Nomu Bar Sydney — Restaurant in Sydney

(3.5 stars) The Japanese-inspired Nomu Bar is tucked into a tiny terrace on Kensington Street. The front room is set up as a bar with red-lit shelves bearing a good selection of spirits and Japanese whiskies. From the cocktail list, the Matcha Made in Heaven ($24) served in a martini glass combines Eristoff vodka, matcha syrup, coconut, pineapple and yukari (shiso salt) in a way that’ll appeal to pina colada drinkers. The Nihon negroni ($26) turned green sencha-infused Bombay gin with elderflower and sake into a likeable mix, but without any bitterness, it bore no relation to a negroni. The beer list is also interesting, with a malty Isekado Premium ($16/330ml) pale ale catching my eye. For rapid fire beverage consumption, the Padron tequila and shochu-based Nomu Chuhai ($55) is a tart-enough teapot of drinks you can pour yourself.

While food plays second fiddle to the beverage list, there’s a short salmon-dominated list of sushi that’s combined into a plate called A lil’ bit of this, a lil’ bit of that ($28). It includes two thick slices of salmon sashimi, a pair of salmon nigiri, and two creamy mayo.-based concoctions one using (you guessed it) salmon and the other a riff on the California roll served under a creamy hat of crab salad. Otherwise it’s all single-person rice bowls, like the shio wagyu don ($20), or their recommended noodle soup, Nomu’s osusume ($20). The latter is a tonkotsu broth-based noodle soup topped with a slice of charshu pork, some bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, and half an ajitama egg. Both do the job of putting a lining on your tummy without too...

Stumbled here after dinner in Spice Alley looking for dessert and I regret not coming here for dinner instead!

So happy to have stumbled across this little place, it felt like we were transported to Japan with the cosiness and warmth of the space. We chose a table inside, but would be happy to come back and just sit at the bar for drinks too.

We ordered some nibbles (octopus kaarage & tofu), drinks and the mochi ice cream as dessert. Delicious across the board I'm definitely keen to return for dinner to try the rest of the menu.

We were also given a little show of the work put into carving the ice for some of the cocktails, just as an example of how friendly the staff were.

Great space for conversational catch-up with a friend or...

What I thoroughly enjoy the most about Nomu bar is its incredible talent to make you feel accommodated from the second you arrive. Kevin’s devotion to the industry and Nomu is a clear indication of this. You are made to feel as if you’ve been a regular for years, even on your first visit. Delicious food, superb drinks, impeccable ambience, stylish decor and wonderful service from his team accumulates in a place that continues to deliver return after return after return; I will continue to do so during my...