Waterfront Venue Bay Nine Is the Latest Japanese Omakase Restaurant to Open at The Rocks

Another restaurant has joined the expanding Campbell's Stores waterfront precinct. But unlike its neighbours, there's no menu at Bay Nine Omakase.

'Omakase' translates loosely to "I'll leave it up to you", and the guy you'll be leaving your dinner to is Tomohiro Marshall Oguro, Bay Nine's Head Chef and one of the youngest omakase head chefs in Sydney.

This guy has a serious pedigree. He's trained under renowned seafood specialist and restaurateur Stephen Hodges, acclaimed sushi chef Naoki Fukazawa (Yoshii, Sushi-E, Ocean Room) and Executive Chef and founder of Manmaruya, Hideki Goto.

So what about the restaurant? Well, Bay Nine is a few scattered tables and a cosy 10-seater counter where you sit around Oguro while he prepares 11 courses of high-quality Japanese food. All you have to do is watch and eat.

It's dinner and theatre, all in one spot. The fit-out is classic wabi-sabi minimalism: all blond timber and soft underlighting, wrapped in a heritage-listed 19th-century warehouse space.

The omakase menu will change every day, depending on what's in season and what fish is available at the city's best seafood suppliers. Oguro developed some serious industry contacts while running the wholesale operation at Cummins Seafood.

Basically, you're getting the freshest, top-quality ingredients, prepared by one of Sydney's hottest young chefs. But as Oguro says, when it comes to omakase, produce is really only half the story.

"You can have the freshest seafood prepared expertly and run your omakase counter with precision, but if you can't engage with your guests, you're starving them of a true omakase experience," he says. "I believe it's just as important to develop a genuine connection with each guest sitting across from me."

To wash down your sushi — which comes seared, salted, blanched, steamed, grilled and everything in between — there's a 40-strong sake menu, including dedicated sake flights (highly recommended) and a solid range of Japanese craft spirits.

If you're feeling really fancy, there's also Bay Nine's Icon Collection, which includes a $3,500 magnum of 1996 Penfolds Grange Hermitage Bin 95. Maybe clear that one with your SO first.

An 11-course omakase dinner at Bay Nine will set you back $180, but there's a six-course and eight-course option, too.

You can find Bay Nine at Bay 9 (duh) 7-27 Circular Quay West, The Rocks. Check out their Instagram here.