Rekodo Restaurant & Vinyl Bar

Rekodo Restaurant & Vinyl Bar is the sleek filling in the 3 floor Barangaroo House.

The union of Executive Chef Matt Moran’s love of superb produce with the clean precision of Japanese cuisine is an obvious marriage. Add to that the cool sophistication of Tokyo’s record bars and you have a hip venue for a hip building.

Rekodo Restaurant & Vinyl Bar

Location: Barangaroo House, Level 1/35 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo, NSW 2000 Ph: (02) 8587 5400

It must be a pretty hard gig – trying to stand out from the crowd in bustling Barangaroo.

For a long time, it’s felt as if Sydney – that most glamorous of Australian cities – has lacked a dining Mecca. Yes, Surry Hills is packed with superb bars and restaurants. In and around Oxford Street is also been a great bet to grab a good meal. And suburbs like Bondi and recently emergent Marrickville have buzzing dining scenes. But closer to the tourist sights themselves? Not much. Just a few fine diners in The Rocks. And a few staples like Cafe Sydney.

So the opening of Barangaroo has been a major event in a number of ways. And restauranteurs – both fine dining and more modest alike – have flocked to grab a piece of the culinary action.

That said, why bother with Japanese restaurant Rekodo?

Firstly, this is a Matt Moran establishment. And whilst you may not associate the celebrity chef with Asian cuisine, you probably know that his pedigree runs from the immaculate Aria through to Chophouse Sydney and the Opera Bar. So, enough said.

Secondly, we’re talking a restaurant (and other fun spaces) in Barangaroo House. And if you’ve seen this architectural wonder, you’ll understand why setting foot inside is a must.

The Space

Firstly, Barangaroo House itself, despite being a new addition to the Sydney skyline, is already iconic. Whether you see it as 3 sombreros stacked wonkily on top of one another or a chill, waterside treehouse, it’s definitely striking.

Cleverly, each of the 3 floors of Barangaroo House have a very different identity and feel.

The House Bar on the ground floor has a smart indoor/outdoor design. This versatility is perfect for Sydney’s temperate climate. It’s the ideal spot for after work drinks or as a place to start your evening.

Up on the 2nd floor is Smoke Rooftop Bar. With views over the bay, a comprehensive drinks list and superb mixologists ready to whip up whatever you fancy, it’s both glamorous and welcoming.

Which leaves us with Level 1 and Rekodo. Described as a restaurant and vinyl bar, it takes its inspiration from the trendy hi fi bars of Tokyo. Sprinkled with a touch of Matt Moran magic.

The restaurant itself is a big space with lots to take in. As you come in from the austerity of the staircase you’re hit by the view out of the windows opposite. The ceiling is wooden slats – reminiscent of the traditional izakayas of Kyoto. There’s a large bar with staff busy shaking Cocktails and patrons dining perched on stools. Along another wall there’s an open pass, where chefs are garnishing plates and calling for service.

And at the top end of the room, there are DJ decks and a cool young man spinning ‘proper’ records. Well, after all, the name of the place is Rekodo Restaurant & Vinyl Bar. Fittingly, a curated vinyl collection sits at the edges of the dining room in bespoke open cabinets. If you want to browse and select an old favourite, you might be in luck.

In addition to all this, there are more obvious Japanese touches like sake and rice containers.

Despite the generous size of the room and the large number of tables in the space, the lighting is subtle – though dramatic looking. It gives the restaurant a surprisingly intimate feel.

The only slight jarring feature of Rekodo is that every time a new customers enters the venue, the Floor Manager yells welcome in Japanese. Now we know that this is a very authentic Japanese restaurant touch, but as we are sitting close to the entranceway, it begins to irritate after a while.

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The Food

First up, we have to say that we appreciate the offer of the chefs’ selecting a ‘playlist of dishes’ for us to enjoy. After all, this is a vinyl bar, as well as a swish Japanese eatery, so why not hype the theme?

However, as a couple of our dining companions had eaten here previously, we decide to put the choice of plates in their hands. That said, if you lack that confidence, the kitchen will happily put together 1 of 2 Set Menus ($75/95) for you.

We decide to nibble on some Edamame, seasoned with Nori Salt ($10) whilst we sip our very pleasant pre-dinner Cocktails (more on those later). Soy Beans despatched, we launch into our meal proper with ocean-kissed Sashimi. With Rekodo Restaurant & Vinyl Bar being a Japanese joint, some of us feel we’ve not really ‘done Japanese’ unless raw fish is involved.

Either way, we are happy with our fat slices of Salmon, Kingfish and Tuna.

From there, we dive into Mushroom Dumplings, Black Vinegar & Ginger. And as someone who both loves the earthiness of Funghi and the bitter notes of Asian Black Vinegar, this is an absolute winner of a dish. As is the Yakitori Chicken Skewer with Spring Onion & Shichimi.

Entrees despatched, we move onto the main event(s). Our opener of steamed Snapper is as delicate as we could wish for. Resting in a gentle, smokey bath of Dashi, the sweet flesh contrasts beautifully with the savoury notes of the broth.

In addition to the exquisite Snapper, we plump for the Wagyu. Simply presented with Wasabi and Pickled Ginger, it might not look like much, but really is one of those times when the eating belies the appearance. The perfectly cooked and rested hunk of beef melts away on the tongue, leaving a kiss of charcoal and umami richness. Proof – if needed – that the kitchen at Rekodo Restaurant & Vinyl Bar know the importance of both quality produce and refined cooking skills.

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As for our carb intake, we opt for Hot Chips with their side of creamy Kewpie.

Although we give the Dessert menu serious consideration, for once, we don’t partake. However, the table next to ours is doing the Sweets justice and thoroughly recommend the Chocolate Mousse with Sichuan Caramel. We make a note for next time.

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The Drinks

As ever, a round of Cocktails kicks off our dinner.

One of our party raves about the Mandarin Spumoni. A citrus-forward spin on an Aperol Spritz, it features Kunizaki Mandarin Liqueur & Mandarin Soda, along with Aperol. Another popular choice is the Shiso Negroni. Here, Bombay Sapphire, Amber Vermouth & Campari are balanced with Liqueur Freaks Red Shiso.

During our meal, we attack the Wine List. It’s good to see that Rekodo Restaurant and Vinyl Bar has a generous selection of wines by the glass, as well as the bottle.

There’s also a great range of Sake on offer. And even better – if you’re not familiar with the Japanese tipple – the menu comes with detailed tasting notes.

Overall

If you are bold enough to commission a building like Barangaroo House, then you need bars and an eatery to match. Fortunately, Rekodo Restaurant & Vinyl Bar fits the bill perfectly.

With Japanese flair showcasing elite produce and a warm, buzzing vibe, it’s a fun place to spend an evening. Especially when the DJ is working the turntables.