Toko Restaurant is a contemporary Japanese restaurant in Sydney that went through a location change and renovations. We last dined here in 2018, when we had just started our food journey so our review was optimistic and naive. Now 5 years later with our world-traveled taste buds, we’ve come with a more critical outlook.
We declined the (Kitsune) tasting menu $115 and prompted for a la carte so we could try different dishes and cocktails for the same price (4 people).
We declined the (Kitsune) tasting menu $115 and prompted for a la carte so we could try different dishes and cocktails for the same price (4 people).
Food
We started with the kingfish sashimi with truffle ponzu, pickled daikon and chives for $29.90. This was light and refreshing, and a great starter. The kingfish was fresh, sliced correctly, and had a light aromatic fishy taste. The truffle was moderately fragrant. It was overall a straightforward and authentic Japanese bite.
This was the beef tataki with pickled onions, mizuna and garlic chips for $27.80. It had an acidic and earthy flavour profile. The beef was thinly sliced, with its savouriness elevated by the garlic. The chips were slightly overcooked.
This was the sashimi omakase, a daily selection of seasonal raw fish. We got 20 pieces for $59.80. If we had gone with the tasting menu, they would have given us the 12 piece option valued at $38.20. This worked out to be approx $3 a piece, which was not bad given inflation and the thickness of the sashimi pieces. You can see tuna was the only one that was thinly sliced ๐.
We ordered the same two nigiris from the tasting menu. It was the wagyu nigiri, a seared wagyu beef nigiri, eschallots, chives for $19.20 (2 pieces) and the unagi nigiri, torched foie gras and umeboshi for $17.80 (2 pieces). The wagyu was executed to perfection, just like the first time. It had a nice smokey beefy flavour. The unagi nigiri was rich and creamy, with hints of sweetness.
Alright, the moment of truth, the zucchini flowers tempura with tofu and feta for $23.80 (2 pieces). It was delicious enough as a stand alone dish however after having eaten different types of tempura in Japan, we thought Toko could have used a lighter batter or fried it for a few seconds less. The tempura had a slight oily residue and was not as fluffy as we would have liked – but that’s us being very critical. As a simple dinner, it was oishii ๐. The combination of tofu and feta was creative.
This was wagyu gyoza with white-soy mustard and truffle oil for $28.90 (5 pieces). It was simple and good. The gyoza was greasy, with a nice crispy side, tender filling and a moderate amount of truffle flavour.
For our mains, we got the scotch fillet, a grain fed steak with wafu sauce for $59.80. Toko has improved on their serving size and presentation with this dish. The beef cubes were very juicy and soft, elevated by the sweet wafu sauce, umami soy sauce and savoury beef jus.
This was the pork belly with soy mustard and apple wasabi for $34.80. The pork was a little dry and chewy, only enjoyable and balanced by the rendered fat. The flavouring was delicious though, especially with the sweet zing of the apple wasabi.
Finally we got the black cod. This was a saikyo miso glazed white fish with pickled ginger for $58.20. Which Japanese restaurant doesn’t have a version of Nobu’s miso fish on their menu? ๐.
In 2018 they used king salmon and the portion of fish was similar. This time around, we much preferred the black cod choice. The fish was fresh and tender, giving off a subtle fishy flavour that paired wonderfully with the salty umami of miso.
In 2018 they used king salmon and the portion of fish was similar. This time around, we much preferred the black cod choice. The fish was fresh and tender, giving off a subtle fishy flavour that paired wonderfully with the salty umami of miso.
Service
The service was expected, nothing less and nothing amazing for this mid-to-high tier restaurant.
Review
We enjoyed Toko. It’s one of those fail-proof restaurants that tick all the boxes from good food, vibes, service and fanciness. We probably won’t be returning for a while because we like culinary experiments but it won’t stop us from recommending Toko to others.
Thanks for reading. Happy eating!
Thanks for reading. Happy eating!
