Restaurant review: Tunki restaurant at West Lakes specialising in Nikkei cuisine

The unique location of this new restaurant is highly likely to surprise you. But as our food reviewer finds, that’s only where the surprises start.

Tunki restaurant at West Lakes Resort is the first in Adelaide to offer Nikkei cuisine.

Let’s kick off with a non-alcoholic pre-dinner bevy. And contrary to what many of you are thinking right now, that doesn’t mean it is boring.

Chicha morada is a deep plum colour, like a glass of old shiraz, that is made from boiling a witch’s brew of pineapple peels, hibiscus flowers, quince pieces, cinnamon and dried purple corn.

It has a sweet/sour dynamic like pomegranate juice with extra layers of spice and fruitiness.

If you haven’t been to South America, the drink will likely be a new experience.

And that’s merely the teaser to a dining adventure that encompasses Peru, Japan, the Pacific Islands and other destinations in an array of exotic flavours.

Perhaps the biggest surprise about Tunki, however, is where it is located – not in one of the recognised city eat streets or cool inner ’burbs but surrounded by the conference rooms, bars and gaming facilities of the Lakes Resort Hotel.

That such an out-of-the-ordinary concept should spring to life in the often vanilla world of large-scale hotels is a rare ray of sunshine, so hats off to owners the Fahey family.

It’s a measure of their faith in executive chef Krish Dutt whose standing has no doubt been boosted by the popularity of Momoda, the Asian-fusion hotspot he created.

Lobster taco at Tunki, Lakes Resort Hotel, West Lakes. Picture: Kelsey Zafiridis

Eye fillet with chilli caramel at Tunki, West Lakes. Picture: Kelsey Zafiridis

By my reckoning Tunki is Adelaide’s only restaurant specialising in the Nikkei cuisine that developed from a wave of Japanese migrants settling in Peru at the start of the last century.

Tunki is a picture of subdued sophistication with on-trend tones of stone, terracotta and pale mint, timber tables, subway tiles and fluted columns giving way to a view across the lake that will be best around sunset.

Other than the possible exception of a few earthenware pieces, the room provides zero indication of the theme.

That’s left to the waiting brigade, a smart bunch who mix a detailed knowledge of what’s on the plate with a contagious enthusiasm not always associated with a hotel environment.

They even do a bit of table service, mashing two avocado halves into a bespoke guacamole, asking whether we prefer it left a bit lumpy or smoothed further, explaining that the distinctive tang is passionfruit and the heat Peruvian yellow chilli.

Seafood kamameshi at Tunki is a triumph. Pictures: Kelsey Zafiridis

It makes a good start for Tunki’s “Spoil Me” selection, one of two set menus alongside a la carte choices. Even at $120, it’s not bad value.

Particularly when the next course is a beautifully glazed, ocean-blue bowl loaded with top-shelf seafood in a raw version of a fisherman’s basket.

Sashimi slices of blue fin tuna loin and mulloway come with soy and freshly grated Tasmanian wasabi, a rare find.

Superb Coffin Bay oysters need nothing more than a squeeze of lemon.

A tuna ceviche is paired with ginger syrup, celery oil and coconut milk made fresh in-house (wow).

Even better is the kingfish in a citrus/achiote dressing topped with flying fish roe infused with soy and truffle.

Interior of Tunki restaurant at the Lakes Resort Hotel, West Lakes.

A taco shell loaded with steamed lobster, guacamole, finely sliced coleslaw and a miso-chilli dressing maintains the luxe-factor to a point, though the delicate crustacean meat is slightly lost among all the other elements.

Thick slices of king mushroom are poached gently in oil, before finishing on the grill with a chilli-herb rub and truffle butter. They might even win over the meat lover.

“Kamameshi” is a one-pot wonder in which rice is par-boiled in a dashi stock, rested, then reheated along with a seafood mix including prawns and squid so everything cooks together.

Pickled mushrooms, ginger, edamame and shredded nori add extra interest.

The only problem is this subtle combination is brought out at the same time as the other mains – a beef eye fillet with chilli/caramel sauce and roasted eggplant smeared in a Korean chilli and miso paste.

It’s like a ballet dancer being thrown into a bout of tag-team wrestling.

An exotic fruit plate (including water apple and even better a mangosteen) would have been ample, though that would mean missing the fried empanada of banana and Nutella.

If that sounds a tad daggy, the accompanying dip of goats’ cheese caramel is a moment of genius.

This is a dinner that surprises from beginning to end, put together by a team showing true commitment. You have to admire their daring.