Saké brings Michelin starred Sushi Yuuden to Australia
Michelin-starred restaurant Sushi Yuuden is making its way to Australia from Osaka for just three nights this winter, with renowned chef Yuya Nishimura taking over the kitchen for an exclusive omakase experience at Saké in Sydney and Melbourne.
Nishimura will team up with friend and former colleague Saké Brand Culinary Chef Shimpei Hatanaka to present a celebration of Japanese cuisine and culture at Saké The Rocks (6-7 June) and Saké Hamer Hall (9 June).
With just 10 places available at each dinner, guests will be treated to 22 exquisite dishes, from a menu inspired by different regions of Japan. From the centuries-old edomae-style sushi of Tokyo, to mushi zuchi (steamed sushi) and bouzushi (stick sushi) plates traditional to the Kansai region, the exclusive menu costs $295 per person and aims to take guests' tastebuds on a journey through Japan.
Both chefs pay homage to their origins with classic Japanese appetisers such as steamed black lip abalone and classic snapper sashimi, as well as other traditional non-nigiri dishes such as simmered octopus and red miso soup served with Japanese pickles.
Bookings are now open and can be made via the Saké website.
Shane Delia has a new Melbourne restaurant
Maha North is the next evolution of Shane Delia's restaurant stable. Refocusing and replicating the menu of sister venue Maha East, the northside iteration in Collingwood is now serving king prawn kataifi; crunchy chickpea fried zucchini flowers; and Lebanese garlic dumplings with poached leeks and spiced chicken.
mahanorth.com.au
Potts Point fine diner Métisse has a new luxury tasting menu
Sydneysiders seeking a restaurant for an all-out occasion will be pleased to hear of Métisse's new Luxury Degustation. Led by the charismatic Opel Khan, the Potts Point fine diner exudes opulence - and the new tasting menu is no exception. From the caviar and white truffle custard amuse bouche to the $150 per person 'prestige wine pairing' (there's the option of a $300 wine pairing, too), the brief here is lavish. Of the 10-plus dishes, highlights include the Fruits de Mer of Yamba prawn, octopus carpaccio, confit salmon and Tasmanian scallop, and the incredibly tender Kobe beef score 12 with salt-crusted celeriac tart topped with fermented daikon.
Bookings can be made via the Métisse website.
Popular Melbourne listening bar Waxflower is coming to Sydney
With the increasing popularity of listening bars across Australia, two leading venues are joining forces for a month of smooth vinyl tunes and sensational snacks this May. Melbourne's Waxflower Bar is taking up residency at Rekodo Restaurant & Vinyl Bar every Wednesday to deliver Japanese whisky cocktails, natural wines, and Japanese-inspired snacks soundtracked by sets from guest DJs.
Both Waxflower and Rekodo are inspired by jazz kissaten of Tokyo and the listening bars of Brooklyn and London, so the month-long residency is a natural fit. Starting on Wednesday 3 May, the program includes Perth's Montana followed by Waxflower's co-founders Walter Majik and Deep Byrne (10 May), Earl Grey (17 May), DJ Possum (24 May) and Myles Mac (31 May).
Menu-wise, there'll be a Rekodo snack menu featuring kabayaki-style wagyu beef skewers and chicken wing gyoza. You can also order from the Rekodo autumn menu or opt for the omakase experience.
Book via the Rekodo website.
Sokyo has launched a ballot system for its super-popular omakase experience
Omakase restaurants are notoriously had to book into - in particular Chase Kojima's Sokyo in Sydney. Now one of Australia's most in-demand chef's table seats has introduced a ballot system. Known for booking out withing hours releasing seats, the ballot system will offer diners another chance at scoring a seat.
The 20-course chef's table experience occurs every Monday to Thursday, and only seats six diners per night. The ballot will open on the 1st of each month for the following month, and allows you to instantly put your name in for two seats on dates selected by the restaurant.
sokyodining.com.au
A new Korean-focused restaurant group is opening three new restaurants this autumn
Along with a swag of new venues, Sydney has scored a new hospitality collective focused on Korean dining. Going by the name of Kolture, the group is led by David Bae and already has popular restaurants Kinhboy, Kobo, Kogi Korean BBQ and Honey under its belt. But in the next few months, Kolture is expanding with the opening of three new venues.
First, the group has relauched Tokki in Surry Hills as a modern Korean Anju bar where you'll find bar snacks and booze in a fun, cosy space on Foveaux Street. The bar stocks small-batch soju, makegeolli and cheongju as well as Korean craft beer (maekju). Of course, there are cocktails - including concoctions using Jeju Island mandarin and Korean pear. Food-wise, there are seafood pancakes with octopus, squid and shallot; loligo squid sondaw (stuffed squid); fermented black bean pork ribs; and mulhwe - Korea's answer to sashimi - which will be a spicy (and icy) raw kingfish dish.
