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Himalayan Salt Blocks at GOTO Japanese Restaurant

Himalayan Salt Blocks at GOTO Japanese Restaurant | Himalayan Salt Factory

We had the pleasure of visiting Kozo Mitsuyama this month, one of our local Gold Coast customers. He is the Head Chef of the authentic Japanese restaurant, GOTO. Chef Kozo uses our Himalayan Salt cooking blocks in his amazing signature dishes. We love supporting our customers and were delighted to dine and watch Chef Kozo create culinary magic in his kitchen.

GOTO is not a particular large space, but with a unique fit-out, we were amazed by the tables that hang from the ceiling, giving the whole restaurant a cosy, modern feel.

Although we visited on a weekday evening, the restaurant was fully booked. Chef Kozo was very busy running the kitchen and he made us some tasty dishes using Himalayan salt blocks. He even prepared some impromptu dishes for us that were not on the menu.

Himalayan Salt Blocks at GOTO Japanese Restaurant | Himalayan Salt Factory
Impromptu Dish – Sliced fresh Kingfish sashimi on Himalayan Salt Block

We enjoyed Kingfish sashimi on a Himalayan salt plate for our appetizer. Using a Himalayan salt block is a great way to cure raw fish with the result being slightly salty and delicious.

Chef Kozo simply sliced raw Kingfish and placed it on the Himalayan salt block that had been chilled in a refrigerator for at least 2 hours. While the Kingfish was curing, he also prepared handmade traditional sesame sauce, red caviar and wasabi.


What size Himalayan salt block does Chef Kozo use with sashimi?

Himalayan Salt Blocks at GOTO Japanese Restaurant | Himalayan Salt Factory

Chef Kozo uses the 1 inch thick Himalayan salt block which is the thinnest of the salt blocks we sell at the Himalayan Salt Factory. It is the best size for cool food as well as appetizers and fresh fruits. Buy Here >>

For hot and grill dishes, the 2 inch thick Himalayan salt block is ideal and is able to hold heat longer.


Next up was the main course – Premium Wagyu Steak on Himalayan salt plate which is one of the famous dishes at GOTO and the dish we had all been craving.

By dining at the bar we enjoyed the experience of watching the Chef Kozo at work. The Himalayan Salt blocks were being heated up while the premium Wagyu beef was being seared on the smoking hot grill. It was so satisfied to hear the sizzling sounds from the grill.

Himalayan Salt Blocks at GOTO Japanese Restaurant | Himalayan Salt Factory

It was so exciting to place the seared Wagyu beef slices on top of the heated Himalayan salt block, then turned the slices over after a few seconds ourselves. The colour of the beef changed from red to pink because of the heat from the Himalayan salt block. The salt block retained the heat beautifully which allowed it to heat up 2 to 3 rounds of Wagyu beef slices. The premium Wagyu beef was tender, juicy and beautifully salted.

The salt and the heat both worked in their own ways to unravel and break down the proteins in the beef, creating more flavour available amino acids, so their united efforts didn’t simply enhance the flavour, they created it!

Himalayan Salt Blocks at GOTO Japanese Restaurant | Himalayan Salt Factory
Himalayan Salt Blocks at GOTO Japanese Restaurant | Himalayan Salt Factory

We desired to know how Chef Kozo masters all these delicious dishes with Himalayan salt blocks. He said there are 5 key points when cooking with Himalayan salt blocks – moisture, time, temperature, fat and thickness. For example, wetter foods can take on more salt faster than dry food; thick and dense food can interact longer with salt on its surface and may become too salty.


Did you know you can heat Himalayan Salt Blocks?

Himalayan salt blocks have the capacity to be heated to 500°C and salt will not melt until it reaches 800.8 °C. When a Himalayan salt block is heated, it will change colour dramatically and may develop fissures or even large cracks. No two salt blocks will look the same or react the same when you heat them, don’t worry, this is normal.

Just heat the salt block slowly, this gives the salt crystals and moisture trapped inside the block time to expand slowly, which minimizes stresses that could cause a salt block to crack. It is recommended to increase the temperature of your salt block no more than 90°C every 15 minutes.


As well as the Kingfish sashimi and seared Wagyu beef, we also enjoyed a fresh salmon sushi roll on a Himalayan salt plate. The pink Himalayan salt block was not only a pretty plate to present the sushi on, but it also added a delicious hint of salt to the sushi.

Himalayan Salt Blocks at GOTO Japanese Restaurant | Himalayan Salt Factory

Throughout our dining experience the taste of the salt was not overpowering and instead enhanced the natural flavours of the food. If you give Himalayan salt block cooking a go, know that the amount of salt that is absorbed into the food will depend on how hot the salt block is and on the inherent properties of the food being prepared, such to whether it is water and oil based.


How Do I Clean My Himalayan Salt Block?

Allow the salt block to cool down for at least 3 hours down to room temperature before washing. Moisten the salt block by wiping it with a wet sponge, then scrub the areas where food has stuck. Do not use any soap as it will penetrate into the salt block and ruin it. Then pat dry with a clean rag or paper towel. Allow it to sit out for a few hours allowing any remaining moisture to evaporate.

How Do I Store My Himalayan Salt Block?

As salt absorbs moisture out of the air, wrap the block in a few layers of paper towel and seal it in a Ziplock bag to keep it dry. Store the salt block in a place where humidity is at a minimum.


We had such a great night and really enjoyed every dish at GOTO Japanese restaurant. A big thankyou to Chef Kozo and his team. We highly recommend all our customers to try the Premium Wagyu Steak on Himalayan Salt Plate and be sure to make a booking as GOTO is very popular.

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Ready To Cook With a Salt Block at Home?

Go on, it’s easy! Simply place a Himalayan salt block on your barbecue grill, stove top or in your oven to cook seafood, meat and vegetable. For cool food, leave a Himalayan salt block in your fridge and use the chilled Himalayan salt block to serve ice cream, fresh fruit or sushi.

The Himalayan Salt Factory imports over 25 tonnes of different sized Himalayan salt blocks every year. Why not try one of our sizzling Himalayan salt blocks for your next BBQ.

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