Where Chefs Eat: Aenza’s Joy Liu Drives to Bankstown and Back Just For This Pho

Photo: Yusuke Oba

Plus, a croissant so good she orders two, an underrated Sydney bar promising a groovy night and a CBD date spot with an excellent steak.

Words by Grace Mackenzie · Published on 14 Sep 2026

Amuro’s regulars were asking Joy Liu for a venue like Aenza. Somewhere with the chef-owner’s same considered, personal approach, but featuring wine. The wine-led Oxford Street restaurant opened in July, with most of the 50 seats offering views into the long narrow kitchen.

There’s a dish of pickled chilli paradise prawns and another stunning mandarin-dressed bluefin tuna sashimi, ideally eaten alongside whatever Paul Beaton recommends from his wine list. But you’d be wise to ask for something from the tight offering of Japanese wines.

“The people love it,” says Liu. “Even if they’ve never had it before … We’re definitely working on [expanding the list of Japanese bottles] – we actually have a few more, but we’re just rotating the menu right now.”

We caught up with Liu just before service to see out how Aenza’s been going – and find out where she’s eating and drinking around town.

Sydney’s best bread

“AP Bread – fenugreek and sesame.”

Favourite bakery

“AP’s buttermilk croissant. I have two in one go, plain. Just smash it.”

Quick takeaway dinner

“Dumps. The ingredients are top quality, and it’s made with care and love. It’s so impressive. The amount of effort [Dee Zhang] puts into her frozen food is impressive – all the dumplings, the rotating flavours, and developing new ones. Just quality.”

Lunch on the go

“Sandoitchi – the prawn and corn sando, always. I’ve been in this neighbourhood for four years and I’m still eating that. Never get tired of that. Or Appizza, we get two or three huge whole pies and share between the team. I love the honey and ham.”

Favourite bar

“Bar Copains, definitely. I go there for the bacon and comté tart, the stracciatella with blood orange, and the chickpea panisse with the garlic dip.”

Ideal date night

“Eleven Barrack, I love it. You can have snacks, you can have nice pasta or, if you want something bigger, there’s a nice steak.”

Special occasion restaurant

“Mimi’s – good wine, good snacks, great view, good service.”

Favourite noodles

“Pho at An Restaurant in Bankstown. Sometimes me and my friend, we just drive all the way there just for that and then come back. Today [venue manager Aki Ueda] and I we went to one in Mascot called King of Pho. It’s a different style, and they have it in a very hot stone pot.”

Go-to coffee

“Mecca – that spiced cold brew with the vanilla cream and cinnamon on top.”

Sushi recommendation

“Yoshii’s omakase, [within Nobu Sydney] at the Crown, I used to go once a month, but this year has just been super busy. Or just my local Sushi Train – guilty pleasure, I love the mayonnaise and prawn and crab stick, torched.”

Favourite burger

“I’ve just been eating Mary’s since I was young, just all the time. Just a cheeseburger and maybe a half chicken and gravy. So good.”

Snack and a drink

“My favourite one: Groovy Night, on Riley Street. Two minutes’ walk from Amuro. It’s my favourite place in Sydney. It’s a tiny, eight-seat bar, run by a Japanese couple, Hiro-san and Yukari-san. Great hospitality, and they have good Japanese snacks and a huge range of Japanese whisky. And a very good Lemon Sour – I’m a highball person.

“Get the edamame [that] they stir-fry with olive oil, garlic and chilli. And the curry pan, a fermented bread with curry inside that’s fried. They’ve got all these different pickles, too; and little sardines in a tin with Japanese sansho pepper, with a candle underneath, so it’s bubbling all the time, with sourdough crisp on the side.”