Ah Um

Discrete dining room delivering a music-enhanced experience.

If you like to label things, this could be the coolest restaurant in Perth. Or, one for the audiophiles. Hidden at the back of Astral Weeks listening bar, a respite among the Northbridge throng, is this dimly lit 25-seater. For those settling in for dinner, Ah Um houses impressive custom-built Translate Sound speakers to punch out the night’s playlist, and it’s not afraid to play it loud. Manager Jae Woods expertly and elegantly controls the floor and the menu is punchy (no more than ten items) with nods to Japan. Generously sliced sashimi tuna on tomato concasse sets the scene while asparagus tempura enjoys the tang of Meyer lemon. Fried sardines sit atop namasu (daikon and carrot salad), while the pick is perhaps a tender ribeye, benefiting beautifully from its umami shio koji marinade. Plates and portions are relatively small (another nod to Japan?) and there’s breadth in the (mostly natural) wine list, let alone the sake offerings. The music carries you through to dessert from jazz to ethereal offerings, funk and indie rock. Ah Um is as much about the mood as the menu.