Aenza Darlinghurst

Aenza Darlinghurst, the Amuro team’s wine-forward next act

Aenza Darlinghurst is the wine-led Japanese restaurant now open on Oxford Street from Joy Liu, owner of boutique sake bar Amuro in Surry Hills. Where Amuro goes deep on sake, Aenza goes wide on wine: 120 bottles, over 38 by the glass, anchored by a 9-metre American walnut bar with seating for 23.

Like Minds Studio has made the most of the Oxford and Foley building's heritage-listed space, working with aged rendered walls, natural patina and ornate ceilings, layering in textured granite, timber furniture and a sandblasted steel canopy to create something calm and considered.

The menu is Japanese food read through an Australian lens, built around the theatre of an open kitchen. Small dishes run from umeshu tomato with miso cream cheese and white anchovy to karaage chicken with spiced salt and takana mayo, and twice-cooked sweet and sour lamb ribs with sobacha. Larger plates bring MB9+ Kiwama wagyu with daikon and wasabi, and charred cauliflower with brown butter and comté.

Beverage manager Paul Beaton, formerly of Tetsuya's and Quay, has built a drinks program around Japanese whisky, gin, shochu and umeshu alongside the wine list, with highballs including a white peach Calpis, Japanese Americano and Toki whisky yuzu.