Toki North Sydney opened to fanfare last year, quickly becoming the must-visit destination for food lovers willing to make the trip over the harbour bridge.North Sydney has been the place I go to see my tax accountant, not to plan a dinner worth talking about. However, Toki opened to fanfare last year. It’s also got a cracking happy hour, which, for anyone in Sydney, is a reason to cross the bridge. I’m glad I do.The food at Toki North Sydney is a revelation — a perfect blend of French precision and Asian soul.
The Chef & Backstory at Toki North Sydney
Group executive chef Jacob Lee describes Toki as a restaurant built on personal narrative each course a chapter in his own life, from Korea to the Italian kitchens of New York, then Seoul (where he refined his craft under Kang Mingoo at the three-Michelin-starred Mingles), then Tartine Bakery’s first international outpost, then Australia. It’s the kind of CV that makes me feel slightly underachieving before I’ve even looked at the menu.
His food philosophy is French foundations rebuilt with Japanese Influences and Australian produce. in lesser hands reads as a confusion of identities.
The Arrival
Toki is nestled in an office building, the same one that houses the Green Moustache. Still, if you’re not familiar with it (like me), you can go round and round in circles and have to pop into bottle shops or retailers to ask directions. This, my friends, is a location that Google cannot help you with.
I finally find it. It’s a large space, but it’s been designed cleverly for intimacy. To my left is a nook of low-slung lounge chairs just by the bar. They have throws slung over the backs of them which I love – these are the kind of details on arrival which gives me hope of good things to come.
The Design
What a stunner! The mahogany-marbled bar is beautifully illuminated as wooden arcs curve overhead and showcase an impressive bench of spirits. As I move further on into the restaurant glass chandeliers cast a soft glow across black marble tables and polished floors. There are large booths for groups, and we are positioned over by the window. The overall effect is Parisian brasserie meets Asian dining.
The Service
JP runs the floor and has been here from day one. He shares how he constructed much of the furniture with his bare hands. He’s both enthusiastic and precise about the kind of experience he wants us to have. South African warmth, deep wine knowledge, zero pretension.
The wine list is artfully put together, from Nick O Leary, Yangarra to Audrey Wilkinson, Along with a number of stunning South African wines which may not even be on the wine list. You just need to be curious. My first drink is a chili margarita, and it’s classy and well balanced.
The Food
The chicken liver parfait is silky, pale and prettily composed with cranberry yuzu jelly and lavender jus on toasted brioche. But if you’ve grown up on the kind of liver parfait that grabs you by the lapels, this one is more subtle. The Shokupan steamed Japanese milk bread is a cuddle on a cold night with its pillowy-soft texture. Perfect with a smear of mushroom butter.
I’m obsessed with prawn toasts, in fact, this is probably one of the highlights of the entire meal. The snow crab toast arrives with two rectangles topped with black and white sesame seeds. They give way to generous sweet chunks of snow crab which are zig zagged with chili and mayo. Perfection.
Whilst we don’t eat it on the night , as I arrive, the most handsome duck I have ever seen is carried past me by a server, and I have to snap a photo. I can’t tell you what it tasted like, but it sure looks good.
Onto mains. The spatchcock is a sum of all the parts: it’s been beautifully seasoned and then cooked on a yakitori grill, which gives it a lovely golden color and sweet flavor. It’s paired with grilled okra, corn, and tofu. Soft, sweet, and just delicious. The Murray Cod sits on top of risoni with crispy kale and an intense prawn oil drizzled across the plate. Each element is perfectly cooked. The rump cap, though, is doing something quietly radical: a few seconds on the grill, then four full minutes resting, which is performed multiple times before it comes anywhere near our plate. In a world of instant gratification, care is everywhere.
The Verdict
What are we Addicted to? It’s genuinely a really beautiful place to dine. I love the fact that we don’t have to shout across the room. The service is thoughtful, knowledgeable, and elegant. The snow crab toast. I’m still thinking about it. JP’s wine knowledge turns the whole evening up a notch. It has a great happy hour.
What do we need to be more Addicted? The chicken liver parfait is beautiful but gentle if you want something that grabs you, it might leave you wanting more depth. And at $165 for the tasting menu, it’s a considered spend. Worth it for a special occasion.
Toki Bistro & Bar, Miller Street, North Sydney
Hours: Lunch: Monday–Friday from 11:30am , Dinner: Tuesday–Sunday from 5pm Tasting menu: $165pp (8 courses)