Prefecture 48
Prefecture 48 is a three-storey Japanese dining hub in the Sydney CBD, comprising six distinct venues including a few restaurant formats, a bar and a patisserie, plus a central courtyard space.
Inspired by the 47 diverse prefectures of Japan, the Sydney hospitality destination lies in a heritage-listed Victorian warehouse. While Prefecture 48’s six venues are distinct, a cohesive design style inspired by the Japanese concept of ukiyoe or ‘floating world’ flows throughout all spaces, alongside bespoke artworks commissioned to Japanese artists.
The headline restaurant at Prefecture 48 is Garaku, a kaiseki-style, 42-seat spot with a 16-seat chef’s counter for a more theatrical experience. Garaku’s head chef is Derek Kim, who has worked at leading Japanese restaurants including Tetsuya’s, and the entire restaurant is washed in constantly changing, colourful lights from the illuminated feature wall.
FIVE restaurant sees modern European cuisine presented with Japanese elements on a series of seasonal tasting menus. The 38-seat Japanese restaurant has a wabi sabi-inspired setting anchored by a huge tree trunk suspended from the ceiling, with Hiroshi Manaka (Mugaritz, Villa Crespi, LuMi Dining) leading the kitchen.
Turning the concept to 100, Omakase is an eight-seat counter setting where chefs Akira Horikawa (of the world-famous Ginza Kyubey in Tokyo) and Tomoyuki Matsuya deliver a luxurious, hyper-seasonal Japanese dining experience. In contrast, Ibushi is an energetic robata restaurant sharing small plates and snacks cooked over fire, with a menu inspired by Tokyo’s lively nightlife scene and social drinking and dining spots.
Prefecture 48’s bar, Whisky Thief, stocks a huge range of whisky alongside creative cocktails developed by the team from The Maybe Group (of globally recognised bar Maybe Sammy, El Primo Sanchez, and Dean and Nancy on 22). Whisky Thief’s interior takes inspiration from a whisky distillery, with tattoo art fabric panels and deeply tonal elements creating an atmosphere of excess and intrigue.
The final offering under the Prefecture 48 roof is Dear Florence, a patisserie helmed by executive pastry chef Aoife Noonan (who was previously at Aria), who trained in Japan to master Japanese pastry techniques and unique flavours.
A range of cakes, tarts and pastries are presented in a space resembling a high-end jewellery store, with a central display island and side displays flanking the walls lined with thick plaster that evokes a cake’s icing.
Prefecture 48’s central courtyard is an open-air space where you can order from all ground-floor venues (Dear Florence, Ibushi and Whisky Thief), with pop-ups and events in the space on the cards too.
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Image credit: Prefecture 48 | Supplied