Sokyo


This beautifully decorated restaurant is nestled below the equally beautiful The Darling hotel at The Star Casino.
Sokyo combines traditional Japanese cuisine with a Sydney twist. Chef Chase Kojima takes you into a wonderland of unique dishes that explode with flavour.


The restaurant is buzzing with life yet intimate at the same time.An exciting atmosphere as well as the personal attention with your waiter made for a pleasant evening's start. The menu is designed to share, making it the perfect venue for date night. Personally I think sharing food is intimate when dining with that special someone and familial when dining with a group.


Sashimi Platter

Snapper, Salmon, Kingfish, Tuna, Scallop and Bonito
Sashimi platters are way too hard to resist at the best of the times and dining at a high end Japanese restaurant, it was an absolute must. 
The sashimi was beautifully fresh and came with an assortment of different sauces that complimented every fish in its own way, setting them apart from everywhere else.

Kyoto Clear Soup (Enoki Mushroom Citrus drop) and Misoshiru (blended miso, dashi, tofu, daikon)
Some warming soups to shake off the windy chill got us cosy and ready for the dishes ahead.
The Miso was authentically deep in flavour, the dashi wasn't overwhelming and the tofu was silky and soft.
The Kyoto soup was described by my partner as "tasting like Japan" and for a clear soup it was complex in flavour.
The clean and mushroom-heavy broth was warming and the citrus finish complimented the well balanced dish.
Spicy Edamame
We were served with a monstrous pile of Edamame that seemed unachievable in one seating.
After popping the first one they seemed to go like chips!
The seasoning and quick sear over the grill added a smokey and slight kick of flavour that you'd never usually expect from regular Edamame. 
We kept coming back to the Edamame between bites of food, it was a perfect side snack and cleanser. 

Rangers Valley +9 Tenderloin, scorched lettuce, umami mushroom puree and wasabi citrus jus
This dish was the star of the night. 
From the moment it hit our tastebuds we were in absolute awe. The beef was cooked to a perfectly tender medium rare and was practically melting in your mouth. The accompanying jus really lifted the flavours and enhanced them while not being too overpowering. The mushroom puree was umami and made for a nice base for the beef and lettuce combination. The lettuce, a simple ingredient brought to life by the jus and a quick scorch.
This dish was absolutely amazing and I would happily eat it over and over again.

Green Tea
We later requested a pot of green tea to help with digestion for the rest of our meal.
Although warming and delicious it oddly left me with an upset stomach. I don't often feel sick with Japanese green tea but it made the remaining meals a little hard to fit in.

Kingfish Furikake
Just like the sashimi platter earlier in the evening, the kingfish was deliciously fresh with a citrus finish.
The sweet rice made for a simple base for the full flavoured slice of fish. A delicious mouthful.

Spicy Tuna
Veering from the traditional tuna nigiri that you would normally find, Sokyo offers their 'Spicy Tuna'.
The spicy tuna includes a spicy mayo topping with a crunchy rice base and wasabi spread inside.
A nice modern twist to a usually traditionally simple nigiri, the crunchy rice made for a truly textural experience that you don't expect from sushi.

Donatsu

We finished our meal with a delicious dessert; donut balls filled with mascarpone and pineapple, a raspberry coulis and a creme fraiche ice cream.
Although not traditionally Japanese, this dessert was a fantastic finish to a light and refreshing dinner. The donuts were fluffy and the combination of raspberry coulis and pineapple made for a sour and sweet explosion in your mouth. The creme fraiche ice cream balanced out the strong flavours and mellowed the whole dish. 

Overall the service of the restaurant was impeccable, our waitress was very helpful with recommendations and made sure we were given every comfort during our visit (including birthday wishes on the dessert plate!). 
Sokyo currently holds a Chef's Hat and is one of The Star's signature dining restaurants charging an average of $100 per head. They have also recently made Australia's top 100 restaurants in the recent financial review. 
The atmosphere was very comforting and the food was outstanding, I definitely want to come back again for the omakase or even for breakfast.
Let me know what your Sokyo adventure's like




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2 comments:

  1. Wow..!! food looks delicious... i really like the pictures you posted. I am glad to visit your website.

    ReplyDelete