Unaya
Shop 4B, 1 Burroway Rd
Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney
Situated in Wentworth Point’s bustling Pierside complex in the Sydney Olympic Park area is Unaya, a Japanese/Burger fusion eatery offering a casual and comfortable waterfront experience in a dynamic alfresco dining space. From the moment we arrived, the staff members were warm, attentive, and enthusiastic in their recommendations on what to order based on what we felt like eating that day!
To start, we opted for a few light dishes to share. We had the lightly fried salt and pepper calamari which was melt-in-your-mouth tender. It was topped with crispy chilli slices and served with a side of spicy mayonnaise.
For something a little fresh, we chose a couple of green dishes, seaweed salad and edamame – must have sides with any Japanese meal. The serving of seaweed salad was quite substantial and was plated with a side of cabbage and carrot slaw and cherry tomatoes drizzled with a roasted sesame dressing.
We wanted to try main dishes that were unfamiliar to us and specialities of Unaya. The first main we tried was a Takoyaki bowl – Japanese octopus balls on a bed of rice garnished with house made pickled carrot and cabbage, radish, shallots and shredded dried seaweed. More of Unaya’s delicious chilli mayonnaise added a nice amount of heat to balance the sweetness of the rice and pickles. This bowl of delicious salty, sweet, hot and sour elements was hearty and seemed to be never ending. A must try for anybody who has never tried Takoyaki!
For our second main, we were intrigued by the idea of a burger being served with rice patties instead of buns. We opted for the soft shell crab option which was stuffed with more than enough of the delicate battered shell fish, iceberg lettuce, shredded mango, cabbage and carrot slaw, and, of course, more of that spicy Unaya mayonnaise. The rice patties were crispy and slightly charred around the edges, yet still fluffy on the inside. The rice patties were enough to be a dish on their own and the filling for the burger was plentiful. We really enjoyed the balance of light, crisp seafood with the crunch of the slaw, sweetness of the mango and fiery bite of the mayo.
Each dish we tried at Unaya was beautifully presented with an abundance of vibrant colours and fresh ingredients.
From the food and service to the convenient and picturesque location, Unaya is an ideal pick for a casual and delicious meal, especially after a day of shopping! We will definitely visit again!
The Two Contessa’s visited as guests of Unaya.