Gou Sushi

Eat & Drink Modern Japanese Seafood

Jackie McMillan
December 23, 2015

Chef Chun Man Lau (Rio) makes a powerful case for fusion at this new Surry Hills sushi train, using methods he honed endearing Yukiguni to Cabramatta’s diverse locals. “We have to use the local ingredients – local fish or local ingredients – to make something new,” says Rio. This explains why you’ll find spearmint, not shiso, topping beautifully crosshatched Squid ($3.60/2). Tiny cuts ensure the creamy raw squid crumples delicately on eating. Beetroot, sugar and dill marination gently stretches your notions of sushi in Beetroot Salmon ($3.60/2). It’s remarkably successful, as are red wine and apple cider jelly cubes balancing Redfish ($6.80) – the less impressive cousin of Imperador and Alfonsino – sashimi. Yuzu Miso Eggplant ($3.60/2) improves nasu dengaku with citrus, and sticks it on rice; while Mango Salmon Rolls ($4.20/3) inject Sydney summer with thin slices of fruit. At the more traditional end, there’s seasonally available Uni ($10.80) served over the urchin shell; and a lovely collection of aburi (blow torched) options. You’ll find Wagyu ($3.60/2); Scallop ($3.60/2); Prawn ($4.20/2) and BBQ Eel ($3.60/2) in rotation, by request; or in a beautifully garnished Aburi Nigiri Box ($13.80) takeaway. “Many Japanese chefs resist innovation but Chinese and Koreans like new things,” says Rio; and watching him work in collaboration with his Japanese brother-in-law, it’s hard not to grin.