Sake Restaurant & Bar, The Rocks, Sydney

It began with drinks. Some chili vodka to be exact. A happy group of hungry food bloggers are at Sake Restaurant & Bar (12 Argyle St, The Rocks Sydney) to try out the new Umami Cocktail and Canapes menu ($25 each) created by Head Sushi Chef Shimpei Hatanake and Bar Manager Wayne Shennen.


First up from the new menu was the extremely delicious Nightingale Song cocktail (umeshu, pear vodka, white wine, bianco vermouth and fresh lemon juice), which was matched with scallop sashimi dressed in grape-seed oil, white soy and fresh lime; and perched precariously on a shot glass holding an olive oil and yuzu dressing was a morsel of snapper sashimi topped with the crazy addictive shio kombu and flying fish roe.


The second cocktail, the Honey Dragon (honey, single-malt Scottish whiskey, cinnamon, lemon zest and chilli) was just spicy enough for me to go hmm hello burning! But zesty enough to bring out the flavours in the slices of seared salmon belly topped with chives and the yuzu soy dressing.


Then for some dishes from Executive Chef Shaun Presland who is the first Australian Caucasian chef with the title of Sushi Chef. The char-grilled Octopus Sunomono with kiwi vinegar, bonito jelly, dashi-infused wakame and cucumber is incredibly tender, the nubbins of octopus tentacle breaking away easily and managed to overcome my dislike of kiwi fruit to be an instant convert.


Teriyaki Beef Burger Balls. BAAAAALLLS! Covered in a rich, sticky terriyaki glaze, the juicy beef meatballs was perfect with the Hitachino Nest Beer.


Steamed prawn dumplings (Chinese-inspired shumai with spicy ponzu) ($17) was just freaking awesome. I managed to down 2 of the prawn wrapped in shredded dumpling wrappers with quick succession and was desperately looking around to see if anyone had left their dumplings unguarded.


Crispy Chicken ($16) oh baby hello fabulous fried chicken! Crispy skin deliciousness protecting juicy chicken innards and oh how about those sauces? Jalapeño was a tad spicy on my suze-is-chili-fail-meter but the aioli and the tomato salsa were tasty accompaniments.


Sushi party! I’m a big fan of DIY foods. Not sure if this is available on the normal menu but it sure made for a hoot as we attempted to roll our perfect handrolls. I say ‘attempted’ because majority of us tried to stuff too much filling which resulted in explodey sushi haha


Gotta work for yo dinner lols


After stuffing ourselves silly are we able to fit in dessert? We’re food bloggers of course we can! Panacotta and raspberry coulis are topped with toasted coconut flakes and is perfect with sake that soon makes the rounds mmm


Gianna and I. You can’t take us anywhere 😛

ChocolateSuze was invited to dine at Sake Restaurant.