The Sydney Dining Experience Blending Culinary Mastery With Spectacular Views

We’ve partnered with Bay Nine to let you in on a Sydney dining secret and share why the restaurant’s counter-seat Omakase experience is not to be missed.

In Sydney’s ever-evolving (and always impressive) dining scene, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. But tucked in the heart of Sydney’s Campbell Cove, amongst bustling harbourfront restaurants, is a dining experience like no other. 

The intimate space that is Bay Nine feels worlds away from one of the city’s busiest fine dining strips. Soft lighting and timber countertops are true to the wabi-sabi minimalist style, and with space for just 10 diners, the stage is set for an immersive dining experience. 

No menu, no choices. Just you, the chef and the plate. Oh, and the stunning view of the Harbour Bridge that’s just metres away. 

Here’s why the Bay Nine Omakase culinary experience should be on any gastronome’s bucket list.

Translating roughly to “chef’s choice”, the Bay Nine Omakase experience is exactly that: an 11-course, curated menu chosen to match the day’s freshest, highest-quality ingredients. Akin to being invited into the kitchen of one of the best chefs in the country, expect to be taken on a journey of creativity and expertise through dishes that blend traditional and authentic Japanese cuisine with contemporary techniques. 

With the counter seat Omakase experience, your food fate is in the chef’s hands, and expert ones at that. The restaurant was awarded a coveted Chef Hat in 2023, with the experience and passion on show as each course is prepared right in front of your eyes and presented with insights into the inspiration behind the dish. 

While the menu changes based on seasonal availability, and what is available each day, expect to see seasonal sashimi, at least two courses of nigiri selections and refreshing delights like Crab Soba noodles and Paradise Prawn Sunomono, featuring raw New Caledonian Paradise Prawns in a homemade vinaigrette sauce.

Our highlights? A Creamy Forest mushroom tart featuring no less than four types of mushrooms with Hokkaido Hotate scallops and seared Wagyu that tease the tastebuds and leave you yearning for more.

With 11 courses, there definitely is more, with the chef even joking that diners get progressively quieter after each course. It’s not a bad thing: with incredible expertise on show and jaw-dropping dishes, a hushed, respectful quiet falls over the restaurant as visitors anticipate each unique and meticulously crafted course.

It would be remiss not to mention the fact that the Omakase experience feels a little like theatre. A truly entertaining experience, it’s hard not to be mesmerised by chefs performing culinary magic before your eyes. Think nigiri lovingly crafted by hand (and handed directly from chef to diner), ingredients and garnishes painstakingly placed with chopsticks, and even the occasional blast of a blow torch for an added depth in flavour and dramatic flair.

Want a little more privacy? Bay Nine Omakase also offers intimate table service, with an eight-course menu based on the Omakase principle that’s perfect for a business luncheon or a romantic dinner date.

Of course, the food doesn’t do all the talking at Bay Nine Omakase. Each counter experience comes with the opportunity to opt for a Seasonal Sake Pairing to complement each dish. Chosen from a curated selection of sake, renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship and unique flavour profile, each dish is elevated with the perfect pairing.

Made from rice, water, yeast and koji, Sake can enhance the flavour of food and can even sipped to cleanse the palate between courses. With less acidity than wine, each Sake course leaves a mouth-warming, soft roundness on the palate while simultaneously balancing the flavour of the delicate taste of seafood. 

With a more than 2,000-year history, each of Bay Nine Omakase’s 40 sakes from across Japan has been carefully selected to match the culinary creations on offer.

Want to sip on something else? There’s also a selection of cocktails to choose from, each made with traditional Japanese ingredients (think matcha or shiso-infused vodka, umeshu and yuzu) that are perfect for kick-starting your Omakase experience.

Not just a meal but an enchanting journey for all senses, the Bay Nine Omakase experience is not to be missed. With dishes that transcend the ordinary, a delicious glass of sake in hand and one of Sydney’s most iconic views serving as a backdrop, it’s sure to be one of your most memorable nights out.

Ready to dine? With only 10 seats available at a time, reservations are a must. Click here to book your spot. Also, Kris+ by Singapore Airlines members can enjoy a 15% discount on a dinner for two.