ADDRESS:   359 Dominion Rd, Mt Eden
CHECK WEBSITE FOR OPENING HOURS
MAINS:   $14 – $25
WEBSITE:    atomni.co.nz
CONTACT:   09 623 3590
SCORE:   16.5 / 20

This is izakaya, but not as you know it. On Auckland’s longest street, with its myriad of dining options, Omni is spot-on. Chef John Yip applies his impressive yakitori skills, honed at a hip Hong Kong-Japanese izakaya and then in Hobart, to Dominion Road. Watch him in the tiny open-plan kitchen as he cooks over white charcoal traditionally used in Japanese cooking (binchotan). The result? Big smoky flavours which give an oomph to this deceptively simple menu. Deliriously good morsels of chicken, fresh sashimi and the juiciest pork are some of the foods to sigh for. You’ll want to factor in dessert in the form of brown butter cake too. Jamie Yeon heads FOH and ticks every box. The drinks list completes the package: a curated list of low-intervention organic and bio-dynamic wines and a small selection of cocktails and local beers.

IN BRIEF: Delicious, uncluttered menu that nails every bite