Izumi

We've been meaning to write about Izumi for a while, but haven't really had occasion till our motivation was jogged from a visit last week on a evening when we didn't feel like cooking.

Like a lot of other former and present ANU students, Izumi has at times been something of stable stand-by in the feeding of ourselves, being the closest off-campus food outlet, and open in the weekend and evenings. We've eaten there on chilly Canberra winter evenings when the neighbouring carpark seems particularly cold and barren, and at midday in mid-summer, eating Bi Bim Bab while hopelessly trying to swat away the thousands of swarming and fearless black flies.

The food is OK, slightly greasy, but yummy Korean staples. The signage says that it's also a Japanese place, but I've told by people who know the nuances of the these two cuisines that this later claim is really just marketing. In the past things appeared to be overseen by an older couple who we haven't seen for a while - with things now seemingly passed over to students who unfortunately can be a bit surly, and also have had a tendency to cut back on the size of the servings. Overall, while certainly not the-best-place-ever, it compares very favourably to almost anything on offer at the ANU.