26 June 2025
By James Mullan
North Sydney has welcomed its newest fine dining establishment, Toki Bistro & Bar, offering a culinary experience that fuses modern Asian-inspired flavours with refined French technique. The restaurant, which officially opened on June 6, aims to connect diners with the chef through a storytelling approach to its dishes.
Located in Northpoint across from Miji Bar & Grill, the restaurant spans 475 square metres and includes three private dining rooms and a public dining space, accommodating a total of 120 patrons. The interior design evokes the look of a classic Parisian bistro, with a seafood display at the entrance set against a mahogany-marble bar stocked with liquor and spirits. The main dining room features mahogany floors, black marble tables, deep red vintage seating and glass chandeliers.
Toki is led by head chef Jay Choy, who brings Michelin-starred experience from the US and was nominated for San Pellegrino’s Top 10 Young Chefs while working at Sous Marin in Seoul. Choy’s menu draws on his French culinary training and early influences.
“I started my culinary journey at 15, studying at one of the best cookery schools in Korea for over seven years. After finishing culinary school, I moved to San Francisco, where I worked at a Michelin-starred French restaurant. At the time, I didn’t speak any English — but despite the language barrier, I worked my way up to the grill, the most critical station in the kitchen,” Choy said.
“After my time in San Francisco, I moved to New York, where I staged at some of the city’s top restaurants, including Chef Paul Liebrandt’s establishment. One of the most significant milestones in my career was being nominated as one of the Top 10 Young Chefs by San Pellegrino while working at a French restaurant in Seoul. I made it to the semi-finals in Hong Kong, where I had the opportunity to cook for some of the industry’s top chefs, including Jungsik Yim, Alvin Leung and Richard Ekkebus.”
He added: “Outside the kitchen, I find comfort in simple, soulful foods — a perfectly made bowl of ramen, a buttery croissant with coffee in the morning, or a well-grilled yakitori skewer with a cold beer.”
The menu at Toki is central to the restaurant’s concept, with each dish designed to create a narrative connection between the diner and the chef.
The public dining room seats up to 60 guests and offers an à la carte menu featuring signature dishes. Diners are encouraged to opt for the set menu, which requires a minimum of two courses. Highlights include Spatchcock with miso stew, corn and fried chicken ($38), Marron Udon with beurre blanc and lobster bisque ($38), and Bone Marrow Custard with bacon jam, uni and ikura on crumpet ($28).
Three private dining rooms at the rear of the restaurant cater to groups and are accessible via a private elevator on Miller Street. Guests are escorted by a host to their pre-booked rooms, which seat fifteen, ten or eight people respectively.
In these private rooms, guests can undertake the Four-Chapter, eight-course tasting menu starting at $165 per person. Each chapter is structured around life stages, from “Chapter 1 – The First Step” to “Chapter 4 – A Taste of Memory,” with each dish aligned to a moment in time.
The drinks menu follows the same theme, offering four signature cocktails. “Chapter 1: Before Sunrise” includes whiskey, violet liqueur, maraschino, lemon and bitters. “Chapter 2: The Dreamers” blends rice whiskey, rhubarb syrup, lemon juice, Italicus, egg white and bitters. “Chapter 3: Quiet Flame” combines mezcal, bourbon, lime juice, beetroot syrup, agave and green chartreuse. “Chapter 4: Love Letter” is made with vodka, strawberry purée, lemon, sugar and Frangelico. A curated wine list is also available to match the food offering.
For those seeking a fine dining experience, Toki Bistro & Bar offers a detailed, narrative-driven menu in a curated setting.