Friday, March 18, 2011

Darlinghurst: Food: Wasabi Bar and Bistro


Has the Poos on Sticks curse lifted? Last night, while wandering back from the pub, I discovered the restaurant space next to the Ken Unsworth sculpture had some spanking brand new signage. 
No, not the Run Property sign - they have been renting the upstairs space since Belle Property moved out a couple of years ago. 
The restaurant space on the ground floor has been home to about half a dozen failed food ventures in as many years. The last one was a Chinese restaurant, with beautiful red lanterns hanging by its doors, but one look at the menu and the prices, was enough to deter me.  
This endless series of Poos on Sticks restaurants must spend thousands of dollars on fit-outs. But then after about six months, they close down, never to be seen again. 
I always find it surprising, because the space - and particularly the al fresco eating area - has one of the most marvellous views in the neighbourhood, looking down William Street and across to the CBD and St Mary's Cathedral. 
For a time, the inappropriately named, Bondi Cafe, was threatening to take over the spot, moving over from their space down on Kings Cross Road, in the district's boonies. There was a development application under their name plastered to the window for about a year. But for some reason they never made the move. 
So is the place cursed?
I hope not. The new signage is for Wasabi Bar and Bistro and using my fierce brain power, I suspect this new joint is Japanese. 
Do we really need any new Japanese food places in the neighbourhood? 
Only if they are bloody brilliant. I hope for their sake - no pun intended - they can break the curse.


UPDATE: Wasabi Bar and Bistro is now open from 11am to 10pm, seven days a week.
The well-priced menu (ie. fairly cheap) includes the usual Japanese stuff: tempura, sushi, sashimi, donburi, teriyaki, udon et al. 
I think they once traded from a shop at 423 Bourke Street, Surry Hills. 

*
Wasabi Bar and Bistro
Shop 1, 1-3 Kings Cross Road
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
02 9360 6220

2 comments:

Hutcho said...

Been here twice in 2 weeks and it IS absolutely brilliant. Have been to Japan and this is perhaps the best Japanese in Australia..

Lady1 said...

I do believe they are known as "shits on sticks".