Given the expense and general poor quality of seafood in the UK (I accept Europe isn't far away), I snuck in a final Japanese(ish) meal during my final days at work. I remember my one and only experience at Gaijin very favourably when they had an all-you-can-eat rolls deal many years ago.
- Agedashi tofu (deepfried soft tofu in dashi soy sauce with bonito flakes) $10 - the tofu was ok but not crisp enough, however the broth was overpoweringly and undrinkably salty;
- Prawn tempura cha soba (prawn tempura served with green tea cha soba, shredded nori, Gaijin special mayo & mentsuyu dip) $19 - tempura was simple and tasty, the soba was ok but couldn't tell there was green tea in it at all;
- Gaijin platter $36 - decent salmon and kingfish with standard tofu sashimi, a tiny bit of fluorescent green and tangy seaweed and a bit of diced salmon. The chosen half rolls were Spider vs. Dragon (a brilliant flavour and texture combination of soft shell crab, tempura, cream cheese, unagi and teriyaki sauce) and South Yarra (tuna, tempura and shrimp).
$36 is expensive and when you break it down you get two half rolls ($7 each) and a tiny bit of salmon salad (entree $13), seaweed salad (entree $7) and 9 sashimi ($10 for 8 otherwise). If there was full entree size salmon salad and seaweed salad it would be worth it, but it definitely isn't. Forget the platter and go for the dishes on their own.
There was also a 10% public holiday surcharge but they wouldn't accept the Entertainment Card on Australia Day (it isn't one of the exclusion days).
