juan bowl & tea

what a beautiful place! went here for my mum's birthday and ordered the tonkatsu, wagyu and unagi bowls. the unagi one was really special- who knew tare and lemon grass would go so well together? the food is also nicely prepared and i could see a lot of heart was put in it. personally, i found the wagyu a bit bland but that might just be me after having unagi...
dessert is absolutely scrumptious and i loved both the tiramisu and warabi mochi. i'd visit again.

made a booking, came in and wait for 10 to 15 minutes to finally been seated. the choice of food was really limited, so we got the waygu and tonkatsu, 2 today's dessert which we both got the matcha tiramisu and for drinks are peach melba and matcha latte. the peach melba taste like bland water and matcha latte, they separate the honey so you can adjust your level of sweetness. the staff guide us the sauces she put on the table and then the food came out which was super tasty and fulfilling but we can also squeeze the dessert into our other stomach. the matcha tiramisu was really tasty and moist but i rather go to café kentaro or ornatek due to the portion is a bit bigger and price. overall the food came out quick and my concern most of the time is they need to get extra helping hand just due to it was so pack and not a lot of staff is at the front.

had an okay meal - it was decent enough but the tonkatsu wasn’t tender (try chidori for their sous vide tonkatsu - that was goood). been meaning to visit for the longest time so this sort of disappointed. waygu rice bowl thing was also okay. was okay. matcha latte was good. not sweet.

they only do 4 rice bowls at this restaurant so you already know everything is going to be amazing and crafted to perfection.

i had the wagyu bowl and my friends had the tonkatsu and unagi bowl. we also ordered their signature matcha tiramisu.

the beef is slow cooked to melt in your mouth goodness. tucked underneath the beef you have some drool-worthy garlic butter rice. topped with an onsen egg, you have yourself a wonderful meal bursting with flavour. 

the green tea tiramisu is so insanely creamy and smooth. everything from the sponge to the cream to the dusted powder has the element of matcha incorporated in it. must order for matcha lovers.

pro tip: they don't fo walk-ins so remember to place a reservation before coming.

this place is amazing!
my friends and i ordered the 3 different bowls to share (unagi, katsu, wagyu), and each of them was delicious.
good portion sizes and great flavour. the presentation is quite nice, and the waitress also explained each sauce for each bowl.

we also tried the matcha tiramisu and it was really yummy as well but quitr small.
the menu is limited but they do each menu item so well.

the restaurant is quite small, and i think they only accept bookings so make sure to check before going.

definitely worth a try.

service: 9/10
food: 9/10

a remarkable restaurant serving 4 well perfected mains. tried 3/4 mains and each was equally impressive. would recommend trying all of the mains as just seeing the care taken in its presentation shows the skill necessary. perfect looking bowls of food every time. oh and the dessert is a must. don't leave without trying the desserts. the matcha tiramisu is the best in sydney. trust mi, but warning, small restaurant so book ahead or come earlycute date restaurant/10

not pictured is the desserts and hainan chicken

food was good. loved the presentation - made us smile :) the seating was intimate but nothing fancy, so probably good for a semi casual night out.

when entering the store you can see the whole kitchen and the tables in front, with juan herself cooking as head chef.

i love everything here, the menu is really small because juan focuses on perfecting every dish on the menu. i was a little iffy ordering the hai nan chicken bcos most asian restuarants have it and it’s basic. but it turned out to be my fave out of all the dishes that we ordered, with the wagyu actually being my least favourite.

dessert here is a must !!!

had pretty high expectations as i had seen so much on instagram.

it's a nice little restaurant that literally sits about 20 people as the one time.

you have approximately 60-90mins to eat until the next seating.

i found the pork cutlet a little dry.

each dish was tasty, presently nicely and came with condiments to tailor the flavours to your preference.

though food is enjoyable, i feel like it's a little overhyped.

everything about my meal at juan was a delight. service was fast and friendly. the food was to an excellent standard and even though you might think it’s on the pricey side, i believe the meal was worth every cent of it and i would have happily paid more for this level of food, service and atmosphere. returning as soon as i can!

ordered the tonkatsu and the wagyu and the matcha dessert. everything was perfect about this place. didn't have to wait too long for the food to arrive and the service was remarkable.

the restaurant itself is quite small and intimate. and so is their menu, there are only four main dishes and two desserts to choose from. however they have an extensive range of teas.

we pretty much ordered the whole entire menu except for the unagi hitsumabushi bowl (the grilled eel bowl).

the mains and drinks were mediocre in my opinion but the two desserts were delicious! the matcha tiramisu was soft and fluffy with the right amount of matcha and sweetness ratio. the black sesame warabi mochi dessert was tasty as well!

overall the food was okay. i think i’d only come back for their desserts.

i really really enjoyed the bowls and tea we had here!

wagyu bowl – must must try! 10/10

katsu bowl – 9/10

i am a bit a health nut, so i opted for the brown rice in one of the bowls. although it was very nice, the white rice is soo much better! there is something about the grain of rice, and the way it is cooked. it’s amazing!!

also had the black sesame mocha dessert to finish off, only down side.. the serving was too small. i would have liked much larger bowl of this haha getting greedy!

i will definitely revisit, for the chiggen bowl!!

(4.5 stars)
juan bowl & tea is a pleasing little restaurant. it’s pleasing to the eye, and, using a simple idea and refreshingly concise menu, it proves equally as pleasing to the palate. the strong, visual impact of the 28-seater redfern restaurant comes from the juxtaposition of a soft grey bamboo forest mural running down one side of the space, and a wall of wooden panels set at alternating depths with lit with recessed lighting, running down the other. the straight lines of the bamboo are echoed in the wooden screens both behind and below the cement bar, where you place, and pay for, your order. with such a small number of seats, it’s advisable to book, which must be done electronically, as they offer no phone number. you’ll partake of your donburi - japanese rice bowl - sitting on...

a small gem hidden in redfern! staff were friendly! food was amazing, i’d recommend the hainan chicken + tonkatsu! the matcha tea was delicious as well! would recommend