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Thursday, February 12, 2015

Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Hotel and Casino, Gold Coast

Yuzu chocolates by Kiyomi Restaurant at Jupiters Gold Coast

What's a kiyomi? It's a small Japanese citrus fruit that has been cross-bred from a tangerine and an orange. Kiyomi is also the name of Chase Kojima's newest restaurant, opening late last year at Jupiters on the Gold Coast. The executive chef of Sokyo doesn't just have a thing for casinos. Jupiters Gold Coast and The Star in Sydney are both owned by Echo Entertainment Group.

Jupiters Gold Coast
Jupiters Gold Coast

If you follow Grab Your Fork on Instagram, you'll know I spent last weekend on the Gold Coast, invited by Jupiters to dine at Kiyomi. Dinners, flights, accommodation and one hotel breakfast were included. It sounded like a perfect girls' weekend to me.

Kiyomi dining room at Jupiters Gold Coast
Kiyomi dining room

Kiyomi opened in mid-December. It's part of a huge $345 million overhaul of the hotel and casino, one that will include a new tower with luxury accommodation suites, a rooftop pool and additional restaurants.

Kiyomi group tables at Jupiters Gold Coast
Group table seating

There's a cool sense of Japanese minimalism in its design. Groups get bench seating alongside striking murals, couples sit on high bar stools running through the centre of the room and small groups score the tables overlooking the cavernous atrium. It's all been put together by Sydney design company Luchetti Krelle whose comprehensive hospitality portfolio includes ACME, Momofuku Seiobo and Single Origin Roasters.

Yuzu Collins cocktail at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Yuzu Collins $18
Tanqueray gin, kakushigura shochu, yuzu juice, grapefruit bitters and soda

There are plenty of alcoholic distractions to keep you occupied before your food arrives. The Yuzu Collins is probably one of the lighter cocktails, adding yuzu juice, grapefruit bitters and shochu to the classic Tom Collins. Yuzu juice is a Japanese citrus that tastes like grapefruit mixed with orange.

Tengumai umajun junmai sake at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Tengumai umajun junmai sake $10

And it's hard not to stare at the sake servers, little glass carafes with a recessed hollow for ice. It means the sake can chill without being diluted. The sake menu includes ten types of bottles. There are only two available by the glass but they're not too pricy at $9-$10.

The wine list runs over 100 deep with the majority of those available by the glass set at $9.

BBQ eel, tamago and sashimi tuna and salmon belly at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
[Clockwise from bottom left]: BBQ eel $12; tamago $8; tuna $12; and salmon belly $12

Foodwise, the menu concept is not dissimilar to Sokyo, focussing on modern Japanese. The choose-your-own sashimi options are a little shorter here (a dozen at Kiyomi versus 19 at Sokyo) but we're impressed that they make their own soy sauce here, poured generously into a little saucer at the table.

Sashimi scallop with yuzu honey at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Scallop, yuzu honey, scorched corn and mache $18

I want to order everything on the raw menu but we contend ourselves with the scallops to start. There's probably a little too much yuzu honey dressing so it overwhelms the delicate sweetness of the scallop, but crunching on the scorched corn kernels is kinda fun.

Seared scampi with foie gras at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Seared scampi with foie gras, apple and mizuna $9 each

The presentation of the scampi is pretty hard to beat though. It's a dramatic and elegant offering, the scampi shells resting on the bed of ice across a bamboo leaf path.

Seared scampi with foie gras at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Foie gras, apple and mizuna on top of seared scampi

In the middle of the plate is the seared scampi dressed with apple, foie gras and mizuna. We tackle this as a one-bite affair. There's the sweetness of the scampi accented by the tart crispness of green apple batons and tiny pops of rich foie gras that meld everything together. It's the undoubted highlight of the meal.

Aburi salmon at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Aburi salmon with spicy daikon, yukari and tosazu $19

We move onto aburi salmon sushi. The dab of grated daikon packs a spicy punch but we wish the blowtorching across the top was a little smokier.

Queensland sushi roll with spanner crab at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Queensland roll $23
Spanner crab, soy paper and avocado

It didn't feel right to visit Queensland without trying the Queensland roll. Visually it's quite unlike an sushi roll you've ever seen, a stark construction of green and white. The soy paper doesn't have the same chewy resistance as nori seaweed so the sushi roll feels much softer, especially with the flaked spanner crab in the middle and the avocado puree across the top. A scattering of puffed rice adds much welcomed crunch.

Dengakuman toothfish at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Dengakuman toothfish, caramelised miso and cucumber $37

The dengakuman toothfish isn't a large serve for the $37 price but the caramelised miso glaze wins you over in both aroma and taste.

