Sushi-e chef Nobuyuki Ura to head new Circular Quay restaurant Ura San

Pendolino owner-chef Nino Zoccali pulled the pin late last year on plans to open Venetian Republic restaurant at Campbell's Stores and threatened legal action, but there's still plenty to get excited about at the $32-million Circular Quay redevelopment.

Nobuyuki Ura, an 11-year veteran at Merivale's Sushi-e, will be in the kitchen when the Bill and Eddie Younes-owned Ura San restaurant opens mid-year at Campbell's Stores.

Altis Architects is crafting a contemporary interior, and Ura says he wants to push the boat out in regard to the seafood he'll use on the menu. Will that include the poisonous fugu?

"You can't get an import licence for it here," he says. "But I actually have the licence you need in Japan to prepare it. My friend has a restaurant in Tokyo that serves it and I did some work there."