The story of how my group of friends and I finally ended up at Chin Chin is so hilarious! It involves a similar restaurant with a very similar name *cough*Chim Chim*cough* and one of us who actually made a booking there 😂😂😂

So it's with pleasure I'm finally getting to write about the REAL Chin Chin in it's Sydney location. This post comes really late but I don't think the girls will mind so here we go and if they call me out... better late than never!!


Chin Chin is a popular restaurant from Melbourne that aims to present a "quintessentially Australian take on Asian food". Okay before you think it, just know that I know. The last part of the line is enough to make any Asian person slightly cringe on the inside the same way that I almost feel like I need to eye roll each time I hear that something is 'Asian fusion'. But hey, there are so many glowing reviews about the food here that we should look past that and be down to give it a try.


The inside of Chin Chin is HUGE and I believe the dining area seats around 160 people. Our group is seated in a nice cosy corner table with nice views of the streets of Surry Hills.

I really liked the industrial look with the glow of the pink neon lights which became more prominent as the evening got darker outside. A soft and pretty pink glow on everything? Yes please!

















We had 11 people in our group and for this course we only received two sets of each dish. I feel like this was a little flawed as dessert is a lot harder to divide. Although I do note the portion of these desserts seemed larger than average.

I'm not sure if I'm just speaking for myself but "daijobu (大丈夫)" is one of the first Japanese phrases I picked up from watching so much anime over time. Depending on the context and pairing of how it's used, it can translate to "It's okay" or "Are you okay".

A pretty cool name for this little yakiniku place in Ashfield I must say. Daijobu Yakiniku is located just outside in between the main street and Ashfield Mall. From the outside, the soft glow of the lighting against the black Japanese-style windows is really eye catching and makes you curious as to whats inside.

After a long day at work, my sister and I usually TRY not to eat out but on this particular night we are both hungry and curious so in we venture.




We're greeted by the friendliest and sweetest service which is constant through our time here. 10/10 for how welcome they made us feel right away and not awkward for ordering as well.

Despite the flashy decor with the comical reds, yellows, blacks and whites the vibe of the place is very chill. There's only a few other diners in on this night but it never feels too quiet.



The table seating is comfortable and very sleek and clean. There's a choice to go for a la carte menu or the AYCE buffet and we choose the latter so we can try a little bit of everything. The prices for individual items seem pretty reasonable but at $34.90 per person for the buffet and our eyes that are usually bigger than our stomachs, this seems like the best option. The price might have changed now because I remember it was a promotional price.

Also to note, the buffet is by order to the table for 90 minutes only and you are limited to the choices they have listed but it's got a decent variety.



















In the end, I really wanted to love and rave about Daijobu Yakiniku but it just wasn't too impressive to me. It was... daijobu... it was just okay. So what seems like a cool name, really feels ill-fated at this point. The food is okay but the meat was on the disappointing side and I can think of a few other bbq buffets where you can get better eats for more or less of the price here. I do really love the service though and the individual a-la-carte menu is well-priced so stopping in for a quick lunch or dinner might be more worthwhile instead of the bbq.

Would be curious to hear if anyone has had a similar of different experience. Drop your comments down below if so.

Did you know that it takes one hour (or more) to get from Sydney... to Sydney!? 🙃 It's all too familiar to work in the CBD, not have any pressing last minute work matters and yet still be late to your dinner reservation because the bus moves centimetre by centimetre at a time. And that teamed with peak hour traffic too, oh my.

But ANYWAY there are so many food choices here perfect for a little celebratory dinner that it's hard to pass up despite the wonderful transport options. Patrick chose Toko in Surry Hills for our anniversary dinner which I have been meaning to try for a while now!



"Sorry I'm late!!!" I sigh as I make my way past the staff and rush to pull out a seat from under the table. Patrick rolls his eyes because on one hand yes, public transport is notoriously unreliable but on the other hand, so am I when it comes to who gets to the restaurant first.

Despite a glossy black exterior, the inside of Toko is surprisingly cosy with its wooden slash industrial fit out and soft but moody lighting. I find it really nice and casual with a crowd that is a mix of friends and colleagues all enjoying themselves after a long day.





Even though it felt like the longest journey to arrive here, I still make it before the dinner rush hits so I get to enjoy the calm before the storm. Noticing the thick bundle of a coat I have placed on the seat next to me, the staff offer to take it to the cloakroom. Love it!

We order our drinks to start and opt to be looked after with the "sora" tasting menu. The cost for this is $98 per person and there has to be a minimum of 2 people dining.