Wagyu +7 oyster blade at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Wagyu +7 oyster blade, citrus jus and baby gem $37

The wagyu is cooked on their binchotan, a special grill that uses white charcoal that enables lower cooking temperatures for longer. The oyster blade steak has a plump juiciness but truth be told it's the baby gem lettuce that steals the show for us, whole leaves cooked on the grill so they pack an incredibly smoky punch. It's a glorious combo of smoky caramelised sweetness and crunch.

Crispy rice and spicy tuna at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Crispy rice and spicy tuna $20

Chase Kojima's signature crispy rice with spicy tuna is here too.

Crispy rice and spicy tuna at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Crispy rice beneath spicy tuna

The little logs of deep fried rice are one heullva party in the mouth. We wish there'd been more of the promised spice in the tuna though.

Tempura cuttlefish at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Tempura cuttlefish with amigo powder and tarragon ponzu $20

Tempura cuttlefish is a fine way to finish. The cuttlefish is thickly sliced but soft in texture. As for the tempura batter, it's impressively light and fluffy, catching a snowstorm of amigo chilli powder in all its crevices.

Mango sorbet and shiso meringue dessert at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Dessert tasting plate trio: Mango shiso (full size $13)
Mascarpone and sour cream, sushi meringue, toasted milk powder and mango sorbet

The kitchen saves us from sweet tooth indecision and sends out a tasting platter of three mini desserts.

Mango Shiso is like a refined version of Eton Mess, a palate-cleansing medley of fresh mango, mango sorbet, shiso meringues and dollops of mascarpone and sour cream.

Confit apple and gingerbread dessert at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Apple jack (full size $13)
Confit apple, gingerbread, honey ice cream, Jack Daniel's foam

Apple jack combines poached apples with honey ice cream, gingerbread cubes and a scoop of honey ice cream. Jack Daniel's foam adds an adult twist but the toffee tuille brings out the kid in everyone.

Goma Street black sesame dessert at Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Goma Street (full size $14)
Tempered dark chocolate, caramelised white chocolate mousse, black sesame ice cream

We have a welcome reunion with Goma Street too, another Sokyo classic. We crack our way through discs of dark chocolate layered with caramelised white chocolate mousse and shards of black sesame candies. The quenelle of black sesame ice cream is nutty and smooth.

Am I the only person who sees the name of this dish and immediately starts singing the Sesame Street theme song?

Kiyomi by Chase Kojima at Jupiters Gold Coast
Kiyomi reception

Superior king room hotel accommodation at Jupiters Gold Coast
Superior king room (base level accommodation)

Our visit included a complimentary night's accommodation in the hotel.

Superior king room hotel accommodation at Jupiters Gold Coast
Superior king room desk and television

The rooms are reasonably spacious but it's worth asking for a view over the pool - otherwise you'll be backing onto the casino atrium which can get noisy at night, especially on weekends.

The chocolates by Kiyomi at the top of this post were delivered to our rooms just before dinner. They looked far too pretty to eat but I managed one anyway. The orb of white chocolate was sandwiched with a zingy yuzu cream.

Buffet breakfast at Food Fantasy, Jupiters Gold Coast
Breakfast buffet at Food Fantasy $30 

Breakfast the next morning was at Food Fantasy. The prospect of a buffet breakfast always makes getting out of bed easier.

Buffet decorations at Food Fantasy, Jupiters Gold Coast
Buffet decorations

Buffet decisions at Food Fantasy, Jupiters Gold Coast
Decisions, decisions

There's a comprehensive selection of hot dishes, Continental cheeses and cold meats, plus mini carafes of freshly squeezed juices.

Steamed chicken dim sim dumplings at Food Fantasy buffet breakfast, Jupiters Gold Coast
Steamed chicken dim sim dumplings

Steamed chicken dim sims made for a mini morning yum cha. And I was super excited about having congee rice porridge. We noticed a significant number of Japanese tourists both in the hotel and on the Gold Coast, something you don't often see in Sydney anymore.

Crispy bacon rashers at Food Fantasy buffet breakfast, Jupiters Gold Coast
Crispy bacon rashers

Bacon? Tick.

Waffles at Food Fantasy buffet breakfast, Jupiters Gold Coast
Waffles

Waffles. Oh baby.

Using the maple syrup tap on waffles at Food Fantasy buffet breakfast, Jupiters Gold Coast
Maple syrup tap for waffle drenching

Congee, waffles, bacon, hash brown and fruit salad from the Food Fantasy buffet breakfast, Jupiters Gold Coast
Breakfast: congee, hash brown, chicken dim sims, bacon, waffle, fruit salad and apple beetroot juice

This was a great breakfast. Let's pretend we didn't follow this up with a donut tour (more on that to come shortly).

