NewsBite

Advertisement

First look: Moonlight Hibachi & Wine Bar in Byron Bay

Bianca Hrovat
Bianca Hrovat

Byron's newest offering is perfect for date night, says co-owner Kim Stephen.
Byron's newest offering is perfect for date night, says co-owner Kim Stephen.Supplied

The team behind Byron Bay's modern Asian restaurant Light Years really know their market. Their newest venture, an intimate hibachi grill and wine bar opening today on Bay Lane, pairs foraged and locally sourced produce with a selection of biodynamic wines picked at the peak of their lunar cycle.

The holistic (and often organic) method of winemaking dates back to the 1920s, when Austrian philosopher Rudolph Steiner advocated using the six phases of the moon to guide the pruning and bottling of wine.

Vegan watermelon sashimi with yuzu-infused extra virgin olive oil, shiso and sesame.
Vegan watermelon sashimi with yuzu-infused extra virgin olive oil, shiso and sesame. Supplied

"Working hand in hand with the lunar cycle is better for the product of crops and provides a far better tasting bottle of wine," explains Kim Stephen, who co-owns the new venue with managing director James Sutherland and executive chef Robbie Oijvall.

Advertisement

Stephen says the unique wine list is just one way Moonlight fulfils Byron's "growing demand for more diverse and mature dining offerings".

Moonlight steps away from the bright, open floor plans and robust, sharing menus of Light Years venues in Byron, Burleigh, Noosa and Newcastle. Instead, the interiors are moody, monochromatic and intimate, with Melbourne-based design studio Weekdays drawing inspiration from Japanese dining and architecture.

The menu, too, is pared back. Oijval collaborated with head chef Vaughn Williams to create a concentrated, three-part menu with a Japanese influence.

The space plays with a range of textures such as plasterwork, stainless steel and concrete.
The space plays with a range of textures such as plasterwork, stainless steel and concrete.Supplied
Advertisement

There is a raw bar featuring oysters dressed with yuzu and tosazu (a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce and sweet cooking rice wine)($6); watermelon sashimi with yuzu-infused olive oil, shiso and sesame ($14) and spicy tuna with pickled cucumber, gochujang mayo and finger lime ($24).

Pork katsu 'sangas' ($12), furikake fries ($10) and prawn katsu ($16) make an appearance on the snacks portion of the menu.

But at the heart of it all is the hibachi, a traditional method of cooking over burning charcoal dating back to 794 AD.

Stephen says the hibachi allows Williams to showcase the quality of Northern Rivers produce "without relying on parlour tricks to disguise the flavour".

But not all is as it seems. Oijval and Williams reinterpret classic dishes in modern, and often unexpected, ways. MS 4+ wagyu comes seared with umami butter and Japanese mustard ($42), while pork belly is served with nori and apple tare ($16).

Advertisement

"We want to fuse this traditional cooking method with modern and unique flavour combinations to excite our modern taste buds," Oijval says.

The experimental spirit extends to bartender Jason Lindsay's (Vue de Monde, Lilly Blacks) cocktail list, which combines foraged ingredients such as paperbark and passionfruit leaves with homemade sodas to create a series of inventive highballs.

Open Wed-Sun 4pm-late. Bay Lane, Byron Bay; moonlightbar.com.au

Continue this series

Sydney hit list September 2022: Hot, new and just-reviewed places to check out, right now
Up next
San Diego-based chef Claudette Zepeda opens Taqueria Zepeda on September 1.

All change at The Rocks as Taqueria Zepeda joins new wave of openings, William Blue Dining closes

Sydney's oldest suburb is undergoing a hospitality boom, with a series of new venues and pop-ups on the way.

Charred brussels sprouts Caesar with optional schnitty.

All-inclusive salads at Cafe Parker in Rosebery

Housed in a former Parker Furniture warehouse, this sprawling Sydney venue is not 'just another enormous cafe'.

Previous
Caviar and scallop mousseline pie with citrus butter.

Show them the money at Mimi's in Sydney

Coogee Pavilion's home of conspicuous consumption is unapologetically expensive, so it's not for everyone, reviews Terry Durack.

See all stories
Bianca HrovatBianca HrovatBianca is Good Food's Sydney-based reporter.

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement

Original URL: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/goodfood/eating-out/first-look-moonlight-hibachi--wine-bar-in-byron-bay-20220906-h267ix.html