Moving on to Soot, which has just opened in Barangaroo. It promises to be Barangaroo's first Korean barbecue joint that takes "the usual Korean BBQ experience up a notch". There are DIY grills built in to every table and the menu sees premium and aged wagyu cuts as well as Australian beef, plus seafood, galbi (soy-marinated short-ribs) and plenty of banchan.
Lastly, Leemix - a Korean chef's table experience - will open in Circular Quay by June. It'll be the group's second omakase-style venue (Kobo being the other) and have executive chef Jacob Lee at the helm. Leemix will be Lee's "remix" on traditional Korean food, guiding diners through Korea's culinary history and culture.
Leemix is slated to open in May 2023. instagram.com/leemix_syd
Taronga Zoo's harbourside Me-Gal restaurant has opened to the public
For the first time ever, the restaurant inside Taronga Zoo's onsite Wildlife Retreat is opening to the public on Thursday 30 March. The elegant dining room is surrounded by native bushland and, thanks to its floor-to-ceiling windows, offers multimillion-dollar views of Sydney Harbour.
Named Me-Gal, which is the Cammeraigal word for 'tears' and symbolises the saltwater of the harbour shoreline, the restaurant is operated by Trippas White - the group responsible for venues in many Sydney icons, including Bar 83 in Sydney Tower, Botanic House in The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, and Reign in the Queen Victoria Building.
The kitchen is led by executive chef Stefan Schröder who has created a menu that champions native ingredients and sustainable produce from local farmers. Dishes include stuffed zucchini flowers with wattleseed ricotta and macadamia crumble; char-grilled tiger prawns with lime labne, coriander and pickled onions; 12-hour slow-cooked lamb shoulder; and lemon myrtle and pear tart served with Chantilly cream.
As for wine, sommelier Louella Mathews has pulled together a smart list of predominently Australian producers, including organic and biodynamic drops alongside bottles from classic wineries such as Penfolds and Leeuwin Estate. There's also a concise cocktail list that also heroes native Australian ingredients.
Bookings are now open to the public and can be made via the website.
megal-mosman.com.au
Guy Grossi's new Brisbane restaurant has finally opened
Melbourne restaurant stalwart Guy Grossi is bringing a touch of Positano to Brisbane's CBD with the opening of Settimo at The Westin. The restaurant features light and bright interiors, including lemons atop the tables and olive trees to bring the coastal feel indoors.
Dishes include a rustic slow-cooked beef ragù with house-made paccheri; and pasta al limone (which could dethrone cacio e pepe off its perch as the most popular pasta). The fish of the day may be char-grilled swordfish cultets from Walker Seafoods of Mooloolaba, dialled up with a little colutura di alici with ribbons of zucchini; while the bistecca showcases Queensland beef. Dishes skew retro but fun, be it the delizie al limone or the classic tiramisù, and gelato flavours will change daily.
settimo.com.au
Rutherglen's All Saints Estate has a new restaurant
Rutherglen's heritage-listed winery and vineyard All Saints Estate completed a multi-million-dollar redevelopment with the opening of Kin in late February. The restaurant is located in the Estate's 1864 heritage-listed castle and executive chef Jack Cassidy (Jackalope, Bistro Guillaume, Bedarra Island Resort) leads the team with a modern Australian menu that reimagines family recipes passed on by fourth-generation siblings Eliza, Angela and Nicholas Brown, who own and run the business in north-east Victoria. It's open Thursday to Sunday for lunch and Saturday for dinner.
allsaintswine.com.au/kin
Three Michelin-starred UK restaurant L'Enclume to take up five-week residency in Australia
One of the world's top culinary talents - Simon Rogan - is coming to Australia for a five-week takeover by the sea in Sydney. The British chef is one of the leaders of farm-to-table dining, which has since become a widespread global movement, and his flagship restaurant L'Enclume is the ebodiment of his passion for the connection between nature and food.
Last year, in the restaurant's 20th year, L'Enclume was awarded three Michelin stars, as well as a Michelin Green Star, which recognises restaurants at the forefront of the industry in regards to their sustainable practices.
This winter, Rogan is transporting his awarded restaurant from the Northern English village of Cartmel to Sydney's Balmoral Beach with a five-week residency at Bathers' Pavilion.
Rogan will lead the kitchen at the North Shore venue, reimagining L'Enclume's farm-to-table ethos with an Australian lens. The eight-course tasting menu will adapt some of L'Enclume's renowned dishes to use local and native ingredients from sustainable farmers and producers in New South Wales. Snacks and petit fours will be served alongside the set menu, too, which costs $420 per person. Plus, tailored wine pairings will be available for $190, $290 and $750 a head.
The L'Enclume residency at Bathers' Pavilion will run from Wednesday 19 July to Sunday 20 August. During the five-week run, it'll be open for lunch Tuesday to Sunday and dinner Tuesday to Saturday, with an 80-person capacity per sitting. A private dining room for 12-15 diners will also be available.
Bookings are now open via the Bathers' Pavilion website.