Moonlight
Step into the moody and incredibly cool Byron Bay Japanese hibachi grill and wine bar, Moonlight, where the modern and bold takes on the traditional.
Words: Hande Renshaw I Photography: Jessie Prince
Georgia Hill’s monochromatic, textured artwork decorate the space, commissioned for the venue and dictating much of the design direction. Photo: Jessie Prince
‘It was important to create a menu that heroes the hibachi grill, one of Japan’s oldest cooking traditions,’ says Robbie Oijvall. Photo: Jessie Prince
‘We want to fuse this [Japanese] traditional cooking method with modern and unique flavour combinations to excite our modern taste buds,’ says Robbie Oijvall. Photo: Jessie Prince
Drink offerings include saké from some of the oldest breweries in the world, dating back to 1505. Photo: Jessie Prince
Australian multidisciplinary artist Georgia Hill’s monochromatic, textured artwork will decorate the space. Photo: Jessie Prince
Broken into three sections, the menu will include a raw bar, featuring seafood classics like tuna and kingfish, and watermelon with ponzu and shiso. Photo: Jessie Prince
Watermelon sashimi. Jessie Prince
Designed by Week-Days design studio and drawing inspiration from elements of Japanese dining and architecture, Moonlight in Byron Bay, is a hibachi grill and wine bar from dynamic restaurateurs Kim Stephen, James Sutherland and executive chef, Robbie Oijvall.
The trio have worked across their four Light Years venues for five years. In a departure from the robust menu offering at Light Years, Robbie has curated a small and concentrated menu with head chef Vaughn Williams to match the intimate style of the new restaurant, showcasing a modern take on traditional hibachi.
‘It was important to create a menu that heroes the hibachi grill, one of Japan’s oldest cooking traditions. We want to fuse this traditional cooking method with modern and unique flavour combinations to excite our modern taste bud,’ he says.
The menu draws on flavours from classical Japanese cuisine and has reinterpret them into unexpected and memorable dishes.
Broken into three sections, the menu includes a raw bar, featuring seafood classics like tuna and kingfish, and watermelon with ponzu and shiso; hibachi with yakitori and scallops with café de nippo, tobiko; and sides including furikake fries. The menu will also rotate often, using seasonal produce.
Moonlight’s beverage program includes a strong selection of biodynamic wines picked according to the lunar cycle. The cocktail list offers an elevated drinking experience by honouring flavours and textures of Japanese cooking. The menu showcases Highballs made from homemade soda and natural garnishes, such as paperbark and passionfruit leaves, foraged from the Byron hinterland.
The moody and intimate space plays with a range of textures such as plasterwork, stainless steel, concrete, cork, and timber to build a balanced, layered finish.
Artificial light is used to intentionally narrow the vision to concentrated areas creating an intimate dining experience. Design details include custom crockery from Villa Rustica ceramics, a local business located in the Byron Hinterland and Georgia Hill’s monochromatic, textured artworks decorate the space, commissioned for the venue and dictating much of the design direction.
Moonlight is yet another reason to put Byron Bay onto your culinary must-visit list!
Chicken thigh skewers with Togarashi and lemon. Photo: Jessie Prince
Natural garnishes, such as paperbark and passionfruit leaves, have been foraged from the Byron hinterland. Photo: Jessie Prince
“We want diners to immerse themselves - from the moody interiors and intimate setting, to the perfectly paired drinks and food menus, Moonlight offers an unparalleled Japanese dining experience.”
Natural garnishes, such as paperbark and passionfruit leaves, have been foraged from the Byron hinterland. Photo: Jessie Prince
Oysters with Tosazu & Yuzu. Photo: Jessie Prince