Co-owners and Byron Bay locals Jack Tupper, Laurie Rose and William Ennis swung open the doors to Tokyo Doll in September, enlisting head chef Dan Zenou (formerly of Layla in Ballina and O-Sushi, Byron Bay) alongside Bernard Elipane (ex-Etsu) to deliver its flagship menu. Here, traditional Japanese cuisine is fused with flavours from all corners of Asia, with a strong focus on high-quality sushi and sashimi using fresh locally sourced seafood. Tokyo Doll’s dark and moody interior, flanked by neon-lit pops of colour, incorporates a mix of intimate nooks for cosy date nights, spacious seating pockets for group feasts and ample room at the bar for those after a quick sushi snack and a cocktail.
Tokyo Doll’s $89 Sushi Feast will leave indecisive folk well sated with house favourites, but for a less scripted dining experience, start at the menu’s raw section to kick off with intricate arrangements of trawler-fresh sashimi, ngiri and ceviche. A parade of expertly crafted sushi rolls sit front and centre on the Tokyo Doll menu, alongside ‘sushi tacos’ (open hand rolls) with simple, delicate fillings. Take a side step from sushi with smaller bites like the Toyko Doll Fried Chicken with house hot sauce, and larger plates like crispy panko-crumbed chicken katsu with a daikon, orange and chilli salad, and the Not A Japanese Fish Curry loaded with fragrant Asian herbs. The lunch menu, served on weekends, extends to include a selection of fresh poke bowls with proteins like spicy tuna and kingfish, as well as a chef’s special noodle bowl that rotates weekly.
Tokyo Doll’s bar is lined with a solid collection of traditional Japanese sake, shochu and umeshu, alongside a varied wine list with plenty of fun drops. The cocktail menu journeys from unexpected sips like the Midori-spiked Tokyo Milk Punch to heavy hitters like the gin-based Tokyo Martini with sake and melon brine. Hot tip – head to Toyko Doll between 5:00–6:00 pm to sip on a dime at the daily happy hour.
Find Tokyo Doll at Mercato on Byron, 108 Jonson Street, Byron Bay. Head to the website for details and bookings.
Images: Tokyo Doll
