O-Sushi Byron Bay has been named as Australia’s favourite Japanese Restaurant in the 2010 I Love Food Awards!
Over 100, 000 votes were cast across the 26 categories – and many must have gone our way. So we’d love to say a big ARIGATO GOZAIMASU to all our wonderful customers who’ve made this possible.
We hope you continue enjoying O-Sushi Byron Bay – and Coolangatta – and wish all our voters the best of luck, with the $10,000 voter prize winner announced on September 8.
Its wonderful recognition for O-Sushi Byron Bay, who’ll now be included in the people’s choice EAT OUT GUIDE.
Like any good restaurant O-Sushi aims at keeping things ‘top notch’. That’s why you’ll notice a fresh new decor in our restaurants. We hope you find the changes make your visits to O-Sushi even more comfortable, welcoming and enjoyable!
After taking in our fantastic new surroundings, you can take a look at our menu – which gets revamped regularly. This means a visit to O-Sushi always means excitement (for your tastebuds!), and lets our Chef’s imaginations run wild. While that party in your mouth is going on, it might be easy for you to forget that O-Sushi is healthy too. We use only fresh ingredients (no MSG), offer sushi with brown rice and have a big range of dishes for vegetarians as well.
Hope to see your face in an O-Sushi soon, tucking into a sushi roll or tempura. Get your mouth watering by checking out our menu online at www.osushi.com.au.
There are so many opportunities to win (and win big!) with O-Sushi Coolangatta and O-Sushi Byron Bay at the moment.
Votes are closing soon in the Lifestyle Channel’s ‘I Love Food Awards’. Each vote puts you in the draw to win $10,000! Make sure you get yourself two entries, with a vote for both O-Sushi’s – Coolangatta and Byron Bay. Hurry, the competition closes at the end of this month.
Plus you have a chance at winning $150 worth of free food at your favourite O-Sushi restaurant – just by signing up to our newsletter by September 15. When you sign up be sure to give us your date of birth, so we can give you a free meal on your birthday!
But the rewards don’t end there! Qantas has chosen O-Sushi to be a Frequent Flyer Program Partner. This means you can now earn three Frequent Flyer points for every dollar spent in either one of our restaurants.
There’s never been a better time to pay us a visit! See you soon.
Great news for lovers of O-Sushi! You could be up for $10,000 – simply by voting in the ‘I Love Food’ Awards.
The Awards are held by the Lifestyle Food Channel, and entering couldn’t be easier. Simply click here and pick your favourite restaurant (O-Sushi of course)! You can even vote twice – once for O-Sushi Byron, and once for O-Sushi Coolangatta.
This video visits both the Byron Bay and Coolangatta restaurants and has interviews with O-Sushi co-owner Prayan Benglas and some of our creative chefs.
Vinegared Ginger (gari) is used between dishes as a palate cleaner. It is not meant to be eaten in the same bit as sushi.
When eating noodles, it is fine to make slurping noises.
Saki can be either chilled or hot, depending on how you like it.
Talk to the other diners around you. Sushi is about community, so start a conversation.
Don’t be afraid to ask for things such as Kazunoko, inago, hebo and idtakko that are not on the menu. Usually they are available, just not advertised.
People who handle food never handle money. Have another employee assist you with settling your bill. If you wish to tip the chef, use the tip jar provided.
When you’re at home, sushi etiquette is at your own discretion, but here are some recommendations for behaving in a sushi restaurant.
When you arrive at a sushi restaurant, greet the host or hostess. If you are interested in food preparation, sit at the sushi bar to be nearer to the chefs. Otherwise sit at a table.
Only order sushi at the sushi bar, order anything else from the menu (including soups, drinks etc) from a waitress.
Respect the sushi chefs (itamae), as they are quite busy. They usually love to chat and have been known to accept a beer or saki (only in the evening). Always complement highly as this may lead to great sushi rewards either later that meal or on a return visit. Be mindful though, that itamae have traditions that date back to the time of the Samuai.
Agari – a cup of hot green tea Arigato – Thank you Arigato gozaimasu – Thank you very much. Gochisousama deshita! – say after eating. Irasshaimase – please come in – traditional greeting at a sushi restaurant. Itadakimasu! – say before eating Kampai! – empty your cup – this is the traditional Japanese toast whilst you raise your glass. Oshibori – a small hot/cold damp towel Sumimasen – excuse me. Sushiya – sushi restaurant Wasabi motto! – more wasabi!
Nigirisushi – pieces of fish, shellfish, or fish roe over rice balls. These are hand pressed, commonly found in sushi bars. Most are of small design, to be eaten in one mouthful.
Makisushi (maki) – seafood and vegetables rolled in a sheet of roasted seaweed.
Temaki – hand rolls that you bite into.
Sashimi – sliced/chilled raw fish without rice. To slice fish for this sushi is a high skill for Sushi Chefs (an itamae) to learn. Eat this type with chopsticks.
Chirashi sushi – sliced/chilled raw fish served like sashimi but over a bed of rice
Gunkan – battleship sushi – many caviar sushi are wrapped in this style.
Sushi was introduced into Japan from China around the 7th century. The first document concerning sushi was found in an old law document, Taiho-Ritsuryo (701/718). That referred abalone and mussel in Nare-zushi type.
Originally, sushi was very simple, incorporating raw fish, pressed between layers of salt, and weighted down with rocks to press it flat. After about a month, this process would make fermented fish, which was necessary to keep food over winter.
Around the 1500’s, refrigeration became a part of everyday culture so using semi raw seafood, Nama-nare was invented.
These days, sushi restaurants around the world have added a fusion of nationalities to this traditional dish. For example, at O-Sushi they create inside out rolls, and use some Mediterranean style ingredients.
There are two distinct styles of preparation.
Kansai Style – mixing seasoned rice with other ingredients. Then displayed into decorative and delicious creations.
Edo Style – A select piece of seafood or shellfish on a small pad of seasoned rice (technically called nigirizushi).