I wasn’t always an adventurous eater/drinker.
When I first discovered Easy Way (five years after it had opened), all I’d ever had was a plain green tea. I didn’t even get pearls or jelly. Just plain old’ green tea without ice because it took up precious space where more tea could go.
Ever since then, I’ve had great affection for anything green tea flavoured.
This is what brought me to Chanoma Cafe tonight.
Located in Little Tokyo in Regent Place, this ca-sorry, what? You didn’t know Sydney now had a little Tokyo? Neither did I.
Apparently I’ve been living under a rock because I’ve been completely ignorant of this secret Japanese haven. Located in Town Hall near Chef’s Gallery, Regent Place is now home to several high profile Japanese restaurants that have made one Sydney-based food blogger feel very unaware of his surroundings.
Enough of my impression of a tour guide, back to my usual occupation as your friendly neighbourhood food blogger. My affinity for green tea as well as my love for hot dogs led me to Chanoma Cafe tonight. Another factor involved in my decision was that the restaurant I intended to go to wasn’t open on Mondays and Tuesdays.
We started off with one iced green tea (me) and one green tea latte (my little sister):
Chanoma Cafe prides itself on offering the finest matcha green tea in Sydney. Today I learned that matcha meant fine powdered green tea.
My drink was very strong and a tad on the bitter side whilst the latte found a great balance between sweetness and authenticity. The servers ask if you would like your green tea sweetened and I recommend doing that. I’m accustomed to the sugar level of Easy Way so anything less tastes exceptionally strong ok?
Leave me alone.
Next up were our shaker fries:
Harmony between great seasoning and crispy fries is artistry at the highest level.
I had no idea seaweed made a great seasoning until tonight but this is a lesson I’m grateful for. It’s the exact opposite upon learning about the twist endings of some of the most iconic movies. Let me reiterate that, the flavour of these fries was the exact opposite of knowing that Kevin Spacey was Keysersoze before ever having seen the Usual Suspects.
On to our main courses.
My baby sister had the classic Chanoma Cheese Dog:
The level of cheese on this hot dog was the equivalent of how cheesy I am towards girls I like. From a distance you think it’s way too much but observe it from up close you know that it means well and that I taste good.
That sounded really weird. I’m sorry.
The bread was very nice on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Think a fine baguette in the shape of a hot dog bun. The sausage lay on a bed of crunchy flavoured cabbage that served as a texture mix-up against the gooey melted cheese and tender sausage. It was definitely better than the dollar hot dogs you purchase on the streets of New York.
However, it was the second best hot dog of the night.
Why? This is why:
Yo.
This just got real.
I’ve never believed in love at first sight but golly, this hot dog makes me question everything I’ve ever believed in.
My love for Japanese mayonnaise is well documented. Slap that on top of an incredibly well fried prawn concoction, a deliciously fluffy hot dog bun and some slaw?
I’d marry it if it wasn’t weird and probably illegal. I’ve had some fine hot dogs in my life but none have come close to this beautiful manifestation I’m writing about right now. I always thought fried prawn’s best friend was on some nice sushi rice but I’d make a very bad food cupid. Fried prawns belong with hot dog buns and Japanese mayonnaise.
Legalise this!
You thought that was it?
Nope:
I was full but there was no way I was turning this down.
Green tea with mochi, a wafer cone and fruit? Yeah, my will power got reduced to a fine matcha powder.
This was as delicious as it looks. Only downside was that some of the fruit proved to be a little sour but nothing some delicious green tea ice cream couldn’t solve. The soft serve also had a bit of shelf life. This is something you demolish and talk about afterwards. Don’t talk and eat or it will turn into a green tea pool with pieces of fruit swimming in it.
Actually, that doesn’t sound too bad.
Here’s the TL; DR for everyone who just wanted to see what I used to order at Easy Way
– Little Tokyo, Chinatown and Koreatown. Three reasons why multiculturalism in Australia is a thing of beauty and something we should be proud of.
– Sweeten that green tea, yo.
– Good seasoning and crispy fries make beautiful music worthy of Mozart and Bach.
– Fried prawns and fluffy hot dog buns belong together like me and Anna Kendrick.
– Always have dessert.
Chanoma Cafe, Town Hall
501 George St Sydney
Open 7 Days
11:00am to 10:00pm
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The matcha soft serve alone is heavenly. Green tea or matcha is meant to be bitter that’s one of its unique characters. I think it’s perfect 🙂
I think I need to have it a few dozen more times just to make sure ;D
Take meeeeeeee pleaseeeeeeeee
Done!
OMG to that ebi hot dog. I need to lay my hands on it ASAP.
This is true. Continued deprivation is not recommended.