Raw Like Sushi - Nishimura, Swansea

Sometimes a girl has gotta eat and she doesn't want a sandwich for lunch or some soup, she wants some fancy pants sushi.  In honesty I am a big fan of Japanese food and when I heard there was a new one opened in Swansea a mild longing became a full on I WANT get in my mouth now!

So I grabbed the Mama, as The Hub is not a fan and is engrossed in a new Video Game and as I have worked like a bitch all last month and it is near pay day said I would treat her to lunch.  From outside it is nothing special really a plainish looking shop front with a small bench in front of the window, that I prayed I wouldn't be seated at as I would have felt like I was eating in a fish bowl but I think my Mum who is a self confessed nosy parker would have liked this, apart from this there was a very long Japanese style dining bench, so if the idea of sitting next to a stranger freaks you out this is not the place for you.

So the food we both had a main and a side which we shared.  For my main I had Chirashi Don which is sushi rice topped with Salmon, Octopus, other types of Sashimi, egg, prawn and something called amarbi which is a sweet shrimp and a miso soup.  It was beautifully presented but bad blogger me forgot to take a picture, but they did have a picture on their website.

Image taken from Nishimura's own website

If anything it was even prettier in its presentation.  However, as soon as I ordered I realised I had made a mistake as it was served cold although nice I wouldn't get this again as I discovered I don't like Sashimi as much as I thought some of it was just to like munching the seabed for my liking and I do like hot food better than cold as a rule.  Also the Amarbi (sweet prawn) was very strange and not something I would go out of my way to eat again as a sweetish/pickled prawn is odd and left as starange sensation in my mouth.  I warmed the rice by mixing it with the miso and that worked well for me.

My Mum's Main was a lovely Seafood Hotpot but we didn't read the menu carefully enough as all the other Hotpots came with noodles but the seafood was just vegetables and seafood which is great for something light but if you wanted something more substantianal I would get some noodles or rice to accompany.

I thought this was lovely packed with seafood and veggies with a nice delicate taste and was a hit with both me and my Mum.  We also had some Gyoza which were perfectly cooked hot tasty, crisp without overdoing it and not oily they were such a hit no pictures were taken.

Finally we had a rainbow Sushi this roll was crabstick and cucumber inside and topped with different toppings of tuna, salmon, sea bass and avocado and was lovely and colourful.  This sushi was fresh soft and tasty, served at the perfect temperature and frankly a work of art to look at.

Following the success of this I bought some spicy dragon roll sushi to take home, it was nice but not as good, but the packaging was cute with a sticker on the box with the restaurant logo on it and chopsticks.

 The service was good attentive but not intrusive and very polite, we were also the only caucasians in the place when I arrived which I always think is a sign that it is a good authentic place.  I am a bit cack handed so I tend to take training chopsticks (as I am trying to learn for my planned South Korea adventure) with me that I think got some amused glances from the men next to me but when I forgot them and Mum went back for them the older ladies nearer the counter seemed to think they were clever.  So I will leave you with a pic of my training chopsticks do they help?  Well I can eat well with them but don't feel that my actual chopstick technique has improved tremendously so maybe I will update.

If you want to know more about Nishimura, they have a pretty good website with location a full menu complete with pictures.

Take a look at her eyes there real - They're Real Eyeliner Review.

A few days ago I was lucky enough to be invited to a product display of the new They're Real gel eyeliner, held by Benefit in Swansea, Debenhams.   It was lovely to get a blogger event this far west as they tend to only be in Cardiff if there in Wales at all.

When I arrived it was manic at all the counters as Prom Season is well and truely upon us and I must say while I milled around I watched the artists putting the make on the girls and they looked stunning.  Eventually I was taken to a back room by one of the benefit girls and put in their group make up room that was set out for the event.

I was early so no one else was there so I read through the leaflet  given and Benefit were making some pretty big claims stating the Accuflex tip made for more stable application and glides across the curve of the eyelid and had maximum control from every angle.  Hmmm we'll see I thought.

After a wait for other people to arrive the ladies came in demonstrated how to use the product then let us play.  So what did I think after initial thoughts that I am not going to be able to use that as the tip was unlike any I had used before.  It looks a bit like a art pen and you squeeze the product on like on a concealer pen, I can tell you that in my opinion it is a great product it did glide on easily creating a nice dark proper black line.  Even though i was scared of its gel formula having had disasters in the past with gel, it is quick drying and a little does go a long way.  I know that it did make my eyes look bigger as claimed by benefit but to be honest I think all eyeliner does that for me but the claim that it is easy to put on is true as even this clumsy fool managed her cats eyes!

We were then ready for photos which is based on the ad campaign of Roxie the diamond thief being arrested then slipping her handcuffs so her eyeliner is photo ready for her mug shot.  

Bitch face in my mugshot.

Goodie bags containing the They're Real Range were given that contained a mini mascara and eyeliner, and I think a full size remover.  

A bit of a moan is a lot of the Bloggers who confirmed they would attend didn't which was a shame for the Benefit Girls who had worked hard to put on this event as they wanted to do something in Wales that wasn't in Cardiff as they felt that there was not a lot for Bloggers in this area, and I know I complain about this, so in general I suppose what I am saying is us Bloggers who don't live in London, can't complain everything is in London if we don't bother to turn up to events in our own area.

Finally I suppose would I buy this product at £18.50 it is certainly probably double what I pay for my usual liner.  However, it provides great control, a lovely black line and was easy to do flicks with and yes I walked out of the event buying a eyeliner at the counter on my way out!
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