Monday: S and I had lunch at Toraya (next to Woolworths Subiaco). SRM and I ate there last week, but S hadn’t yet been there herself. She’d been ill last week with a terrible tummy bug and was pleased she could eat again without worrying about… um, having to see it again (ewww!). A nice Japanese lunch sounded pretty good to her. She ordered the agedashi tofu set, medium size, which included a bowl of miso soup…

…and rice, salad, the tofu and a small serve of tempura beans. S really enjoyed the tofu done this way, covered with light and crisp batter with a tasty sauce.

Like last time I ordered two small dishes – at last I tried the crab claws (AU$4.00 for 2 pcs), as well as crumbed prawn sushi (AU$4.00 for 4 pcs).

We both liked how the sushi was presented, with the prawn tail poking out. The first time I’d eaten at Toraya I’d found the teriyaki chicken sushi a little salty. I’m pleased to say this tasted good, not at all too salty. I rather liked the contrast of the crunch of the crumbed coating with the softer sushi rice.

The crab claws were freshly fried, served lovely and hot with spicy dipping sauce. The pointy claws that stick out of the deep fried crumbed balls are kind of gross-looking and quite disturbingly, almost beak-like, but rather useful as handles to facilitate dipping the hot golden-brown balls into the spicy sauce and bringing them to one’s mouth without burning fingers. The salad leaf garnish was a little old looking, though I did eat it, manky edges and all.

The claws are also useful for posing crab balls for photos of their innards. Mmmmm, crispy outside and stringy soft inside. I hope you can get a sense of the crunchiness of that crumbed coating from the photos. It was faaan-tastic!

When we went to pay, I noticed this voodoo doll toothpick holder on the counter and couldn’t resist whipping out my camera to take a photo. I’ve seen the voodoo knife block, but not a toothpick holder. Macabre, but pretty cool, I reckon. If I had to have a toothpick holder it would have to be this one, or the bird one that picks up a toothpick for you. I’ve wanted one of those ever since I saw one as a child – see this photo.