12 Argyle St
The Rocks, SYDNEY
www.sakerestaurant.com.au
It’s not often that I go out in The Rocks. But it struck me as I headed out for dinner the other night that it must be all that some visitors to Sydney see. Fortunately there are a few good eating options in amongst the tourist traps. Pony is an old fav.
My recent discovery is Sake Restaurant & Bar. A modern, Nobu-inspired Japanese joint that is just the place for a good catchup with my Japan-ophile design guru friend. As she told the waiter, ‘I’m here for the fit out, Jules is here for the food.’ We make a great team.
loved
the sake menu – apparently there are some sakes imported exclusively to Australia by the restaurant.
the sake rating which describes the dryness, alcohol content and degree of rice polishing of each sake – just the thing for educating beginners
the kingfish with jalapeno and yuzu soy
the aptly named dynamite tuna hand roll
the cute bar stools & shadow lighting
the well laid out modern menu – which even includes a section for kids – lucky children
didn’t love
the lighting in the main dining room – after the cosy bar it’s a rude shock
bland daikon salad. normally it’s the type of thing that two hungry girls would be wolfing down but it was the only thing that went unfinished
ate
warm edamame
daikon salad
nasu miso – grilled eggplant with sweet den miso & sesame seeds
kingfish jalapeno with yuzu* soy
whiting sashimi
dynamite hand rolls – spicy tuna & tobiko
drank
the skinny sumo cocktail – sake based with shiso
kozaemon house junmai sake
kozaemon 3 year aged junmai sake
mioya yuho junmai sake
water
value
Surprisingly OK. about $80 for 2 + drinks.
reservations
by phone or email
highly recommend getting a group together so you can sit in one of the izakya style private rooms.
perfect for
decent Japanese in a modern city setting
when you need a place to dine in the rocks
* A note about yuzu. A Japanese citrus like a bitter lime, yuzu is one of the hottest new flavourings being used by chocolateirs around the world. Both elBulli and el cellar de can rocca featured yuzu in chocolate. To be honest I find it really overrated, but then I’m not a fan of citrus with chocolate. I wasn’t that keen on trying the kingfish because of the yuzu but my design guru was cusious. Thank heavens she talked me into it. I loved the fresh citrussy yuzu soy with the kingfish.
