfall was the lack of snap/crack on the caramelized sugar surface.

A fantastic and cozy little restaurant with very fresh produce and great food. I would appreciate it even more if they had a bit more special and unique selections on their menus but they already have the awesome Pork Belly Kakuni and Wagyu Beef Tobanyaki so I am satisfied hee hee.

Busshari
119 Macleay St
Potts Point 2011
Ph: (02) 9357 4555
Head Chef: Nobuyuki Ito
FFichiban
May 29th, 2009 at 3:26 am
good to see you tried many of the dishes. one of my favourite japanese restaurants in sydney that i’ve been to.
s
May 29th, 2009 at 8:07 am
I can’t say no to a good Japanese place. I will have to try this place, I keep hearing about it! Drooling over the eggplant, and the pumpkin brulee!!! The best bit about having relatives over is the extra eating out you get from it hehehe!
May 29th, 2009 at 9:44 am
you should ask Yas to talk to Nobu to give you extra portions! LOL Hey whats those 2 dip for the tempura? I can see what u mean the menu is catered for caucasians, but seems like they do look after the dishes and presented well with quality.
May 29th, 2009 at 9:57 am
omg. i’m so jealous of all the food you got

i preferred the black paste on the eggplant as well – but both were winners
and lol at the ‘mood-lighting-action going on’!
May 29th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Drooooolll…. over all the foods… I like the presentation of the Sashimi platter, very refreshing and very beautiful. And…hmmm who can resist the Pork Belly ??? (except my mom who doesn’t like pork at all).
May 29th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Oh wow, all that food is absolutely delicious! The edamame reminds me of when my boyfriend and I were in Japan and he ate them whole – very amusing!The gyoza look delicious too, that’s probably one of my favourite dishes.
May 29th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
Drooooolll…. over all the foods… I like the presentation of the Sashimi platter, very refreshing and very beautiful. And…hmmm who can resist the Pork Belly ??? (except my mom who doesn’t like pork at all).
Sorry, forgot to add great post! Can’t wait to see your next post!
May 30th, 2009 at 11:07 am
ho ho i thought that your grilled eggplant was some sort of shellfish creature when i first saw it
this restaurant does look extremelyy tasty!!
+100 points for the sushi, tobanyaki, tempura, gyouza, pork belly, DESSERTS, EVERYTHING haha I have to find out where potts point is
June 1st, 2009 at 5:06 am
OHHH YEAH. I love Busshari!
You’ve got to try the Yuzu Shochu next time!
Toban yaki and Hiramasa Kingfish carpaccio are my favourite there
June 1st, 2009 at 11:50 pm
Simon Food Fav – Ahh I can see why!
but I guess that means more for you ^^!
Steph – Yeah the pumpkin brulee was gorgeous mmmm ^^!
Billy – Yeah presentation is awesome and the tempura were green tea powder and some other sort of seasonal.
Betty – Hee hee take more people next time and order heaaapppss
Leony – Awww no pork for her
Katie – Oh wow.. I guess there is a lot of fibre in it haha
Leony – Hee hee hee thanks again ^^!
Grace – Hee hee your funnnnyy
Yas – Haha I gotta take you next time!
June 7th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Beautiful photo of the lanterns! The food looks interesting. Love the way they presented the miso eggplant. I might have to check it out. I also want to try that sesame tart.