Sydney’s go-to for an Izakaya experience, Kid Kyoto, has levelled up its food offering with a new menu from Head Chef, Rhys Watson-Lamb (China Lane, Tomislav, Mr Wong, Bentley).
Inspired by the small laneway bars of Tokyo and the incredible Kaiseki restaurants of Kyoto, Watson-Lamb is using diverse ingredients from multiple cuisines, such as Korean Gochujang, Peruvian Aji Amarillio & a variety of native Australian ingredients, to create unique flavour profiles.
“Our Watermelon Sashimi is a good representation of the style of food we do, playing with textures and flavours familiar to traditional Japanese cuisine but presented in a way that you would not expect” says Watson-Lamb.
Signature must-try dishes include the pork belly yakitori with wasabi caper tare ($18), smoked cheese kransky corn dog with karashi mustard and kewpie mayo ($7ea), eggplant Dengaku with smoked yoghurt & almond furikake ($20) & slow braised lamb rump with yuzu yakiniku & sesame ($48).
Pork Belly Yakitori. Image: David Li
Kid Kyoto regulars can rest assured, their most popular items are still on the menu including the highly sought after watermelon sashimi with tamari dressing, pickled ginger and wakame ($15), the corn ribs with smoked chilli miso and togarashi ($15) & the chicken tsukune, birds nest, marinated egg yolk ($18).
Half the fun of Kid Kyoto is finding it, with access hidden behind Bridge Street in a cool cobblestone laneway. Look for the neon blue signage and Instagrammable entrance. Whilst the location remains the same, Restaurant Manager, Tom Sinclair, has emphasised that Kid Kyoto has evolved since it first opened in 2017.
Entry to the Kid Kyoto Experience. Image: David Li
“We’ve transitioned the venue into a more refined, but approachable space. We still have a playlist filled with Nirvana, and music is key to setting the right mood for the venue, but our focus is on the food, service, experience and our innovative drinks list”.
Kid Kyoto has a full program of events and activations planned for the rest of the year including exclusive quarterly Japanese whisky dinners and exciting one-off collabs, such as an upcoming PS40 collaboration.
Next time you are in, leave it up to the Kid Kyoto team and order the ‘Trust Us’ set menu. Perfect for 2 or more, the chefs will send out a selection of their favourite dishes each with Watson-Lamb’s unique take on Japanese food. Go the classic for $70pp, or upgrade to the deluxe version for $85pp, both options contain a variety of dishes and flavours you won’t expect.
We ‘Trust you’ Rhys Watson-Lamb and the Kid Kyoto team! Image: David Li
Kid Kyoto is located at 17-19 Bridge St (entry via Bridge Ln) and is open Tuesday – Saturday from 12pm until late. Bookings are available online via www.kidkyoto.com.au.
Kid Kyoto
17-19 Bridge St (Entry via Bridge Ln), Sydney 2000
02 9241 1991
@kid_kyoto #kidkyoto /kidkyotorestaurant/
