Sokyo At The Star, Sydney

The Sydney dining scene has undergone a shakeup in recent years, and thanks to the rebirth of The Star, a number of new names have sprung to the top restaurant list for many Sydneysiders, with Sokyo being one.

• Location: At The Star, Pyrmont.
• The menu: The menu is quite overwhelming, with Chef Chase Kojima famous for the variety of dishes on offer - he used to work for Nobu. The food is Japanese inspired with global flavours, and plenty of modern twists. Due to the scope of the menu, there are different kitchens handling different styles of Japanese food, from sashimi to tempura.
• What else is there: A great cocktail bar, The Star venues. 
• Why go: It’s one of Sydney’s highly regarded Japanese dining venues, ideal for loved-up couples looking for romance as well as top notch cuisine. 

The Space

Sokyo is a restaurant which isn't just hip and trendy - the food is also great. It’s tucked away in the lobby of The Star entertainment quarter in Pyrmont, and if you don't get a table immediately it doesn't matter, as the bar is a welcoming and relaxing place to unwind and wait for the feast in store. Sokyo is dark and romantic with a distinctly Asian feel, with dark wood, red accents, soft lighting and a mix of seating from high stools at the bar, to loungers to chill back in. It was a Monday night and even the bar was busy, with a mix of conference goers, city slickers, and couples enjoying a cozy night out. Uber trendy feel. The dark, moody theme continued into the restaurant at our table. The floor was almost black wood, the chairs minimalist blonde wood with dark inlays, red and gold accents on the walls, and an open kitchen where the activity was frenetic. 

The Experience

Being lovers of Japanese cuisine and its many styles and intricacies, we were excited to try as many different dishes as possible, so we engaged the help our of our waitress who asked us what we liked, and made recommendations with advice on portion sizes - it's easy to over order. We opted for a wider selection of smaller dishes to share rather than having mains; that enables us to put more food to the test. Fish was on our hit list, so we opted for some traditional basic sashimi of Tasmanian salmon and tuna from South Australia, which was some of the best we have experienced outside of the Tokyo fish markets - and that's fresh. For those looking for something a little different, though, there are more elaborate options such as Kingfish Furikaki with citrus paste and tosazu, or Ocean Trout Umani Sansho, with Nikiri soy, sweet sancho pepper and lime. Tempura also had to be sampled; the Red Snapper with coriander salad, black pepper  and chilli vinegar, and the Asparagus with truffle poke sauce and edamame dip literally melted in the mouth. Next came the Pork Belly and Corn-fed Chicken Robata, which are slow-grilled skewers, and which were soft, succulent, and very tasty, and Queensland Sushi Rolls made with spanner crab, spicy avocado and soy paper. Needless to say we didn’t make dessert. The wine list featured a range of quality sake, which could be purchased by the bottle or carafe, and in some cases by the glass, traditional Plum Wine from Japan, and also a good range of international wines along with some fun after meal nightcaps, such as the Espresso Martini.. 

UltimateTravelMagazine.com Loves 

• The moody decor.
• The after dinner drinks are worth saving room for. 
• The sushi was some of the freshest we’ve ever eaten. 

Insider Tips  

• Bookings are essential as this place is always busy.

The Details

Sokyo is located at Level G, The Darling, The Star, 80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont, NSW 2009, www.star.com.au.