Sakes and Japanese-inspired cocktails put an exotic spin on drinking at this sleekly designed restaurant and bar.
The old MG Garage digs take on new life with this recently launched warehouse-style venue. Stroll in the door and the first thing you'll notice is Reni King's arresting light sculpture, a stunning piece made from birch, pine and poplar. Complementing the communal eatery on the right is an open-plan bar, which runs along the front of the room. If you think it sounds a bit like Longrain up the road, you're not far off the mark. The Yazbek brothers, who own Toko, used Longrain as their inspiration and brought the concept to life with a Japanese spin.
Toko's bar manager Paul Birtwistle last managed the floor at Zuku in London and brings with him many years of experience as a sake sommelier. Some of Japan's finest drops - both cold and hot - are already featured on the wine list, with more to follow. If sake is not your drink of choice, make a selection from the mammoth list of mouth-watering cocktails. Highlights include an expertly blended lychee and saffron martini, and the Toko sgroppinos - a champagne cocktail made with seasonal sorbets and vodka, topped with prosecco.
I've been here a couple of times with various friends and for different occasions. The atmosphere is great, a fantastic blend of a relaxed yet busy atmosphere coupled with good service.
The food is innovative, fresh and very tasty. As Toko doesn't take bookings, passing the time in the cocktail bar is well worth the wait. The bar staff are fantastic and seem to love creating the most fabulous concoctions from unusual and top quality ingredients. If you're not into cocktails, I can recommend the Knappstein Lager - very tasty indeed.
Toko is not cheap and cheerful as other parts of Surry Hills can be. Being in the mid-price range allows it to be somewhere to go when you want to feel a little special without crossing the line into pretention. You will still see plenty of locals amidst those who've "travelled" to get there :-)
If there are just two of you, you may get lucky and be "ringside" at either the grill or sushi / sashimi chefs. It s absolutely fascinating to watch the chefs' skills and concentration as they concoct their culinary creations for us hungry hordes. Otherwise you'll be seated on the long benches.
If you've still got room at the end of the evening, there's always the option of having a cocktail for dessert. Lose yourself contemplating the light sculpture at the end of the bar and forget how many miles you'll have to run to make up for your dessert cocktail (it works for me).
Toko has definitely become a favourite destination for me, either for pre-dinner drinks or for dinner as well.
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Visit: Tue 27 May 2008
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