Tanuki

Tanuki is a modern Japanese restaurant and bar in Double Bay, from the owners of neighbouring Italian spot Matteo.

The sophisticated and energetic Japanese restaurant is broken into zones including a sushi bar overlooking the kitchen and robata grill, main dining room centred around a 30-year-old tree, and rear lounge for late-night drinks, all soundtracked by Flight Facilities’ Hugo Gruzman.

Head Chef Ken Wee Lee (formerly Sushi e, Zuma and Toko) has crafted a menu broken into seasonal sushi and sashimi (with contemporary signature rolls and nigiri, like scampi with foie gras, caviar and truffle oil), tempura, and grilled skewers and veggies.

There’s also snacks like must-order scallop and prawn toast with yuzu mayo and tobiko, a bougie Wagyu sando with mushroom duxelles and truffle, and larger dishes including Australian and Japanese steaks and whole fish, plus desserts integrating flavours like matcha, yuzu and miso.

The bar offering draws a lot of inspiration from Japan and its ingredients, serving cocktails like a saké-tini, the Geisha with Ink Gin, passionfruit, falernum and sparkling saké, and a natural-leaning wine list including some little-seen makers from Japan.

A curated art selection by creative studio and publishing house Arts Matters cover the walls of the Double Bay restaurant, speaking to the venue’s personality with works by local and international artists including Yoko Ono, Nadia Hernandez, and centuries-old Edo-era pieces.

Now check out more of Sydney's best Japanese restaurants.

Image credit: Tanuki | Supplied