Takoyaki - Kazu Yakitori & Sake Bar, Te Aro, Wellington

Remember how I noted TJ Katsu & Udon didn't do the best Takoyaki in Wellington?  I made such a proclamation based on my recollection of the Takoyaki I had had at Kazu prior to Christmas.  The same night we had enjoyed Chicken Hearts, Pork Belly & my favourite Soft-Shell Crab Karaage.

Oh, yeah and the Takoyaki.  That night it was delicious, perfectly crunchy on the outside, hot & gooey in the middle and then tender bits of octopus inside.  Exactly how I imagine Takoyaki should taste like in the heavens.

Unfortunately the next time I went to Kazu, both to enjoy some delicious food and to get a photo to share on this blog, my high expectations weren't met, the Takoyaki just wasn't as good as I remembered.

Since my previous visit, Kazu has got a flash new menu.  Not that many of the dishes have changed, it’s just now on a nice bit of card with delicious looking pictures of everything.  As time has gone by their menu has expanded from being almost exclusively cooked on the small charcoal grills to including deep-fried dishes, sashimi, salads and the like.  You can now get a fairly well rounded meal, though when I come here I prefer to throw nutrition by the way-side and just get stuck in to the stuff that comes on skewers, or the stuff that was fried.

They do a new-style Sashimi in a similar vein to that we tried in Nobu in Melbourne, and it was delicious.  The Chicken Hearts were just as I remembered, tender - very meaty & slightly metallic in taste; I know they're not going to be everyone's cup of tea based on the primary protein quotient, but trust me you should try them once - it’s like a tiny morsel of the best steak ever.  And the Pork Belly was as ever, delicious, grilled a little bit crispy but still moist & fatty - very hard to beat.

But, we came - or rather, I came - for the Takoyaki.  It was close to the previous experience, but just wasn't quite as hot & gooey as I remembered, the outside not quite so crispy.  Perhaps we had arrived too early & the kitchen wasn't quite in full swing, or perhaps we hadn't had enough Yebisu or Sapporo to tickle the taste-buds in advance.  Either way I left feeling like there was probably better Takoyaki out there somewhere in this fair city, and so, the hunt resumes once more.

Takoyaki - TJ Katsu & Udon, Te Aro

For those unfortunate enough to have never experienced even average Takoyaki, let me explain.  Takoyaki is crispy on the outside, and then hot and gooey on the inside.  As I understand it they're bits of octopus & maybe other things surrounded by balls of batter that are fried in a special half sphere mould.  When they're turned out they can be as big as a ping pong ball, but are often a little bit smaller.  Every time i've had them they've been topped with a Japanese Mayonnaise, and Bonito shavings.

They are simply delicious, though often its more a textural thing rather than out & out flavour.  I haven't had many dishes that have such a contrast in texture.  The outer shell is crisp, when they're really fresh its almost crunchy, but biting through gives way to the soft, velvety batter — almost like a really well made, really thick white sauce.  

Lying somewhere in between the two in mouth feel are the chopped up bits of octopus, which like most cooked cephalopods is both squishy and firm at the same time.  That almost sounds like a bad thing, but when squid & octopus are cooked well just at the moment you might feel like its too tough it gives way to your teeth & is smooth and only slightly fishy.

I'm a big fan of Takoyaki, and i've been making a point of trying it in as many different Japanese restaurants as I can.  When I think of reasons to take a trip to Japan, Takoyaki is pretty high on my list.  So, when I read a proclamation on twitter that the Takoyaki at TJ Katsu & Udon was the best in Wellington it was immediately placed on my to do list.

Having just returned from a splendid meal at said establishment, I am happy to report that yes indeed the Takoyaki is fantastic.  In fact, everything we had was fantastic, I loved the Sashimi, the Soft-shell crab, the Squid legs, the Gyoza & the Miso.  I didn't even get around to having either the Katsu or the Udon, or any of the delicious looking Sushi on display, regardless if you're into Japanese food, i'd recommend this place.  But, the Takoyaki at TJ Katsu & Udon is not the best I have had in Wellington - more on that another time.