Salaryman - Surry Hills

Somehow I remember my Japanese friend's story when I hear about this place. She told me in Japan becoming a salaryman is the expected career choice for young men and they typically stay with their first company throughout the whole career. She also told me after working long hours, they usually go to casual places (Izakaya) for after-work drinking with their colleagues.

As we enter this place, I feel like the ambiance somehow suits the after-hours mood especially if you plan to catch up with your colleagues straight after work. Inside is so dark, not that spacious but looking so sleek and modern with an open kitchen. Looking at their menu, I'd say they offer Modern Australian with Japanese influence dish and quite varied to be anything you want. 

So, together with my salarymen and office ladies friends, we decided to start our night with something small from their treats section.

Torched Honey Bugs Nigiri, Avocado, White Soy 

It's just hard not to like Nigiri especially when it's presented with a piece of beautifully-torched honey bug. Served two per portion, the flesh is juicy and buttery as it lies on top of a nicely molded rice ball and brushed with white soy as the finishing touch.

This Prawn Toast Okonomiyaki is our favorite as we order another 2 portions straight after the first bite! Well who wouldn't have an obsession with fried food? Delicate prawn mousse with crisp panko coating and served with mayonnaise, bonito and okonomiyaki sauce.

Bone Marrow,  Duck Ham, Miso, Milk Bread

The creamy, smooth textures and flavours are just hard to dislike! Served with a small spoon, I can easily see this dish as a rich and decadent "butter" to the crispy fried milk bread on the side. We couldn't taste the duck ham since they're thinly sliced and the miso paste overwhelms with its lovely savoury flavours .

I know marrow is mostly fat, it's not a diet food, but science has shown that it's actuall a nutritious food containing iron and all that substances that boost our body's immune system! So I guess this can be a legit excuse to order more than one portion right? LOL!

Rolled Wagyu Sirloin, Shallot, Enoki, Egg Yolk, Gyu Dare

Beef rolls are classic menu you can easily found in any good Japanese restaurant. Of course, the better beef they use, the better the dish tastes! The meat is tender and the gyu dare adds the sweetness and body to the meat in Japanese way while the egg yolk's creaminess acts as a finishing touch. 

Out of three ramen choices on the menu, I'd say this Pork and Pippie Ramen is my favorite! Served with chashu pork, wood-fired pippies and pickled egg, the broth made from pork loin and bone is clear and light in flavour while the additional burnt garlic & sesame oil gives the soup an extra dimensions of bitter sweet and garlicky aroma. The noodle is a bit too soft for my liking, but overall this modern ramen is quite satisfying if you still need something after the small treats.

Duck is fatty and when I think of it being simmered for hours until they give away their richness to the liquid (plus Salaryman only has limited bowls), we're waiting for this with much anticipation. It turns out the duck and shoyu broth is quite light and the duck breast texture is a bit chewy for my liking.

Roasted Potato & Miso Ramen

To be honest this ramen is my least favorite as there's not much flavour in overall. I know vegetable-based broth is lacking all the good things that bones give off but I still think the taste is quite bland with miso being used as the base soup and the addition of black garlic oil on top. 

Salaryman

Address:

52 Albion Street, Surry Hills

Opening Hours:

Monday - Saturday 11.30am - 10pm

Closed on Sunday