Koko

There are few more spectacular dining rooms than Koko, with its serene central rock pool and view through Crown's dramatic giant flame jets to the city skyline. Prices, too, can be spectacular, such as $380 for the signature Mayura wagyu 300g striploin and mains hovering around $40. Koko's ambition, though, allows for dishes and produce rarely found outside Japan, such as the Mayura wagyu and the puffer fish, fugu, which is poisonous if not correctly prepared. Koko is a special-occasion kind of place, and a favourite for wedding proposals, but if romance is your intention, don't sit at the exciting teppanyaki where chefs sizzle top-notch seafood and meat. From the a la carte menu, you might try the simple stir-fried udon, lush with seafood, or miso-and-mustard dressed salad topped with crunchy fried salmon skin. Having strayed into more pan-Asian fare in recent years, Koko is back to being quintessentially Japanese and remains eminently striking.