Friday, March 08, 2013

Jap's Table, Darlington

My ramen confusion continues with the opening of Jap's Table in Darlington last year.  I've been told by my colleague, Lady Ruth (who has traveled and lived in Japan for years) that the food at Jap's Table is pretty authentic.  Lady Ruth thinks this is as Japanese as you're going to get outside of Japan.


My Japan-o-phile friends from Street Food nod their heads in agreement when I share Lady Ruth's declaration to them.  And it's so close to my work that it would be criminal not to head there and try their  ramen...often.

Mr Jap's Table loves cooking his Yakitori on a charcoal grill out on the sidewalk (let's see how long the council let him get away with this).
The first ramen I try at Jap's Table is the Yokohama Ramen ($9.50), a pork based stock that is much less thick than the Tonkotsu Ramen (pork bone broth) that I've tried at other places. I like this a lot as it's flavoursome but not too rich.  I often find the flavour of Tonkotsu broth a bit too porky (yes, there is such a thing) and too thick with collagen from pork bones used to make the broths.  This ramen is quite "thin" and the addition of a perfect soft yolked egg and thick, fatty pieces of pork belly add a touch of decadence.  I also grab an Ocean Trout + Avocado Roll ($2.80) which is freshly made and absolutely perfect.


On my next visit I try the Su Udon ($9.50) made with Bonito Stock.  The menu says this is a vegetarian dish but just in case you don't know - Bonito is a fish, and a fish is not a vegetable...no matter the cuisine. My vego friend Tara was recently told that seafood eating "vegetarians" are "fish-o-crites". Take note Jap's Table! This is a wonderful soup either way - light, simple and it feels like a healthy dish to eat on a day when you want to eater on the lighter side. Not a dish for Meat Free Monday however.


I'm b-a-c-k! I'm starting to feel a bit like a Jap's Table stalker but when you're on to a good thing just go with it. This time try the raw salmon don ($9.50) and it is another fresh and healthy tasting dish.  There's not much to this really - just sushi rice topped with stripes of raw salmon, sesame seeds and sliced shallots. I add a bit of soy sauce to the bowl to give the rice a bit of moisture.


Of course we've all had a salmon + avocado roll ($2.80) before but Mackerel Sushi ($4 for 3 pieces) is something I've never seen on offer in Australia (or anywhere else for that matter). The fish is less oily and less "strong" in flavour than I had though, overall a nice mild flavoured fish. 


After so many visits it seems about time to try Mr Jap's Table yakatori skewers. I can never pass up chicken skin when I see it on a menu - this is a bit less crunchy (and also more fatty) than the chicken skin I've had at Japanese restaurants, but it's still delicious.  I also try the salmon yakatori and the beef skewer - both are tender and have that beautiful charred flavour of being cooked over charcoal. Lovely.


Jap's Table is a great little place. The food is delicious, simple and flavoursome (and reasonably priced too). I'm glad I have this so close to my work - a little bit of Jap's Table helps break up the dreary work week in the cubicle farm.



Jap's Table is at Shop 6/ 245-249 Abercrombie Street, Darlington.

Jap's Table on Urbanspoon

29 comments:

  1. Oh I have to go and visit Jap's Table!!! I love Japanese food!!
    Mr GG and I have been to Japan twice... and mostly because I was hungry ;)

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    1. I really want to go to Japan - I'll get there, it's just the cost that's putting me off.

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  2. LOL, I can't believe that Miss Piggy finds tonkotsu too porky! You're so lucky to have such a nice place to drop into during the week.

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    1. It's ironic I know but I feel really gross eating it...all I can think of are dead piggies.

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  3. Good stuff, it does look more authentic than most "everything you stuff in a roll" Japanese places. With so many people claiming to be vegetarians who eat fish (and often chicken), I don't blame the restaurant for their katsuobushi impasse.

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    1. I think there are a lot of people out there who don't class seafood as "meat"...odd.

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  4. This looks good and a reasonable price. I have been reading the review of Ippudo and feel that $19 is too much for a bowl of ramen.

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    1. Ippudo is $19 but it's SO tasty. My favourite so far...but this is great too, close to the cubicle farm and a good price.

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  5. I have ramen confusion too - but I love japanese food and would be interested to know if there are any vegetarian dishes there - shame about the bonito flakes - it is very hard to work out what is truly vegetarian in many asian restaurants - my favourite one was a malaysian one that had about 10 vegetarian dishes that turned out to all have shrimp powder in them.

    annnnnd... I have given you a Liebster award at http://gggiraffe.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/liebster-award-meme-of-elevenses.html with a fun meme if you have time and the inclination

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    1. I really don't think there was anything truly vegetarian...I often wonder how hard it must be to travel the world for veggos. Thanks for the nomination...I sadly don't think I'm all that interesting to write about --- I could write to you about food though! LOL.

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  6. Mm Japanese food is so tasty and it's always so clean on my palette for some reason! But that's a good thing :D

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    1. I like the clear soups...and the sushi, oh the sushi!

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  7. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!
    I'll be in Darlington tomorrow and I was thinking about where we'd go and eat. Sorted!

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  8. I have wanted to try this place for a while now, somehow I never make it there. Your pictures made me hungry though, I really need to check it out...

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    1. GO! It's so close to those lovely coffee shops you love to frequent. Coffee then ramen...nom.

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  9. why does something so awesome open up near uni once i finish uni @@ nuuu!

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    1. Same happens to me when I move out of a suburb. So frustrating!

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  10. I don't think i would ever...ever get tired of eating Japanese cuisine.

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  11. What a great find! And fishocrites is a funny term but I daren't use it on my in laws because I don't want to have that conversation :P

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    1. LOL...yes, best not rile up the in-laws.

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  12. Have been meaning to get here for ages after hearing about it from a friend. I love that he cooks yakitori on a grill outside too!

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    1. I think Yakitori Man has been shooed inside....but it's still well worth a visit.

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  13. Oh good! Like Helen, I've been meaning to go here for a while after a friend raved about it ^^ haha fishocrite

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  14. I am seriously going to have to give these guys a visit.

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  15. mm~~ you've been there lots ... I think that says something ... it screams "YOU NEED TO GO!"
    Ramen cravings are now starting!!

    - Cassie

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