Yebisu Izakaya

Bar Food Booze Convenience Food Eat & Drink Japanese

Jackie McMillan
June 26, 2013

Lately Regent Place has been edging out Westfield Sydney as my preferred spot for a fast city eat. This week I’ve been snacking Tokyo street style at this Japanese izakaya. It’s a drinking house – but don’t take that as an indictment on the food – just fair warning the beverage list is epic. Slake your thirst on Japanese craft beers, candy coloured cocktails – okay, I drank the more sensible Kikyo ($8.80); a deceptively easy-to-drink Lemon Shochu Highball ($7.80); or the light citrusy aperitif, Iichiko Yuzu ($8.80/glass). I took in one of each, as I worked my way through the grainy simplicity of Handmade Tofu ($6.80), a well-presented Mix Sashimi Entrée ($15.80), a steaming tray of Prawn Gyoza ($7.80), enlivened by the tableside application of ponzu sauce, and the somewhat wacky Tom Yum Goong Roll ($15.80). However if I’m honest, what’s likely to drag me back fastest is a bowl of modern Japanese comfort food – Yebisu Omelette Rice ($14.80) – boasting chicken rice under a thin omelette drizzled with duelling sauces. It might not look like much, but it’s homey and filling, and resonates against clean, smooth Jozen Mizunogotoshi ($10.80/100ml). Make sure you order your sake from their super-cute trolley, rather than your table’s iPad – contact with humans is good, no?