PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAToko Surry Hills, on the old MG Garage site, is the newest incarnation of the sushi bar in Paddington of the same name. This Toko, however, is a more serious venture modelled on London's Zuma, with a dash of Sydney's Longrain thrown in for spice. The space is modern and a little spare with timber furniture and panelling, translating a traditional Japanese aesthetic into something contemporary and urban. Long communal tables run the length of the room, with some seating available at the sushi bar and robata grill (robata refers to a traditional cooking style used by Japanese fishermen that involves grilling food over an open flame, giving it a woody, ashy taste).
From Zuma also come the bar manager and executive chef, the latter now involved as a consultant while head chef Alun Evans takes the reins. The menu is share based and divided into sections like kitchen, sushi and robata. The yasai suzuke spare ribs are recommended by Evans himself, braised in masterstock for a full day before being twice-cooked and served. Japanese cuisine, being lighter on garlic and chilli than say Chinese, is highly conducive to wine matching. However, Toko boasts an extensive sake selection for which a consultant sake sommelier was brought in, so don't waste the opportunity to authenticate your meal down to the last detail.
Sarah Theeboom, May 2007
