Miji Bar & Grill
Get a taste of Tokyo's laneway izakaya culture in the heart of North Sydney.
Overview
Japan is having a moment right now, both as a holiday destination and as a trending cuisine, with all sorts of Japanese venues appearing all over Sydney. One of the most colourful and dynamic among this new wave of arrivals is Miji Bar and Grill — a neon-lit izakaya that's bringing a taste of Tokyo's laneway culture to the North Sydney CBD.
If you're one of the lucky travellers who's given Japan a visit but are still yearning for the streets of Shibuya or Shinjuku, you'll feel right at home here. Miji's interior is fully decked with imported Japanese signage, neon lights and even a replica of Shinjuku's famous red archway. Match that with concrete tables, floor-to-ceiling windows and the fact that you're on the first floor of a North Sydney office building, and it feels like a unique combination of two different worlds.
The tastes are all Tokyo, though. Chef Jacob Lee has Michelin-starred experience in kitchens the world over, and it shows with an air of inventiveness across the menu. Lunch diners can enjoy set menus, donburi bowls and a mix of cooked and raw bar snacks, but dinner is all about the humble skewer.
These skewers are the real deal and a must-try on your first visit. There are six variants to choose from, but the chicken thigh and enoki wagyu roll are our picks of the lot. That's just part of the picture, though, as the dinner menu also treads in the realm of small plates (like the insanely moreish deep-fried whitebait with shichimi spice mix and honey sour cream), hotpots and share plates, like gloriously grilled king prawns or rainbow trout with yuzu butter sauce and salmon roe.
When it comes to drinks, one of Miji's specialties is a help-yourself drinks service that's practically unheard of in Sydney: a self-serve sake bar. Just grab a pre-paid membership card to tap, pay and pour. Alternatively, bartenders behind the counter will happily take your order.
A creative cocktail menu is especially alluring, with in-house versions of slippers, daiquiris, gimlets and more. Try the Doraemon to sip apple sake and vodka mixed with blue curaçao, coconut and marshmallow. Or, dive into the many pages of highballs, shochu, umeshu, beer, wine, sake, spirits and non-alcoholic options.
Information
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