SAKE COMES TO MELBOURNE
Saké Restaurant & Bar
Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Rd Melbourne 3004
(02) 9259 5656 or www.sakerestaurant.com.au
Saké Restaurant & Bar will take a riverside promenade berth at Arts Centre Melbourne’s new Hamer Hall in early August to serve up its unique version of contemporary Japanese cuisine. With a Chef’s Hat at each of the Sydney and Brisbane Saké restaurants Executive Chef Shaun Presland is currently putting together a talented local kitchen and floor team, and the restaurant has secured the services of Enda Cunningham as General Manager.
Like its siblings, Saké Restaurant & Bar Melbourne will offer a selection of traditional Japanese sake and shochu varieties, carefully chosen by the brand’s expert Sake Sommelier Miriam McLachlan and including Japan’s premium Kozaemon range, which Saké Restaurant & Bar exclusively imports.
Located on Arts Centre Melbourne’s Riverside Promenade, Saké Restaurant & Bar will be set over two floors, featuring an open plan kitchen, dining, bar and private dining spaces on the main floor and a mezzanine level featuring further à la carte dining. The venue will have capacity for approximately 250, with dining options including stools at the sushi bar, private rooms and an outdoor area running the length of the restaurant and looking out across the Yarra River and CBD.
Prior to launching Saké Restaurant & Bar, Shaun Presland had dedicated 15 years to mastering his craft by learning the fundamentals in Japan and training intensively with world-class Japanese chefs. He has a loyal following and has been a popular guest on Channel Ten’s MasterChef program.
The decision to open Saké in Melbourne was not taken lightly by John Szangolies, the 30-year veteran of the restaurant industry and CEO of the Urban Purveyor Group. Having received requests from family, friends and Victorian visitors to open a Melbourne counterpart, Szangolies decided to take up the opportunity particularly when the home of the iconic Hamer Hall presented itself as a possible location.
“The Melbourne restaurant scene is sophisticated, discerning and we are excited for Saké to find a place amongst the high calibre of restaurants on offer as we know that the city has a love affair with Japanese food,” he says.
Signature dishes such as Kingfish Jalapeño and Popcorn Shrimp will be given a distinct Melbourne flavour, with sushi and sashimi appearing as a mix of classic and new-style dishes. The fit-out has been designed by Luchetti Krelle, the award-winning design firm behind the interiors of the two existing Saké restaurants, as well as The Cut Bar & Grill and Momofuko Seiobo in Sydney.
“We are delighted to welcome Saké as our latest restaurant partner for the new riverside dining options at Hamer Hall,” said Judith Isherwood, Chief Executive, Arts Centre Melbourne.
“Chosen through a competitive selection process, I’m sure Saké’s contemporary Japanese offering will be an incredibly popular option in the new precinct we have created. Saké will complement other dining options, including Frank and Sharon Van Haandel’s Mediterranean-inspired Trocadero, which was announced late last year, and another that will be announced in coming weeks”.
Saké Restaurant & Bar Melbourne is the latest addition to the Urban Purveyor Group’s extensive portfolio of bars and restaurants across Australia.
Set to open July 26, Hamer Hall will take its place as one of the world’s great concert halls. The $135.8 million redevelopment will offer improved acoustics, new auditorium seating, cutting-edge staging systems and technology to enable it to present the best performers from Australia and overseas. The new Hamer Hall redevelopment will also feature better amenities with new stairs, improved disability access, escalators and lifts plus new foyer spaces and new connections with the city, St Kilda Road and the Yarra River.