From the same group that brought you Ginza and Burger Foundry, is a new Japanese and French restaurant, Ginza Miyako. Located on Level 1, inside Stamford Plaza Adelaide, entry into the restaurant is via an outside staircase or through the hotel. The lunch menu is Japanese whereas the dinner menu contains offerings which are more French inspired.

The venue itself is deceptively large with a maximum seating capacity of 120. There are various seating options available from traditional modern Japanese seating to your more conventional variety. The decor is truly authentic with all the furnishings and fittings imported from Japan. The location is picturesque to with floor to ceiling windows that overlook North Terrace. The background music and the dim lighting really set the mood for an intimate experience.

For lunch, I started off with the Chicken Karaage. This dish is part of their Express Lunch menu and it was the first day it was on offer. The meal came out 10 minutes after ordering and was nicely presented. The chicken was tender and succulent, and coated in a light, thin and crispy batter. Chicken thigh meat was used, and due to its higher fat content, made it taste a lot better. The rice was well cooked with nice firm individual grains, while the salad was fresh and crisp. I think I could have done with a few more chicken pieces, but a delicious dish none the less.

The Sushi and Sashimi boat was simply amazing. The presentation was superb and you could taste the freshness in the ingredients. My particular favourite was the salmon sashimi, but everything else was just as good. This is a must have dish when you come here!

My friend had the Eel Bento Box. The bento box is of a decent size and is very filling. I was told that it was quite good.

The staff here are friendly and welcoming. The service here is excellent and equivalent to a fine dining experience. Cloth napkins were placed on laps, drinks were constantly refilled, plates were cleared as we finished and we even had some open the door for us as we left. The atmosphere was relaxed and you feel like you’re in another world when you come here. The pricing is fairly reasonable with the dishes at lunchtime ranging from the $10-$20 mark. The dinner menu is more expensive but you have to remember this is a fine dining establishment.

Verdict: This place pretty much does everything right and I found it very hard to fault. My new favourite Japanese restaurant in Adelaide.

WHERE: Level 1, 150 North Tce, Adelaide