Gochiso, Willougby

Tucked away at Willoughby is a small complex of restaurants including Dose Espresso and also the newly opened Japanese restaurant Goshiso. Opened in mid-July, Gochiso has a very simple and minimalist design with wall length windows flooding the restaurant with natural light. It is tucked in at the back of the lot and is a bit hard to find; it is not visible from High St, however there is a small car park right next to it that is only accessible through Iceworks Lane.

One look at the menu shows that they’ve got a lot of the classic Japanese dishes which are rice based, however very few noodle dishes. They’ve also got a lunch menu where all items are priced between $10 – $12 which is pretty good value!

Fantastic Roll (seared salmon sashimi on top of cooked tuna & avocado roll w/ spicy mayo, parmesan cheese, teriyaki sauce & fish roe) – $14.80

First up is the Fantastic Roll. The fish has been seared well and the chilli mayo flavour goes deliciously with the cheese. I find the rice could be a bit fluffier but otherwise this roll is great for those who love seared fish and creamy chilli sauces.

Aburi Sushi Set – $17.50

I am a massive fan of aburi which is the art of lightly searing fish so that it is just cooked enough on the outside for the fish oils to seep out, while the inside remains raw. The Aburi Sushi Set offers a mix of salmon, scallop and scampi aburi along with baby salmon rolls. As expected, the aburi is seared well; there is still an element of rawness inside and the scallop in particular still has its very creamy texture. Unfortunately, I found the aburi cold when it was served and it would have been better to serve it immediately as aburi tastes best when still warm. The fried prawn heads were also a lovely garnish but I’m not experienced with eating prawn heads so wasn’t sure what to do with them on the plate.

Wagyu Beef Teriyaki Bowl – $11.80

Our last dish for the day was the Wagyu Beef Teriyaki Bowl which was from the lunch specials menu. This consists of beef and assorted vegetables along with pickled radish and ginger on a bed of rice. The wagyu beef was nice and soft and went well with the sweet teriyaki sauce. This dish has quite a good mix of ingredients and I’d be content with this any day for lunch.

Overall, Gochiso is a wonderful addition to Willoughby’s dining scene. It serves simple and honest Japanese food in a quiet area and is great place to go to if you’re just looking for a neighbourly catch up with some old friends.

Gochiso
Shop 3 183-191 High St
North Willoughby, NSW 2068


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