Amuro

Echoing both traditional and modern Tokyo, Amuro is a 20-seat boutique sake room off Crown Street helmed by owner Kei Tokiwa, an alumnus of Sydney Japanese favourite Chaco Bar.

A bar first and foremost, Amuro offers sakes imported from producers in prefectures across Japan. Tokiwa stands behind the counter and passionately describes the flavours and aromas of each sake, and, most importantly, tells the stories behind their production and makers. There is no physical drinks menu – but you can expect around 20 sake varieties alongside Japanese wine, beer and whisky.

Matching the drinks is a snack menu of regional Japanese dishes from the far north of Hokkaido, down to southern Okinawa. Most of the menu changes weekly, but some staples always remain. Deep-fried karaage chicken; Hokkaido scallop with ume and buckwheat; tako wasabi (raw octopus with a hit of wasabi); and mentaiko (cod roe) potato salad were some of the dishes on offer during Broadsheet’s visit.

Inspired by the manga series Shinya Shokudo, which tells the stories of the customers that come through a late-night restaurant in Tokyo, Amuro is as much about the conversations that unfold at its counter, and the overall atmosphere, as it is about the food and drink it serves.

To that end, every detail has been carefully considered – from the sake shelves inspired by Japan’s traditional architecture to the custom blackwood bar, the Italian floor tiles, the cute chopstick rests that resemble Kewpie mayo bottles, and the handwritten menu.