It was a hot summer evening in Adelaide for a night of psychedelia, with four bands on the bill at the Cranker (Crown and Anchor Hotel). Local outfits Nite Rites, Thunder Speaks and Sons of Zöku supported the highly anticipated Japanese Krautrock band MINAMI DEUTSCH, making their debut in Adelaide. Outside, the closed off Rundle Street…
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Ryūnosuke Akutagawa inspired Murakami and Kurosawa, but what’s it like reading his work today? The Akutagawa Prize is one of Japan’s most prestigious literary prizes. Kurosawa’s beloved 1950 film Rashomon, was inspired by Akutagawa stories, and Haruki Murakami counts him as a favourite. But what would today’s readers think? And what about translating it? Ryan…
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Kid Kyoto is like your trendy cousin. You envy their effortless style and try to imitate their endearing nature, but no matter how hard you attempt to recreate their swagger, it just isn’t right. These are my favourite types of dining experiences – the ones you genuinely can’t replicate at home. As I walked Bridge…
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Many traditional dishes born in Japan’s formative Edo Period still endear in the country today. And they’re found everywhere, like on the central coast of Honshu Island in the historic Ishikawa Prefecture where Japan’s culinary arts are spread from Michelin-starred ryokans to 300-year old food markets. Where better to look for a recipe close to…
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Replacing the spectacular Flying Fish at the apex of Jones Bay Wharf is an ambitious meeting of two accomplished culinary champions, ambitiously clashing Japanese and Chinese flavours at the behest of The Star Sydney, debuting their very first off-site restaurant. Chase Kojima (best known for Sokyo) and Victor Liong (best known for Lee Ho Fook)…
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It’s always exciting to re-visit one of your favourite restaurants on the Gold Coast, more so when it’s even better than you remembered. When Chase Kojima (of Sydney’s celebrated Sokyo, and the more recent Chuuka) first opened this slick modern Japanese restaurant at The Star back in 2015, reception was instantly, and understandably, enthusiastic. Sokyo…
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The folk behind Sydney’s beloved Devon Café sure are banking on the Japanese donburi with their new venue Dopa by Devon. And why shouldn’t they? The staple simmered bowl of rice and protein is a constant favourite for anyone who has ever been over to Japan (which should be everyone by now – flights are…
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One of Sydney’s most referenced Japanese restaurants, Saké Restaurant & Bar in The Rocks, is turning 10 in October and has sights set on a milestone menu that will celebrate the kitchen’s strong legacy. Starting things all the way back in October 2009, the restaurant has been an endearing spot for modern Japanese food set…
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What is being described as an “exceptional and inimitable Japanese dining experience” is making its way to Sydney Harbour’s Campbell’s Stores, set to open later this year and set a new benchmark for the city. Titled Ura San, the ambitious restaurant is one of the first announced for The Rocks’ restored harbour-side precinct, an adaptive…
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At first sight, with its minimalistic interior design complete with cool pastel walls and plywood furniture, the Grand Lafayette feels just like any other Melbourne café. And in many ways, that’s exactly what it is. The breakfast and lunch menus consist of popular western dishes infused with Asian flavours and ingredients, resulting in dishes like…
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Rising Potts Point favourite Paper Bird has brought back their popular contemporary East-Asian weekend brunch menu this past weekend, launching a series of new dishes complemented by extended opening hours for locals and visitors who really want to sink their teeth into the modern interpretations of Korean, Chinese and Japanese flavours. From 10am to 3pm…
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The entrance to Kid Kyoto should be on busy Bridge Street, but the logical way into the modern Japanese restaurant is shut. Instead you get signage gently redirecting you to Bridge Lane, where the real entrance to Kid Kyoto lies, almost opposite to dumpling favourite Mr Wong. There’s a reason for this, and the many…
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Acclaimed Japanese chef Tomotaka Ishizuka is opening a restaurant under his namesake on Melbourne’s Bourke Street in the hopes of introducing the local food scene to a truly refined and delicate Japanese food art form comparable to Western haute cuisine. For anyone fortunate enough to get into the 16 seater restaurant a unique sensory experience…
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Welcome to Sydney Institutions, where we take a look at some of the long-standing venues serving as the beating heart fueling this city’s social landscape. For those yet be introduced to this long-established, beloved Surry Hills staple, Bar H Dining is a casual yet sophisticated eatery and wine bar that embraces contemporary Japanese and Chinese…
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Melbourne CBD has welcomed a new Japanese restaurant just in time for the holiday season. Yokocho, located in the historic Mid City Arcade on Bourke Street, will be reimagining Tokyo’s unique street culture with a design that’s minimal on interior, big on atmosphere with a reflection of the laneways made famous by the Japanese capital’s…
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A new refined modern Japanese dining restaurant just opened in Barangaroo and its name is Fujisaki. Heavy hitters in the dining scene that are part of Lotus Group’s new venture include executive chef Chui Lee Luk, formerly of Claude’s restaurant, sushi chef Ryuichi Yoshii, formerly of Yoshii, and sommelier Annette Lacey. Yoshii pwns the raw…
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The onslaught of Japanese desserts continue to hail down on Australia. From the team that brought you Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tart, comes PAFU, a puff pastry store launching in Melbourne’s QV this December 16th. What exactly is PAFU? A puff or ‘パフ’ in the Japanese language, is the Japanese response to the traditional French apple turnover…
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Today the team behind INDU and Mejico swing open doors for their grungy Japanese restaurant Kid Kyoto. Positioned on Bridge Street in the CBD, the 120-seater restaurant will be pushing into the tail-end of 2017 with a strong focus on izakaya-style dining meshed with an aesthetic inspired by the music of the 80’s and 90’s….
