Kaiza Izakaya in Newtown Plates Up Japanese Dishes With Vietnamese Twists by an Ex-Chuuka Chef

Newtown and the people of Sydney are no strangers to Japanese izakaya-style restaurants, characterised by their small dishes, intimate settings and wide-ranging drinks lists. Pre-lockdown, Jason Nguyen joined the izakaya crowd by opening Kaiza Izakaya – a Newtown Japanese diner with a hint of Vietnamese flair.

Kaiza Izakaya has a casual fit-out to match the vibe of its Enmore Road neighbours. In the front room, you can grab a seat under colourful Vietnamese-style umbrellas and with a full view of the busy open kitchen. Out back, you’ll find booths and tables surrounded by black walls decorated in sakura leaves, fans, lanterns and paper cranes.

Either way, you’ll get an elegant dining experience. Honing his Japanese culinary skills at Chase Kojima’s Pyrmont establishments Sokyo and Chukka , Nguyen had a strong desire to bring into the fold cooking techniques and flavours from the three regions of Vietnam his family is from.

“My father was from the north, my mother was from the middle region and I grew up in the south,” Nguyen tells Broadsheet. “Growing up watching my parents cook and knowing all different cooking properties from all three regions has given me a very unique perspective.”

Growing up in Vietnam, the inspiration wasn’t derived just from the home kitchen but from another popular food nexus – the streets. “Vietnamese street food is amazing with its flavour and textures, and I wanted to match that with the simple izakaya style of dining,” Nguyen explains. “That’s the concept behind the menu. I want to combine the elements of Vietnamese street food with Japanese cooking techniques and ingredients.”

Some of the dishes on offer from this colour twist of cuisines include the Wagyu nigiri (crispy rice, cured egg yolk, kizami wasabi); Coffin Bay oysters with spicy nouc cham, ponzu granita and perilla leaf; and Wagyu sirloin with kombu-soy butter, fried garlic and kizami wasabi.

The Wagyu rice nigiri holds personal significance for Nguyen, who says the dish was inspired by a favourite childhood memory. “Back in Vietnam, we never had rice cookers so we had to use a clay pot to cook the rice, which would result in these crispy pieces on the bottom,” explains Nguyen. “My dad used to scratch that off and we’d eat that by dipping it in fish sauce. It was so nice, and I want to recreate that experience with the Wagyu nigiri and give my guests that ‘wow’ factor. So with each bite, you get the richness of the Wagyu that just contrasts so well with the crispiness of the rice.”

No great izakaya is complete without a solid drinks list, so Theodore Nguyen (sommelier at 6Head) has formulated a cracking drinks list to complement Jason’s culinary vision – with sake and whiskey playing a large role. A slate of popular imported Vietnamese beers is also available.

Kaiza Izakaya

95 Enmore Road, Newtown
0401 466 515

Hours:
Tue & Wed 5pm–9.30pm
Thu to Sat 12pm–10pm
Sun 12pm–9.30pm

kaizaizakaya.com.au
@kaizaizakaya