TOKI Bistro & Bar — Restaurant in Sydney

Toki is a new restaurant in one of the buildings (north point) across the road from the Metro. The decor is warm and moody and the staff lovely and highly attentive. We were greeted warmly by our waitress who sat us down by the window and explained the menu reasonably thoroughly. We adored the food, but there were a few things which missed the mark for us. Menu items were most interesting, with French dishes dominating, topped with hints of Japanese here and there. We’d come back to try other dishes next time, but we’d like for some improvements to be made: We were disappointed that they took away our dishes twice without asking - when we were still nibbling at bits. Seems very odd that a higher end restaurant would do this Menu explanation. We had trouble deciding between a piece of fish and the steak; and had the staff explained that one of the fishes did have the particular sauce that was used we would have ordered the fish instead. It would be good to have just a bit more detail to the sauces. We walked away feeling we should have ordered the fish. The food was aplenty and we asked that the remains of the tomahawk be packed to-go. It had a big piece of bone with lots of meat that didn’t get packed (and the doggy bag contained only a few measly pieces of meat). We wouldn’t have bothered if the bone with meat didn’t get packed as most of the meat left on the plate was on the bone! Perhaps it’s a miscommunication between the kitchen staff and the floor staff but I would expect that they ask if the bone should be packed instead of assuming that we didn’t want it.

We ordered the following: mocktails (orchard). They were great! chicken liver with unagi. The parfait was beautifully smooth but the unagi didn’t really go with the liver. Fusion element perhaps too forced ? cabbage. Simply gorgeous. Would order again tomahawk steak. Had to wait about 45 mins for this but it was ok as we had other dishes served. -marron udon. This was spectacular, my personal want was for the udon to be a bit more bitey but it was a personal preference. My dining companions loved it.

I took a star off the atmosphere as it was way too cold for our liking. Indeed, we had to keep our jackets on for the 2.5 hours we were there because it...

A Dining Experience That Tells a Story

Toki Bistro and Bar delivers a dining experience unlike any other — a beautifully crafted journey through flavours, memory, and meaning. Chef Jay Choy, a San Pellegrino Top 10 Young Chefs nominee, has curated a multi-course tasting menu that unfolds like a story, with each chapter representing a different stage of life.

From the elegant beginnings of tuna and caviar to the complexity of chicken liver with unagi, each dish was executed with incredible precision and heart. The mastery course - featuring marron, coral trout, and eye fillet - was a standout, perfectly balanced in both taste and presentation. The dessert in the final chapter offered a sweet, reflective close to the evening.

The cocktails - New Beginnings and Reflection - were the perfect bookends to the meal, harmonising with the story and setting a thoughtful tone throughout.

The service was impeccable: warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about the food and the journey it represents. The atmosphere was intimate and refined, with an attention to detail that made the evening feel special from start to finish.

Toki is more than a meal - it’s a story told through flavours, textures, and emotion....

We went to Toki Bistrot to celebrate my wife’s birthday.

On the positive side: The food was excellent and quite unique. We had the octopus and the spatchcock — both were perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The entrées, especially the stracciatella, really impressed us. We also highly recommend the sides, particularly the purée and the witlof salad. The staff were friendly, attentive, and made us feel very welcome. The price was appropriate for the quality of the food and the overall experience.

On the negative side: The restaurant is quite noisy. There was a large family in one of the private rooms with very noisy sounds, which made it hard to have a relaxed conversation. Although these rooms have doors, they don’t have ceilings, so the sound easily carries through. Also, the location — inside a building lobby — doesn’t really match the restaurant’s otherwise refined dining experience. Lastly, we couldn’t help feeling that some of the glowing online reviews might come more from food influencers than regular guests.

Overall, it was a good experience with excellent food, fair pricing, and great service, but perhaps not as exceptional as the...