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Sam Prince Hospitality Group, the team behind Sydney heavy-hitters INDU and Mejico, will be adding a Japanese restaurant to their portfolio later this year when Kid Kyoto opens on Bridge Lane in spring. Promising their most ambitious project to date, the group plan to mesh a “rebellious” take on Japanese cuisine with an “unplugged” grungy…
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Named after a notorious outlaw subculture in Japan, Bosozuku is South Yarra’s new Japanese burgers joint and sake den, a 200-seater located just off Chapel Street with designs on becoming one of the city’s new favourite destinations. It’s from the same team behind Bird Watching Society and St Kilda’s buzzing Lady Grange, taking on a…
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In what is a very big step for The Lucas Group long-awaited, three-level concept restaurant Kisumé has finally been unveiled to the public, opening for lunch and dinner with designs to become a major player in Melbourne’s dining scene. Fashioned as a contemporary Japanese restaurant, Kisumé offers diners three options: the ground floor and basement…
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With the peak of summer underway, you only have to go so far in Melbourne for that perfectly delicious and light meal, which 9 times out of 10 is the ever-reliable option of sushi. Open across two locations – Abbotsford and Sunshine – Sōko is one of the best choices out there for simple, flavoursome…
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Melbourne is a lively city renowned for its ever-changing laneways full of hidden cafes and bars. So it’s only natural for QT Melbourne, the city’s newest hotel to create their very own laneway getaway. Tucked into Portland Lane, just around the corner from the main entrance of the hotel lobby, Hot Sauce is a brand…
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Saké Jr proves that eating healthy does not need to leave you feeling hungry or unhappy. This fast and casual Japanese eatery located in the recently revamped Grosvenor Place complex in Sydney is the sister store to the fine-dining favourite, Saké Restaurant & Bar. It has a variety of fresh foods and drinks for sale…
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When one thinks winter dining, images of heavy cuisine that leaves no room for enjoying anything post-meal are often cited; big, hearty meals designed to help you insulate against the cold. This isn’t necessarily the case for Niji Restaurant & Bar (which means “rainbow” in Japanese), Double Bay’s answer to Japanese fare. They’ve developed a…
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Winter isn’t coming, it’s here and hell-bent on freezing the behings of every Sydneysider. But aside from your usual comfort foods of soups, stews and ramen, taking a trip to your local yakitori den also works as a keep warm tactic. That’s exactly what we did last week when the good guys at Yurippi in Crows…
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On the surface, Saké Restaurant & Bar is an ode to contemporary Japanese dining. It has the quintessential dark mahogany timber highlights and dim lighting that make it the perfect place to enjoy fresh sushi and sashimi whilst overlooking the breathtaking Yarra River and CBD. While Saké fits the classic description of a Japanese restaurant,…
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Popular CBD Japanese restaurant Yayoi Sydney is now Yayoi Garden, and while the interior has the same casual elegance, the menu has slightly changed, with set tasting menus introduced to reflect the spring-summer season, while the sake list is even more extensive than before. My previous visit was a pleasant experience, delivering a Japanese dining…
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You’ll find Geisha Haus tucked away upstairs via a nondescript entrance on Roslyn St, right next to Gastro Park. Formerly known as Beach Haus, the hidden little, oddly shaped gem is now a hub of fresh and creative contemporary Japanese food, with a menu shaped by Rajendra Kumar Tamang, a man who already has an…
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Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock in hibernation for the past decade, then you’ll be well aware that Melbourne is in the midst of a ramen revolution. All along Russell Street in the CBD, there are queues of people lining up come rain or shine, hoping for their next fix of this ubiquitous Japanese…
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