Yakitori, Yamazaki and yin and yang – Hideki brings a dash of Japanese excellence to Burnett Lane
Just before the end of last year, a storied laneway bar space was reborn. Hideki – a chic and moody Japanese-inspired restaurant – pulled back the cloche on its eye-catching digs. Here, charcoal grills are putting heat to a range of flame-licked morsels, while the bar is dispensing premium whisky, sake and inventive cocktails. Looking for a new dinner spot? You might have found it.
Though it seemingly sprouted up overnight at the tail end of 2024, Hideki – The City’s striking new Japanese-inspired bar and restaurant – is actually six years in the making.
Japan holds a special place in the hearts of co-owners Joe Chagoury and Wasim Ghanem, who have long desired to team up on a concept that could amalgamate and showcase the intrinsic qualities of Japanese cuisine and hospitality that they cherish. All they needed was the right spot to set up shop.
“We were looking for the right feel for this concept,” Joe explains. “We wanted somewhere that had character, somewhere that was private and somewhere that was intimate. It didn’t matter about the size, really – we would work with the space.”
The perfect spot materialised on Burnett Lane in the former home of Alba Bar & Deli, which closed last June. Though a highly prized location, Joe and Wasim managed to edge out a number of similarly interested parties thanks to the strength of their vision for a multi-layered concept inspired by countless travels across the country.
“Our love for Japan was the biggest inspiration,” says Joe. “We visited Japan four times last year alone for more ideas. We wanted to bring to Brisbane the things that we loved in Japan on our travels – for example, Omoide Yokocho or what they call Piss Alley, where they have lots of little yakitori spots.”
While Burnett Lane is less twisty and dense than Shinjuku’s famous drinking quarter, the duo have managed to infuse Hideki’s alleyway home with a sense of discovery and intrigue, courtesy of its matte-black facade and illuminated tree next to the entry. Pull back the door and you’re immediately greeted by friendly staff, who will promptly guide you to a seat amongst the venue’s moody interior.
Hideki’s design has been fashioned by Wasim’s partner, Sophia Klemenz Ghanem of interior-design studio and homewares boutique Klemenza. Guided by Wasim and Joe’s vision, Sophia has honed in on an aesthetic that is arresting, yet approachable. Conjuring the feeling of high-end restaurant, edgy bar and casual yakitori joint, Sophia’s scheme offers a sense of versatility – guests can perch for snacks at the bar, sink into one of the banquette tables or get cosy in a booth.
Eye-catching fixtures of the space include the grid-like light installation that sits behind the bar, a number of 250-year-old artworks on the walls (including one of Kirin’s first pieces of advertising) sourced from an antique art gallery, and black concrete countertops. Joe and Wasim have plans to kit out the space further with curtains, rugs and a possible separate private-dining room.
Hideki’s ‘fine casual’ menu was very much guided by Joe and Wasim’s tastes. Having criss-crossed Japan numerous times, the duo already had a mental Rolodex of dishes that they hoped to incorporate.
“The concept behind the menu was to bring together and elevate a lot of the different kinds of cuisine that they have in Japan – the best of what we loved,” says Joe. “It’s about Japanese favourites, bringing old and new together.”
Hideki’s menu is divided into a number of broad categories, starting with raw plates like oysters with yuzu sorbet, tuna cornets, kingfish usuzukuri, wagyu beef tataki and plates of assorted sashimi. From there, guests can divvy up share-style portions of miso eggplant, whitebait tempura, popcorn prawns and wagyu sandos.
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Holding pride of place in the kitchen are a number of charcoal-powered yakitori grills, from which a number of flame-licked morsels are dispensed – think everything from charred corn and chicken thigh to wagyu meatballs, salmon teriyaki and giant king prawns. A trio of mains round out the offering, including teriyaki chicken, miso-marinated toothfish and a succulent Senku Purebred Wagyu sirloin MB9+.
The bar offering is anchored by a strong selection of high-end whiskies and sakes, while Aaron Clark, beverage director of Ghanem Group, has consulted on the cocktail list.
“Aaron was instrumental in shaping a good collection of cocktails – the kind that pairs well with the meal,” says Joe. “We have a few little fun fusions featuring the likes of yuzu soda and matcha.”
With Hideki, Joe and Wasim are aiming for a high level of service. In Japanese, ‘hideki’ means ‘excellence’, ‘joy’, ‘radiance’ and ‘bright tree’ (it’s also the name of a close friend of the duo, who named the venue in his honour). That pursuit of excellence is key to the Hideki endeavour, which Joe believes will be the venue’s calling card as it continues to evolve.
“I think that the culture of being a perfectionist in your craft – making sure that you are excellent and devoted to that craft – that is the real essence of what we brought from Japan,” says Joe.
Speaking of evolution, Joe assures us that there’s plenty more to come. Soon, the menu will be updated with more vegetarian dishes, new desserts and extra banquet options. The team will even be doing snacks for Death & Taxes next door.
“I think you won’t recognise the menu, or a lot of the things we’ll be doing, in six months’ time,” says Joe. “We have a lot of additional things that we’re bringing to Hideki. A lot of the skewers and our share-plate options still haven’t been out. They’ll probably debut in the next couple of months.”
In April, Hideki will expand with a second location on James Street, with a new aesthetic and offering expected to provide diners with a different experience.“[This location is] the first of what will be two sister restaurants,” Joe informs us. “James Street will be the yang to Burnett Lane’s yin. We wanted the dark and intimate and we wanted the light. The next location will have outdoor seating, you’ll be sitting in a garden – it will feel completely different.”
Hideki is now open on Burnett Lane – head to The Directory for more information.