It was an unseasonably balmy April evening as I headed up Flinders Lane – the gastronomical heart of Melbourne’s CBD – to the opening of Saké‘s newest restaurant. The second venue in Melbourne – the original located at Hamer Hall in the Arts Centre – and the fifth across Australia, Sake ticks all the boxes – good looks, good tastes and good times.
I walked into a simply decorated interior with blonde wood panelling, an exposed kitchen and a well stocked bar. Grabbing a glass of Veuve, I headed to the back where I spied my companions for the night. There we stood and drank, mingled and ogled all the delicious food making it’s way out of the kitchen behind us. Ok, we didn’t just ogle, we gorged on pacific oysters, fresh sushi, scallops, little wooden boxes filled with sweet corn karaage – I could go on but it’s making me hungry.
Photobooth image via Polite in Public
We soon noticed many plates of food were missing us and heading down a mysterious staircase, so naturally we followed our noses and headed down into a gorgeous subterranean bar and dining area with an outdoor patio complete with climbing vines. It was modern Japanese and it was damn gorgeous.
Saké is the perfect edition to CBD dining. It combines the laneway experience with modern Japanese food of exceptional quality and an extensive drinks list to make anyone drool.
-Charli
Charli W. is a creative writer, food lover, and Harry Potter aficionada in her last year of a History degree. She is sure she will find a way combine these things one day, to great success. If not, she’ll pack up and become a bartender somewhere in the Caribbean with a fabulous year-round tan.
Saké is open now at 121 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. It is open till late Sunday – Wednesday and until 3am Thursday – Saturday.
