3 months ago
16
When Toki Bistro & Bar opened its doors in North Sydney, it was more than just another polished dining room on Miller Street. It introduced the idea that food can tell the story of our lives. Group executive chef Jacob Lee describes Toki as reflecting a narrative, one that invites diners to taste defining moments from childhood to now, with each course unfolding like a chapter in a well-loved book.
At a generous 475 square metres and with room for 120 guests, the venue blends the charm of a Parisian brasserie with the intimacy of an Asian dining hall. Guests pass a showcase of fresh seafood, then move beyond the mahogany‑marbled bar into the main dining space, where polished mahogany floors, black marble tables and the soft glow of glass chandeliers set a tone of refined ease.
“The room is quite luxurious,” says Lee, “But at the core, it is always about flavour and service from the heart.”
A global culinary philosophy
Lee’s professional journey is a study in global inspiration. Korea was his starting point, New York’s Italian kitchens sharpened his edge, and then back to Seoul where Kang Mingoo’s Mingles, crowned with three Michelin stars, refined his artistry. He then helped establish Tartine Bakery’s debut international branch, also in Seoul, created his own venue and carried that experience into Australia.
“Through all those experiences, I mixed them with the Australian influence that I taste and see here,” he says. “Australia has so many great suppliers and markets. I learn from every part.”
Rather than layering complexity for its own sake, Lee focuses on clarity: seasonal ingredients treated with maturity and restraint, then rebuilt using French foundation and Japanese precision. “That’s the heart of the four-chapter tasting menu,” he explains. “Each course is based on seasonal ingredients and my personal experiences, mixed together with what Australia offers.”
The signature eight-course tasting menu ($165 per person) is available in both the main dining room and Toki’s three private spaces, which seat groups of eight, 10 or 20. Guests arriving for private dining enter their rooms via a dedicated elevator, are greeted by a personal host and often pair their meal with guidance from Toki’s sommelier in the restaurant’s own wine cellar. Complimentary tastings help diners choose from French, Australian and Asian wines, further reinforcing the restaurant’s cross-cultural conversation.
One of Lee’s favourite examples of this intersection is the lobster linguine, a dish that at first sounds familiar, then reveals an entirely new sensibility.
He describes building the sauce from scratch: first a traditional bonito dashi, reduced and pressed with soy paste, then folded with vegetables, spices and French brown butter. The result has the intensity of an XO sauce while remaining unmistakably Japanese in technique and European in structure. The linguine is then paired with Australian rock lobster glazed in garlic miso butter.
“I like to break techniques down and rebuild them thoughtfully,” Lee says. “Even though the ingredients are Japanese, the final texture and flavour are something unique.”
Elevated casual dining
Toki may look grand, but it is not a special-occasion-only affair. It operates all day, offering breakfast and lunch Monday to Friday and dinner six nights a week, with additional Saturday service.
Toki’s general manager explains that the restaurant’s ambition is to pair refinement with approachability. “You can come weekly and find the classic dishes you love,” he says. “We present them a little differently and with very careful service, so the experience feels elevated, but still casual.
“Every plate represents a chapter in your life. We want guests to ask themselves questions through the dining experience.”
To deliver that consistency across breakfast, à la carte and the tasting menu, Lee stays close to the kitchen and his team. “I try to be with them as much as possible,” he explains. “I encourage them, guide them and we develop together. I don’t want to press too hard. We build things as a team.”
That seems fitting for a restaurant built on storytelling: a kitchen working together to shape memories, one dish at a time.
To secure your seat at North Sydney’s newest dining sensation, click here.
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