Sushi Revolution expands beyond the train with a new Carrington restaurant
If you’ve ever taken a seat at the sushi train at Beaumont Street’s Sushi Revolution, you’ll be familiar with its rotating lineup of dishes – from sashimi and nigiri to udon, ramen and donburi. That focus on quality and freshness has kept locals coming back since 2009.
With the Hamilton location bursting at the seams and its tiny kitchen limiting what the team could create, owners Issac and Tyler jumped at the opportunity to take over the former Kitami restaurant space in Carrington.
Through their friendship with Kitami’s former owner, Nobu-san, Issac and Tyler were already regular visitors to Carrington. They liked the idea of continuing the site’s connection to Japanese food – as well as having a much bigger kitchen to play with.
The turnaround from closing to reopening was a matter of weeks, and on July 30, Issac and Tyler welcomed their first guests. On arrival, the connection to Hamilton is clear, but don’t expect a second sushi train.
“The main focus in Hamilton is sushi, with a few other meals like ramen. Here in Carrington, our focus is more on the sit-down restaurant experience and other aspects of Japanese cuisine.”
With only a few weeks to work with, Issac and Tyler have given the space a refresh, aiming to bring a casual Japanese izakaya feel to Carrington. Big manga energy fills the space through wall art created by one of their team members, Lucy, while a mix of bar stools and sit-down tables gives guests the option of a quick bite or a more relaxed meal.
Taking a look through the many menu pages, there’s plenty of Sushi Revolution favourites, but it's the dishes the team simply haven’t had the space to make in Hamilton that are worth exploring.
At the top of that list is Omurice.
A popular Japanese comfort food, the dish starts with a bed of rice before being topped with a carefully cooked omelette. The technique creates an exterior firm enough to hold its shape while keeping the egg inside soft and almost custard-like.
Getting it right was a painstaking process, as Issac explained:
“Tyler worked his way through at least 100 eggs at home while perfecting the heat and technique needed to achieve the right consistency.”
The effort is much appreciated – it’s a delicious coming together of flavours and textures we hadn’t experienced before.
Take your pick of accompaniments – chicken, beef, prawn or vegetable – and pair it with your choice of tomato, spicy or XO sauce – our favourite. We’re confident omurice has every chance of challenging ramen for the title of your go-to Sushi Revolution order.
If you’re a ramen person through and through, you’ll be excited to hear that the expanded kitchen has also given the team licence to develop new ramen recipes, drawing on techniques shared by Nobu-san.
The extensive menu and additional restaurant space have allowed the team to present their dishes more creatively. The Fuji Nigiri Set and Sakura Roll Set are almost too beautiful to touch.
Just when we thought the sushi sets were stunning, along came the Kagetsu High Tea. Perfect for anyone wanting to taste a range of dishes, the three-tier stand is loaded with nigiri and sashimi, yakitori and a mixed entrée selection – all of which were quickly devoured.
For Issac and Tyler, Carrington is also an opportunity to experiment – introducing new dishes, listening to what customers enjoy and building on a business that’s been part of Newcastle’s Japanese dining scene for more than 15 years.
We get the sense this may not be the last opening for Isaac and Tyler, with Issac not ruling out future expansion. For now, though, they’re firmly focused on Hamilton and Carrington, where they’re building on what they’ve created, welcoming back regulars and introducing new diners to the flavours and unique experience of Sushi Revolution.
Sushi Revolution's Carrington restaurant is open seven days, 11am - 9pm.
Editor’s note: This article was produced independently by the HUNTERhunter editorial team and is not paid or sponsored content.
