First Look: Fill Your Nights with Karaoke, Sake Martinis and Street Food-Style Sushi at Tombo Den

Chapel Street is popping off right now. In the past few months, the strip scored Suzie Q, Windsor Wine Room, The Chapel and Inca — and now Chris Lucas (Chin Chin, Hawker Hall, Kisumé, Grill Americano, Society, Yakimono and Baby Pizza) is giving it a go. Come Saturday, September 7, his two-storey Japanese-inspired restaurant and sake bar Tombo Den will open next door to Lucas' own Hawker Hall.

This latest venue is inspired by Lucas' time living and working in Tokyo in the 90s, and is a celebration of Japanese street food and izakaya culture. 

Head Chef Dan Chan (Supernormal and Michelin-starred Yardbird in Hong Kong) is spearheading the culinary offerings at Tombo Den, serving up a heap of dumplings, rice and noodle dishes and charcoal-barbecued seafood and meats. Desserts like strawberry and sake ice cream sundaes and brûléed dark chocolate mousse with black sesame also feature. 

Tombo Den's menu also champions sushi, which is strongly inspired by the food's more casual beginnings as a street food staple. Kisumé's Sushi Masters Toaki Kyo and Carlos Lopez oversee the sushi lineup, crafting a selection of sashimi, nigiri and handrolls. 

This more casual dining style is complemented by an approachable drinks lineup curated by Society's own Tokyo-born Master Sommelier Yuki Hirose. 

Society is known for its encyclopedic drinks offering — often winning international wine list awards — but Tomo Den's menu won't be quite as exhaustive. This isn't meant to be a fine-diner. The aim is for it to have a more laidback izakaya feel where you don't need a sommelier to guide you through the offerings.

A good mix of local and international wines will be up for grabs, with plenty offered by the glass or in a half-bottle carafe. Classic cocktails also get a Japanese twist, so you can expect to find sips like the sake martini, yuzu spritz, and macadamia and tonka espresso martini. Japanese beers and a fairly extensive collection of whiskies also feature here, while sakes are championed upstairs in the separate Sake Bar. 

Adding to the late-night Tokyo vibes is Tombo Den's own private karaoke room, which is sure to book out well in advance. 

This all sits within a totally revamped space that has a distinctly brutalist Japanese feel. DKO Architecture and Projects of Imagination have achieved this by blocking out the space with concrete, mahogany wood and marble finishes. 

AI-generated artwork from artist Tom Blachford breaks up these somewhat cold design features, adding a little colour and playfulness to the whole affair. 

All in all, it looks to be another winner for Lucas, who's built up a hugely successful Australian restaurant empire, and still plans to open more venues in the coming years.  

Dan Chan

Tombo Den is set to open on Saturday, September 7, and will be found at 100 Chapel Street, Windsor. For more information, you can visit the venue's website. 

Images: Michael Pham.