Ima Asa Yoru

Day-to-night dining dressed in Yves Klein blue.

November 18, 2024

1 / 9Ima Asa Yoru in Brunswick.Eddie Jim

2 / 9Smoked kingfish and potato croquettes.Eddie Jim

4 / 9The exterior of Ima Asa Yoru.Supplied

7 / 9Braised and grilled sugarloaf cabbage.Eddie Jim

8 / 9Teishoku (rice set meal) with grilled fish.Wayne Taylor

9 / 9Bright blue noren surrounds the bar.Eddie Jim

Critics' Pick

Japanese$

New digs mean new moves for Ima Asa Yoru, which has morphed into a cafe-izakaya hybrid. It’s also deepened its low-waste, low-impact cooking mission. Fish collars left over from sashimi are charcoal-grilled for lunch, while prawn heads are Flour-dusted and fried for a crunchy pre-dinner snack.

A lunch set headlined by agedashi tofu is substantial, but add-on sides aren’t to be skipped (especially nanban chicken doused in tartare, its cornichon-heavy bite balancing the sweet, sticky fried chook).

Kick off dinner with a round of oysters topped with bonito-flavoured rice vinegar and roe. Then work through a tidy list of sake and Japanese-influenced cocktails between small plates such as beef tataki bedazzled by garlic chips. With big windows, light wood and polished concrete, you’re guaranteed to feel zen no matter the hour.