Overview
If your idea of heaven is nigiri in both hands, you might want to sit down because we've got some fantastic news for you. Sake, one of Melbourne's swishest (and most delicious) Japanese restaurants, has announced plans to open not just one, but two expansions in the CBD.
Kiss your disposable income goodbye because come April you'll be lining up with the rest of us to dine in the gorgeous new Sake restaurant in Flinders Lane and scoff down a seafood feast. The menu aims towards playfulness and innovation while showcasing the best of Victoria's local produce — and the teasers already have us drooling. (Content warning: may trigger intense need to eat All The Sushi.)
Don't expect a cookie cutter version of the Hamer Hall restaurant. The Flinders Lane menu will include new dishes like the nihon braised wagyu short ribs with seared foie gras, asparagus and caramelised onion and the slow-cooked abalone with garlic lemon soy and taro crunch. There will also be some southern rock lobster sashimi, and Himalayan salt-chilled seared snapper with karazumi, lemon oil and dry soy. The new two-storey venue is being designed by Melissa Collison (who was shortlisted for the Australian Interior Design Awards last year) and will differentiate itself further with an interactive dining counter and live entertainment. Dinner and a show? Don't mind if we do.
Even better, keep an eye open for the opening of Sake Jr. on Bourke Street. What is Sake Jr., you ask? Well, prepare to whip out the wallet again, friends, because Sake Jr. is a Sake-brand healthy fast-fine restaurant. It will feature create-your-own bowls, buns and rolls and takeaway versions of Sake's signature dishes. So even if you don't have the time to sit down and eat the popcorn shrimp tempura, you'll be able to get it on the run — ensuring you will never be with Sake eats again. Phew.
UPDATE: April 12, 2016
Sake Flinders Lane will open at 11am on Friday, April 15 at 121 Flinders Lane in the CBD. Sake Jr. is slated to open in May at 555 Bourke Street, Melbourne. For more info, check their Facebook page.