Nitō

Nitō is the latest venture from Clarence duo Ben McShane and Matt Kuhnemann, bringing a distinctly Australian sensibility to Japanese-inspired dining on Fish Lane. The 70-seat restaurant applies the pair’s produce-driven philosophy and European-style technical skills to a menu that blends Japanese ingredients and techniques with local produce, featuring snacks like barbecue eel with somen rosti and pig head katsu sando, raw dishes such as reef fish with white tosazu, and charcoal-grilled yakimono including Murray cod with tomato and kombu vierge, Gooralie pork chop with nori mustard and White Pyrenees lamb shoulder with pickled wasabi. Share-friendly sides, playful desserts and a lively drinks list spanning Japanese beer, highballs, sake, Australian wines and French champagne round out the offering. Dark, moody interiors, intimate booths, interesting artwork and a record player behind the bar give Nitō a relaxed, clubby atmosphere that marks a playful departure from its sibling restaurant.