Outdoor swimming pool at Jupiters Gold Coast
Outdoor swimming pool

Although it was drizzly when we first landed, we ended up being blessed with magnificent weather for most of the weekend. The outdoor pool was ridiculously warm.

Lounge pods by the outdoor swimming pool at Jupiters Gold Coast
Lounge pods

And I found the perfect lounge pod for a post-swim nap.

Grab Your Fork dined at Kiyomi as a guest of Jupiters Hotel & Casino. Return flights from Sydney, one night's accommodation and breakfast at Food Fantasy was included.


Kiyomi on Urbanspoon

Kiyomi
Jupiters Hotel & Casino Gold Coast
Broadbeach Island (off Gold Coast Highway), Broadbeach, Queensland
Tel: +61 (07) 5592 8443 or 1800 074 344

Opening hours:
Tuesday to Sunday 5.30pm - 10pm


Related Grab Your Fork posts:
Sokyo at The Star, Pyrmont
13 comments - Add some comment love

posted by Helen (Grab Your Fork) on 2/12/2015 01:28:00 am


13 Comments:

  • At 2/12/2015 8:14 am, Anonymous ChopinandMysauceopan said…

    Dear Helen,

    The scampi looks so enticing. I'm heading up there next week and I can hardly wait.

     
  • At 2/12/2015 9:27 am, Blogger Unknown said…

    It looks like the perfect getaway! Delicious food is always worth traveling for :)

     
  • At 2/12/2015 9:29 am, Blogger Jacq said…

    Just went to Sokyo at the Star and tried that tuna on crispy rice sushi - so good! The scampi dish with foie sounds amazing

     
  • At 2/12/2015 2:15 pm, Anonymous Samanthawxlow said…

    I had the mango shiso at Sokyo last month and it was handsdown my favourite dessert. You always hear buzz phrases in food writing like 'everything came together'but this to me was the epitome of individual components in a dish actually all coming together harmoniously in one mouthful.

    I also noticed that the presentation here isn't as flash as Sokyo but the food itself still looks great! Despite being a huge seafood and sashimi queen, it was the tamago in the background of your photo that caught my eye. And lastly, the Queensland roll is probably my favourite sushi roll at Sokyo.

    Sorry to leave a dissertation-length comment haha, I get excited over Japanese food. I'm totally envious of your trip, will definitely check it out the next time I'm in the Gold Coast!

     
  • At 2/12/2015 5:19 pm, Anonymous Hotly Spiced said…

    Jupiters certainly needed that face-lift. I haven't stayed there since it was renovated so this is all good to know. That lounge chair near the pool looks like that's exactly where I would love to be. And Chase would have to be one of the very best Japanese chefs in Oz - we're lucky to have him here xx

     
  • At 2/12/2015 10:23 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Time for me to head to Gold Coast! Kiyomi has a lot to offer and I am tempted to lick my monitor :P

     
  • At 2/12/2015 10:46 pm, Anonymous chocolatesuze said…

    that scampi oh baby oh baby

     
  • At 2/13/2015 8:34 am, Blogger Choc Chip Uru @ Go Bake Yourself said…

    What a fabulous getaway, I remember visiting Jupiters when I went up with my friends :D
    So classy!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

     
  • At 2/13/2015 10:59 pm, Anonymous Jenny said…

    Wow I wish I could try that scampi :)))))

     
  • At 2/14/2015 7:10 am, Anonymous Nagi@RecipeTin Eats said…

    Love the way you jump from a asian grocer to a classy joint like this!! Jupiters....haven't been there in a decade!

     
  • At 2/16/2015 12:05 pm, Anonymous Sara | Belly Rumbles said…

    I am going to have to pay Kiyomi a visit next time I am up visiting mum and dad on the Gold Coast. The hard decision is, to I go with them or my girlfriends up there...

     
  • At 2/17/2015 12:27 pm, Anonymous Elliesbelly said…

    Kens sushi!! Omgosh IM super excited!! The food looks really fresh!! One of my closest friends lives in Bexley and I never know where to take her to eat around her area but this has just shown me the light at the end of that tunnel! Woo i feel gooood ahahah thanks Helen :P

     
  • At 2/17/2015 9:23 pm, Anonymous Amanda @ Gourmanda said…

    I read about Kiyomi recently on Gourmet Traveller (?) actually, and was definitely interested! I've never been a big fan of casinos (used to work behind the bar at a casino, and that put me off for life!), but for meals at places like Sokyo and Kiyomi, I'd make an exception!

     

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