19 Liverpool Street, Melbourne
Phone (03) 9663 2227
I just absolutely adore quirky little restaurants like this.
Horoki has been a firm favourite for many years; it is so close to work, I often stop in for one of their wonderful lunch sets. But it wasn’t until last month that I was finally able to sample Chef Higuchi-san’s inventive and inspired Japanese/European fusion for dinner, not once, but twice!
On this occassion I went with my friend Bria, who is wholly responsible for fuelling my current obsession with jdrama. We were having a girls night out, considering the other half of tummyrumbles was out with the lads getting decidely sloshed at his psuedo bucks night. So after catching a chick flick, we headed to the small, intimate surrounds of Horoki, and shared some interesting little dishes. Let me just qualify though, Horoki is not about big plates of food. The idea is more akin to tapas – small plates of food to nibble on while you have a drink (or three).
We started with the tuna carpaccio; slices of raw tuna steeped in a light shoyu marinade, slathered with shavings of fresh parmesan and Japanese mayonnaise. It makes me salivate just thinking about it, and is a MUST order item for any visit.
Then we chose another quirky fusion dish, pizza. But wait, this is not your regular Mario special. This thin pastry disc was topped with cheese, little balls of chicken mince, corn kernals, sliced green onions, shards of shredded nori, and then topped with a sweetish Japanese BBQ sauce. Oishii!
I don’t know whether I’d call this dish fusion, as it was entirely what I know as being an Italian pasta aglio e olio, which is fine by me as it is one of my favourites. This had been given a nice hit of peperoncino, so much so it had me downing an extra Asahi! Horoki does have some other fusion spaghetti’s on the menu, ones which include mentaiko (spicy cod roe) and seaweed. I’d be keen to give that a go next time!
We also shared a fabulous tuna, avocado and tofu salad. Oooh…I just wish I could eat this every day for lunch! On top of salad leaves and shreds of daikon sat discs of silken tofu alternating with slices of ripe avocado. But it was the sauce that just pulled everything together – a tinned tuna (don’t gasp) and white miso-y, sesame-y, mirin-y concoction that was totally sugoi! And for a bit of textural crunch, a chiffonade of fried garlic added another tasty element to the dish.
Last but not least, some seared salmon nigirizushi (literal translation: hand-formed sushi). Prepared a la minute, the perfectly pressed oblong mounds of rice held their integrity as you brought them up to your mouth, yet disintegrated ever so tenderly as you chomped down on the smoky seared salmon. Simple and fabulous.
Horoki can be a rather popular venue, so I would strongly advise booking in advance (even for lunch!).
New blog post: Horoki http://tummyrumbles.com/2009/10/horoki.html
Japanese Italo fusion I’ve had in Japan kills me – love the post RT @tummyrumbles: New blog post: Horoki http://bit.ly/2mGoQ
Ladies and gentlemen we have a winner! This place is bizarre yet it just keeps packing them in, without any need for a publicity campaign or a star chef. It’s a good example of how Melbourne kicks Sydney’s arse, at all price points.
Count me in as another fan of the parmesan covered tuna sashimi… they dare not take it off the menu.
My friends and I are regulars at this place. Usually a night out on Friday plus saki! I love the kingfish and the rice bubble dish.
A general comment to say how much I enjoy your site and the insights you give, thanks so much.
lol, I’ve tried that pizza…its damn good! I’m so glad Agnes and Alastair introduced me to this place, its freakin brilliant!
The mentaiko noodles are heaven – I think it goes better with rice noodles (?) than spaghetti. It is not too hard to make though – Harumi Kurihara has a recipe, and likewise you could check http://www.cookpad.com (popular Japanese recipe portal).
Hey there Ken – great minds obviously think alike
Hiya Jeroxie – just read your Horoki post, and yes, that crunchy rice dish looks intriguing! I didn’t notice it on the menu, so will have to seek it out on the next visit.
Hi George – thanks for the lovely comment! I’m actually coming up to Sunnybrae in a few weeks, and very much look forward to meeting you in person
G’day Maria – I just think the nori topping is totally inspired!
Hiya Anon – thanks for the link, will check it out! But I must confess, being Italian my preference is always for spaghetti
Hey there,
Long-time fan, but this is the first time I’ve actually commented on your site
Horoki is one of my fave Japanese places in the city too. I agree with you – the tuna carpaccio is a MUST HAVE. I also recommend the creamy crab dumplings and the piri-piri prawns if they appear on the specials menu next time you’re there.
Hiya Libby – welcome to your first post on tummyrumbles! I hope there is many more to come!
Oooh, I’ve not had either of those, but they sound like a must have as well. I have been advised that the specials menu is where some of the more interesting and delectable lil’ dishes await. Unfortunately the last time I went, they were all sold out for the evening!
I love this place. Their Goyza filled chicken wings are to die for.
Goyza filled chicken wings? Hmm…sounds very intriguing!
hi mellie,
I LOVE HOROKI! it is one of my most favourite, better than Nobu in a way. You have to try their Daikon Salad, it is simply amazing, i can finsih the whole salad myself, sometimes I love their tataki and beef tatare. The duck is great also!
Wow.. this place looks great. I’ll have to give it a try.
Have you tried Izakaya Chuji before? Its my favourite Jap place in the city.
and to add to that, I’ve given it a try
.
It was great!
Hiya Jenny – yes, I did try their daikon salad, which is to die for. I wish he’d put that on the lunch menu, as I’d quite happily munch on it as a meal.
Hey there Tom – yes, I have been to Izakaya Chuji many times. You can read one of my posts here. It’s always reliable, huh? But I’m glad you tried Horoki and enjoyed it. You must go back for dinner.
Can’t believe I’ve never made it to Horoki, sounds unanimously amazing! Lots of must-try menu items from all the comments too. Must go!
Jetsetting Joyce
I went back for dinner
It was great!
I loved it