I wasn’t a big fan of sashimi because there were many times in the past that I was served fishy sashimi. After that I didn’t bother to try again and decided to say goodbye to all the 'supposed' goodness of sashimi. Donna was trying to convert me and she mentioned that Bonsai was definitely one of the restaurants to go to for fresh servings of sashimi.

So one day the 5 of us decided to have a mini gathering there and we chose the degustation menu of 16 small courses to get to know Bonsai more. Below are some highlighted items from the $65 - 16 Course Bonsai Izakaya Menu.

Honestly I was so scared to put the Salmon Sashimi Bites into my mouth but I was there to develop my taste buds more so I just took the leaf and shoved the whole thing. I chewed the salmon bites but didn't find it fishy, the dish was quite refreshing and of course, best eaten by the mouthful.

"This one looks quite full on..." was the thought that came to my mind when I saw the Fresh Sashimi Spoons, where a pair of salmon and scallop paired very well together in onion soy dressing. To make the dish even more prettier, each spoon was garnished with salty salmon roe and chives. The result? One very delicious and fresh offering which I'll order the next time I visit Bonsai.

Tuna Tataki looked very pretty on the plate and after two 'raw' sashimi, I was so ready for the thinly cut seared raw tuna. It wasn't fishy and it was so yummy eaten together with the sauce!

Jess (Donna's sister) mentioned to me that this was her favourite dish and she always order this at Bonsai. Based on what she said and what we experienced, this dish filled with green goodness, juicy chicken bites, Swiss chard leaf, coral lettuce and topped with wonton skin is definitely not to be missed when you visit Bonsai.

Karashi su miso sauce was the perfect companion for the seared scallops which gave a bit of heat to the scallops. 

I liked the idea of veggies wrapped in meat. I liked entertaining the idea of tricking my mind into thinking  was I actually eating meat while at the same time I feeling healthy that there was veggie as part of my meal. The asparagus was wrapped by MSA grade scotch fillet beef which then pan fried together. This dish was served with caramel soy and tomato relish. 

The grilled prawn skewers was served with guacamole and caramel soy. It was perfectly cooked, fresh and very easy to eat.

Yes, you guessed it right. Just by looking at the photo most people could tell that the exterior of the pork katsu was very crispy, just like in real life. The combination of katsu sauce and salad with relish mixed in harmony really well with the pork cutlet.

My family knows me as an oyster eater and they even questioned why I can eat oyster but couldn't manage a few bites of sashimi... The panko Coffin Bay oysters at Bonsai didn't disappoint and I love the thickness of Panko bread crumbs that they used. The breading was very good and this will be a good introduction for kids who aren't too keen on eating oysters.

This golden deep fried crab dumpling was filled with yummy crab meats and served with beautiful hot chili mayo. Deep fried food + chili = win!

The fresh broccolini was crunchy and lightly wrapped by the pork meat which didn't break apart at all. Definitely a nice and juicy dish which was served together with chili miso and tomato relish sauce.

The very tender and juicy Teriyaki Wagyu Sirloin marked an end to our 16 course degustation at Bonsai. It was definitely a great dinner for a really good price of $65 and we almost covered the whole menu for hot & cold food.

Bonsai Japanese restaurant is a great place for a family or a large group of people to dine in, the inside area is very spacious. As far as sashimi goes, Bonsai definitely received a big tick from me and I will definitely go back to the restaurant!