Kura Pyrmont, 14 Aug 2009

I have only ever had takeaway from the original Kura at Haymarket as a friend is a particular fan, but seating is a major issue there due to its cramped space. So I was looking forward to actually eating in when I had lunch with Monsieur Poisson and Kiki at the newest Kura at Pyrmont. This is the fourth outlet of the Kura chain but no one seems to know what happened to Kura II (Kura III is at 6 Dixon Street, near Chinatown).

Kura at Pyrmont is not particularly large either and is about the size of a milk bar. It has a prettily decorated wall opposite the food counter featuring coloured flower outlines and reeds arranged in wall vases. There is a takeaway counter at the front of the store where some menu items are available, such as the okonomiyaki below for only $5!

There is only one variant of okonomiyaki available, which has miscellaneous seafood and the requisite cabbage. It is served with the usual toppings of Japanese mayonnaise, bonito flakes, finely sliced spring onion and Japanese barbeque sauce but also Japanese pickled ginger. There’s not a lot of filling and the okonomiyaki are premade and reheated when ordered in store, but they do represent exceptional value for good quality ‘fast’ food.

We order a ‘Kura Salad’ to share which has sashimi arranged on top of mixed salad leaves. The lot is topped with a honey Dijonniase-type dressing, as opposed to the usual Japanese mayonnaise, and a sprinkling of tobiko.

I have a gyu-tan don which is a very generous serve of ox tongue stir-fried with capsicum and onion sitting on a bed of baby spinach leaves in a bowl on top of rice. The ox tongue is thinly sliced and really juicy and the meal is served with miso soup for the bargain price of only $8.80! Monsieur Poisson has the chicken katsu curry which again has quite a bit of rice with a crispy crumbed chicken fillet and plenty of Japanese curry alongside.

Neither of us can finish our rice despite our healthy appetites. Although small and not in a typical dining area, Kura represents good food and even better value.

Kura Pyrmont

141 Harris St, Pyrmont NSW

Tel: (02) 9518 7944

Opening Hours:  Uncertain, but a few listings say that it is open for both lunch & dinner.

happy eating!