Restaurant Plage

Five months has smoothed out the kitchen at Restaurant Plage. Chef Tomoyuki Usui has cleverly cut a path between the innovative modern Japanese food he wants to be cooking, and dishes that build trust with Cremorne locals, so they can eventually share in his vision.

A chalkboard advertising well-priced bar snacks gives skeptical passers-by another easy way in. From this menu, the well-priced Duck Liver Mousse ($12) sees earthy beetroot wafers and pork crackling draped over creamy duck liver mousse. The whole plate is dusted with a raspberry powder that is as tasty as it is visually ...read more

After discovering his French-Japanese cuisine at S'Age Bistronomy, I followed this chef to his first solo venture: Plage. His fledgling restaurant sits a short walk from the Hayden Orpheum in Cremorne. It's a two-room affair with the front white-curtained room playing host to tables and a curved white bar that you can also choose to eat at. We're tucked into a corner of the cosy back room. We're here to take advantage of the well-priced opening special - a five course Chef's Selection Menu ($59/head) - running until Saturday 12 August 2017.

The Plage team are also generously allowing BYO ($8/bottle) even on a busy Saturday evening. We take advantage of this opportunity to match our meal ...read more