Whether you like your dumplings steamed, pan-fried or pot-sticker, Zushi will whip up a batch of gyoza in no time to kick off your evening meal or lunch break. In the heart of Darlinghurst’s foodie haven on Victoria Street, this traditional Japanese bar and restaurant takes massive steps beyond sushi rolls, providing a stylish yet comfortable dining experience for inner city locals and visitors.
As you’d expect at a traditional izakaya, there’s an impressive list of sake and whisky, beside Japanese-inspired cocktails – by the glass or in litre jugs – and international beers and wine. Try the playfully titled Ginger Ninja, which muddles vodka with fresh ginger and adds a spritz of yuzu – a tangy Japanese citrus fruit – and ginger ale.
There’s plenty of action inside the narrow dining room that’s fitted out with modern warehouse-style furnishings, but you’ll want to focus on your plate of sizzling karaage chicken. It’s marinated and battered to create the juiciest, crunchiest combination possible, and served with lime and mayo that make them the perfect chicken dippers.
Exploring the rest of the menu is easy for coeliacs, with gluten absent from 90 per cent of the dishes, and socially-conscious sashimi-lovers will appreciate the sustainably-sourced seafood. If you can’t get enough sushi, sign up to the newsletter and you’ll be rewarded with one of their signature rolls, then when your birthday comes around you’ll get a $50 voucher to celebrate at Zushi.
