Incongruous with its neighbours in Darlinghurst is the tiny local diner, Nomidokoro Indigo. The name means “indigo drinking place”. The Japanese staff serve traditional izakaya (bar) food, sake and a favourite, Orion The Dark Okinawan beer on tap.
The bar seats about a dozen and the nori curtained alcove called “The Nook” seats four. We braved the early Autumn briskness and sat outside on the handy stools with built-in drawers for your shopping and handbag.
Nomidokoro Indigo is small and popular, so it’s best to book online. Sometimes you can get lucky if drop in or call after 8pm. One friend does that, just for dessert. The downside of booking is the $50 per person penalty if you cancel.
On arrival you are given a cotton oshibori – hot towel – to wipe your hands, and face if it’s a hot day. The sake list in labelled onto empty ishobins – 1.8l bottles. The prices are for 180ml though they will happily do a half pour so you can try more varieties. The staff will also heat the sake on request – so ask for their recommendations. It’s interesting to experience how sake’s flavour changes from Flying Hot – tobikiri-kan – to Human Skin – hitohada-kan – to Snow Cold -(yuki-bei).
The menu is seasonal and consistently good. That night we had a tasty Wagyu Tendon Nimono and on a later visit this was replaced with Chicken Simmered in Dashi Broth. Both were delicious traditional home cooked stews.
Also, a variety of meats and fish are grilled after a miso marinade. We had a tasty tender Wagyu Brisket with shichimi togarashi ( 7 chilli powder) condiment. The Seared Mentai Potato Salad was enhanced by the salty tang of cod roe.
Shime, is the name, for food you have afterward to fill up. For example a friend dining with me required a large Onigiri (rice ball with filling of your choice) before dessert.
And then for dessert we had Hojicha –black tea – Chiffon Cake and Sake Ice cream with Miso topping. Both were light, delicious and moreish.
A visit to Nomidokoro Indigo is incomplete without a trip to the loo as they have installed a Toto washlet toilet. It has front and back sprays, adjustable by pressure and temperature and a blow dryer. And of course, the essential Yuzu mouthwash.
