Buen I'm in Love - St. James

This is a true love story. I first came to know Buen 151 and their chirashi sushi when my sister's friend introduced us. The restaurant is large for a Japanese restaurant, but rather poorly decorated and not so welcoming. We persevered despite unshakable doubt of the quality of the food. Once I opened the menu, nothing seemed to stand out except for the chirashi sushi. This was the first time I've seen chirashi on a menu, I'm sure because of my own ignorance. I was intrigued at the idea of a bowl of sashimi on top of sushi rice, so I ordered it. I fell in love and I fell hard... with chirashi sushi. I don't usually have cravings, but I crave chirashi and I have to say, in my opinion, the best one is still at Buen 151.

Chirashi Sushi

Just look at how glorious it is! So, why do I love Buen's chirashi more than anyone else's? There's a couple of reasons. One and the obvious one, all the ingredients are fresh. Two, they give a slice of avocado, adding creaminess to the dish. Three, yay for scallops! Four, their sushi rice. Other chirashi sushi may also boast the first three reasons, but I felt Buen's sushi rice is tastier than the rest. It's so delicious, I'm happy to eat the rice on its own.

Una-Don

So, obviously my favourite dish at Buen is their chirashi, but, they do serve other delicious dishes. This una-don for example. Okay to be honest,  I didn't try the una-don. But, it looked delicious, smelled delicious, therefore it must be.

Teriyaki Fish

Another dish I did try and absolutely loved was their teriyaki fish. I always choose teriyaki fish over the chicken or beef as it makes me feel healthier. I'm not sure if this was healthy, but it sure was mouth watering! The teriyaki flavour was intense and I liked the batter on the fish even though it was soggy from the sauce. The teriyaki fish, eaten with a warm bowl of rice, just perfection!

Shokaido Bento ($18.90)

Another winning dish at Buen is their Shokaido Bento. So, get this, it comes with teriyaki chicken, salmon sashimi, salmon katsu with teriyaki sauce and tempura. I was blown away by the size, quality and price of this dish. I shared this dish with my sister, but next time, I'm definitely having this alone. Just me-time with my Shokaido. 

So, the food at Buen is amazing, their only downfall is their service. They always seem to be understaffed and the wait-people always look flustered. If you do visit this place, patience is definitely required. I would rate Buen 8.5/10.

Restaurant Information

Buen 151

26B Chapman Road

St. James

Ph: 9458 1512

Disclaimer: Restaurant information and prices were true and correct on 24th Oct 2015.  Prices inclusive of 10% GST.