Karaage, karaoke and cocktails served with a pump – there’s a lot to like about this Japanese restaurant in Steam Mill Lane.
In August 2018, Bang Bang moved into Sydney’s coolest new neighbourhood: Darling Square. Tucked in between Haymarket and Darling Harbour, the epicentre of this new shopping and food-filled precinct is Steam Mill Lane. And Bang Bang is right at home in the little, astro-turfed laneway that doesn’t lack on personality.
An izakaya-slash-street eatery
Part izakaya and part street eatery, Bang Bang is bringing the gritty old-school alleyways of Tokyo’s Shinjuku district to Sydney, and the styling is on point. Get ready to be transported to Japan.
Entering off Steam Mill Lane, you walk through bullet-sprayed roller doors and into a space that’s all neon, asphalt flooring, wall decals and Japanese lanterns. Michael Jackson and the Spice Girls blast through the stereo, while milk crates casually hold up the tables. The 85-seater restaurant offers a mix of booth and stool seating, or seek out the hidden tatami room.
Completing the picture is a frenetic open kitchen and bar; a vending machine that dispenses Japanese sodas; and a glass, sound-proofed karaoke box where you can belt out some Mariah.
A trip to Tokyo
This fun bag has a surprisingly cheap, not-small menu made up of Japanese favourites and fun twists. There’s snacky things like deep-fried octopus and twice-fried chicken wings; and raw things like wagyu beef tataki and oysters. There’s an assortment of sushi, sashimi and tempura. Then there’s BBQ seafood and meats, sitting alongside a selection of salads and gratins. And that’s all before dessert.
Our highlights? Gosh. Where to start. The spicy edamame were a cracking little starter. The kingfish and gyoza didn’t disappoint, and the wagyu beef steak was “absolute perfection”, quoting the husband.
Beers, cocktails, sake and whisky
The eight-page drinks list also deserves its own paragraph. To drink, take your pick from a handful of local and Japanese craft beers, authentic citrus-infused shochu cocktails and tins of Japanese chuhai. Or choose from whisky highballs, wine and sake options, and more cocktails.
Then there’s half a dozen cocktails, served in a silver polished bar butler pump with shot glasses. These ones are designed for sharing, yuh.
The Bang Bang Spritz has my full endorsement. Prosecco, elderflower and Aperol, spritzed with gin – it bangs.
Bang Bang is…
Everything you want in a casual dinner-drinks venue: fast service; an encyclopaedic drinks list; and delicious, fun food. It’s just a bonus that Bang Bang delivers the most authentic Japanese street food experience short of jumping on a plane to Japan.
Bang Bang | 14 Steam Mill Lane, Haymarket, New South Wales
bang-bang.com.au
I dined as a guest of Bang Bang. However, all comments and opinions are my own.
