The dining precinct at 25 Martin Place is now complete with the opening of Japanese restaurant Kazan in June. This lively new al fresco dining scene is here to welcome back people into Sydney’s CBD. The dining precinct is part of a $170 million transformation of 25 Martin Place into a premium retail, dining, and cultural hub.
Overlooking Martin Place, the new precinct features an incredible line up of venues including Cabana Bar, White + Wong’s, Sardine Cocktail Bar, L’uva Pasta & Wine Bar, Botswana Butchery, and Aalia, now joined by newly opened Japanese restaurant Kazan.
The opening of KAZAN this month marks the final piece to complete the precinct – now a bustling restaurant hub in the heart of the CBD. The vision behind Kazan is to allow guests to experience the theatre and art of Japanese cuisine. Set within the unique circular space above Theatre Royal, Kazan reflects the ‘Noh Stage’ – a simple traditional Japanese performance space where there is no curtain to separate performers and audience – in the open space between their talented chefs and diners. Overhead, patrons eyes are drawn to a complex Kumiko pattern, illuminated like a floating cloud between the heritage preserved columns above. Led by Head Chef Shinya Nakano, formerly of Kisume and Head Chef of Nobu Melbourne, Kazan brings a modern interpretation to classic Japanese cuisine. Standout dishes include Confit duck breast with mustard soy, light orange essence and sansho pepper, Saikyoyaki Glacier 51 Patagonian toothfish with corn puree and umeshu kumato tomato, and Robata grilled black angus tenderloin with foie gras and honey garlic soy.
At New Zealand Good Group Hospitality’s White + Wong’s, east meets west with an eclectic menu by Chef Ash Bhatnagar drawing on classic street foods from China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. Their popular ‘Feed Me’ banquet menus fill the table with a bountiful medley of the most popular dishes – think Fijian-style kingfish sashimi, Masterstock fried pork hock with tamarind and chilli caramel, Crispy soft-shell crab, Korean Fried Chicken Bao, Massaman curry, BBQ roast meats, Kung Pao chicken and Teriyaki glazed salmon. Dinner isn’t complete without a fun ‘Woktail’ like the Orchard Road, made with Malfy blood orange gin, St Germain elderflower liqueur, yuzu sparkling sake and soda.
Upstairs at Sardine Bar, diners can enjoy White + Wong’s menu in a funky little cocktail bar setting. Featuring quirky sardine can wallpaper and glowing neon bar tops, Sardine Bar is always tightly packed with guests enjoying the sunny vibes and upbeat music. Along with the extensive wine and cocktail list, there’s the option of a custom-made cocktail, tailored to satisfy your tastes exactly.
Striking the perfect balance between poised and playful, cheeky and classy, Cabana Bar delivers the ultimate escape in the heart of Sydney’s concrete jungle. Nestled in a lush inner-city oasis with an open-air terrace spanning over 100 meters overlooking Martin Place, Cabana Bar is a go-to for a well-earned drink and everything from creative pub dishes to local draught beer, pina coladas and tequila flights. Operating on ‘Cabana Time’ where the kitchen is open all day, every day, patrons can enjoy lunch on the run, a late-night meal after a show, or an afternoon spent wining and dining with friends.
Roman inspired pasta and wine bar L’uva is the perfect location for a catch up with friends and colleagues in a cosy and relaxed setting right in the epicentre of the CBD. Head Chef Pierdonato Fino has developed a menu that’s designed to share, and a wine list built on boutique wineries from Europe and our own backyard. Enjoy oysters and champagne, antipasti, handmade fusilli with veal ragu, or L’uva’s signature dish of Fregola Sarda – Sardinian fregola with slow braised octopus.
Australia’s first outpost after 14 years of history in New Zealand, Botswana Butchery brings a premium, innovative dining experience in a fun and relaxed setting, with DJ’s igniting the rooftop from Wednesdays to Fridays. Sprawled across two levels, Botswana’s spacious interiors are designed with style and comfort in mind, featuring two luxurious private dining rooms. Head Chef Darren Templeman’s menu is all about flavour, focusing on fine cut meats and locally sourced ingredients. The Five-hour slow-roasted lamb shoulder falls off the bone and melts in the mouth, while the Butcher’s Block menu highlights prime cuts of meat from Australia’s best suppliers, cooked to perfection and served with a choice of butters, sauces and sides.
ESCA Group, the team behind Nour, Henrietta and Lilymu, have brought an all new perspective on Middle Eastern Cuisine with Aalia. Through years of exploring dishes and techniques from lesser-known regions and coastlines of the Middle East and North Africa, the culinary team discovered forgotten ingredients from millennia ago and recipes from the pages of 10th century Arabic cookbooks. Executive Chef Paul Farag has brought to life a menu that beautifully combines ingredients from across territories and times, contrasting tradition with modern techniques to offer diners an Arabian nomadic time-travelling odyssey of dishes. Highlights include Waraq simsim with aged rice and sea urchin, and Lamb neck shawarma with tatator, pickles and Saida saj. The interiors also fluidly blend the past with the present for a timeless, comforting space that sits so comfortably as though it was always here.
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