Coming Soon: KODA Is the "No-Attitude Destination" Bringing Playful Cocktails and Robata-Grilled Good Times to the Former Monopole Site
In an exclusive interview with 'Concrete Playground', restaurateur Matt Yazbeck lifts the lid on his upcoming CBD venture.
Matt Yazbeck knows a thing or two about an encore. After relocating his enduringly popular fine diner Toko to a moody George Street basement in 2022, the Sydney restaurateur is returning to the CBD this spring with KODA. Set to open on Tuesday, November 18, KODA will take over the former Monopole site on Curtin Place, bringing a "no-attitude, fun-times destination" to the heart of the city.
"KODA is a cocktail bar and robata grill, fired up with the freshest daily ingredients and a twist on Japanese technique," Yazbeck shares in an exclusive interview with Concrete Playground. "We wanted to create something different from what we already offer [at Toko] — something more accessible without skimping on quality and experience."
At the heart of the space is the robata grill, around which diners can perch for a front-row view of the kitchen in action. "The robata grill will be amazing," Yazbeck says. "Guests will be seated around it and all produce will be on an ice display for customers to choose, and chefs to grill and serve." While menu details are still under wraps, there'll be a clear departure from the envelope-pushing creations at Toko. "The flavours will be simpler and let the produce be the hero — flavours won't be too tricked-up," Yazbeck reveals.
For something more relaxed, nab a sun-drenched seat by the north-facing wraparound windows for share plates and cocktails. "KODA is as much of a bar as it is a dining destination," Yazbeck explains. "The bar menu is fun and incredibly tasty — everything has a Japanese hint, but it won't be as refined as Toko."
To that end, KODA's drinks list will draw inspiration from the kitchen — rooted in Japanese flavours, but not bound by them. "We use a Japanese sake or spirit as the base for most of our original cocktails," Yazbeck says. "[You'll also find] Japanese flavours and ingredients like yuzu, lychee, watermelon throughout."
The venue's design will also echo the easygoing ethos. Timber star lights woven around the perimeter, cherry blossoms draped from the ceiling and those showpiece wraparound windows that let in plenty of natural light will define the room's aesthetic. "Again," says Yazbeck, "the atmosphere will lean into Japanese but won't be owned by it."
Taking over the old Monopole site might come with the burden of expectation, but Yazbeck is clear that KODA stands on its own. "The concept was built before the site was locked in," he says. "The location lends itself perfectly to the concept, which has been years in the making — it's a very different offering targeting a different audience."
In stark contrast to its predecessor, which was very much a venue for occasion dining, KODA is pitched as an everyday offer — the kind of place you could drop into for an after-work drink and snack, or settle in for a full robata feast. "We want people to use KODA as an escape from the usual," says Yazbeck. "We want people to feel that it's their own space to enjoy. It's an accessible venue for people to visit numerous times a week if they choose. Walk-ins are encouraged, but bookings will be taken for the grill and a handful of seats. We would love for KODA to be the highlight of our guests' week."
KODA is set to open on Tuesday, November 18, at 16/20 Curtin Place, Sydney. Stay tuned to Concrete Playground for more details.
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