The crew who brought us some of Melbourne's most influential cafes (Higher Ground, Top Paddock and The Kettle Black) opened Token in early 2024, a 150-seat Japanese restaurant on Toorak Road in South Yarra, which is strongly inspired by the delightfully chaotic beer-and-bar snack culture of Japanese izakayas. Said to be "crafted by fire and chilled on ice," the experience at Token is layered and distinctly Melbourne, a place where tradition is carefully dissected and rebuilt with consideration. Coal-fired grilled meats are contrasted with freshly cut, clean sashimi, and wok-tossed noodles are juxtaposed against seafood served raw on ice. Snack on Tokyo street corn with kombu butter, crispy eggplant with miso caramel, and prawn and scallop toast with kosho mayo. Savour raw dishes such as kingfish with sesame dressing, tuna tataki with spring onion ponzu, beef tartare with shiso chimichurri and shucked oysters with tosazu. Move slowly into mains with a round of dim sums, such as pork gyoza and chilli prawn wontons, and a selection of specialty handrolls for the table. Go for the Firecracker with spicy tuna and chilli crisp, or the wagyu surf and turf with aburi wagyu and crispy prawns. For mains, you must sample the delights of the charcoal grill, such as charcoal chicken with red yuzu kosho, crispy pork belly with yakiniku glaze, or miso lamb shoulder with smashed cucumbers. Don't miss the furikake fries with curried mayonnaise on the side. The signature set menus are a great option for groups, with the Token Taste menu starting at just $45 per person. Take advantage of Token's tempting lunchtime offering, Token Sushi Club, which features bottomless premium sushi. For just $59 per person, join the Sushi Club and make your way through the chef-selected rotating menu, including signature rolls, fresh temaki and premium nigiri. Take things up a notch with the bottomless drinks package featuring cocktails, sake spritzes, beer and selected wines (for an additional $29 per person).
