The team from Tokyo Bird and Osaka Trading Co have just opened a new menu-bending restaurant that combines Japanese techniques and flavours with Peruvian ingredients.

While it may sound like some new-fangled mash-up, the culinary tradition is in fact over a hundred years old, with the South American country home to a significant local Japanese population.

Nikkei restaurant owner Jason Ang said: “Nikkei refers to Japanese immigrants living in foreign countries. But more specifically in Peru it also refers to the food of their Japanese immigrants, which has developed over more than a century using Japanese cooking techniques and flavours with local Peruvian produce.”

Osaka Trading Co head chef and Brazilian native Lucas Cerullo David has put together the menu, which focuses on raw fish dishes like swordfish ceviche with avocado, mango and leche de tigre, and octopus tiradito with nori and pickled daikon. Offerings showcase the vibrant Peruvian pantry, from aji amarillo – a yellow Peruvian pepper – to huacatay black Peruvian mint and Andean Sunrise potatoes.

“Some dishes will be familiar to Peruvians and others familiar to Japanese, but overall we’re going for bright, delicious dishes that are fun to eat,” says Lucas.

Group sommelier Phil McElroy (ex-MONA, Firedoor and Sokyo) has put together a 40+ wine list sourced from coastal regions in Australia, South America, Spain and France.

The onsite bar will shake up an 8-strong cocktail list which will be made up of unique Peruvian drinks like pisco, chicha morada (an Andea purple corn drink) and quinoa milk.

Nikkei Bar & Restaurant
216-224 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills
Tue–Sat, 5pm – 10pm and Fri lunch 12pm – 3pm
facebook.com/nikkeisydney