A new neon-lit eatery has opened at Darling Square, serving hot, battered takoyaki balls just like you would find on the streets of Japan.

Opened by the Devon Hospitality Group with Hidetoshi Tsuboi, the chef patron of Hakatamon Ramen, Tsukiyo specialises in two iconic street food snacks – takoyaki octopus balls and taiyaki, a dessert waffle shaped like a Japanese red snapper.

The traditional griddle pans are worked as you’d see in Osaka, the batter balls turned constantly until crisp and golden while onlookers stop and take photos in the street.

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“Meaning ‘moonlit’ in Japanese, Tsukiyo is the culmination of our innate yearning to recreate the nostalgic feeling of walking through the side-street food stalls of Osaka’s neon-laden Dotonbori district,” says executive chef Zach Tan.

“I have always been a huge fan of Japanese food and culture, having opened both Devon Cafe and Japanese donburi restaurant, Dopa, so I’m excited to expand our offering with Tsukiyo.”

To make the experience even more authentic, diners must place their order at a retro-futuristic self- service kiosk.

Start with the ‘original’ takoyaki, which is the classic combo of crispy octopus balls topped with a sweet Worcestershire-style sauce and Kewpie mayo, sprinkled with dried bonito flakes. You can also add spicy mentaiko mayo if you’ve craving a little heat.

“We only do the classic octopus takoyaki balls because we’re trying to stay true to the tradition from that perspective,” says chef Markus Andrew.

That’s not to say that the team at Tsukiyo won’t go off-piste, with a line-up of weekly specials designed to supplement the original.

A less conventional approach, the ‘Barcelona takoyaki’ uses LP’s Quality Meats chorizo, smoked paprika, aioli, tomato, fried parsley, and lemon. It’s almost like a tapas dish says Andrew, playing on the classic Spanish combination of octopus and chorizo.

Taiyaki fish waffles come in all the classic flavours, including red bean, vanilla custard and chestnut. Turn it into a parfait with a scoop of matcha or strawberry gelato and toppings like chocolate sauce, sprinkles and skewered fruit sticks.

There’s also a savoury version, inspired by the croque monsieur. “I’m a French pastry chef and I work with a lot with French ingredients, so I thought it’d be nice to do a ham and cheese version, We’ve used Gruyere and locally sourced ham for that, and a house made bechamel,” Andrew says.

The only other item on the menu is a fruit sando, which is exactly as it sounds – two slices of fluffy Japanese white bread filled with seasonal fruits such as cherries, peaches and chestnuts and Calpis whipped cream. While the use of Japanese preserved fruit is to imbue a sense of authenticity and nostalgia, Andrew says that they’re excited to incorporate Australian seasonal fruit throughout the year and work more with Australian producers across the menu. “So think of the classic red bean, but we’ll be doing it with Pepe Saya butter to give it a Sydney-side touch.”

Tsukiyo
17-19 Little Hay Street, Haymarket
Mon-Wed 3pm-9pm, Thu-Sun 12pm-9pm
darlingharbour.com/eat-drink/tsukiyo

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