Toko

Soy sauce is poured almost before bums hit seats at this speedy, izakaya-style diner, where a meal can be fast, furious, and frequently fabulous. The first course arrives within minutes of ordering. Three robata-grilled scallops with sweet pickled apple and jalapeno garlic have an almost dessert-like prettiness on a charcoal-black plate. The signature wagyu nigiri is meltingly good, and a Toko nigiri tasting plate expertly showcases kingfish, tuna, salmon, snapper and prawn. The as-it-comes sequence of dishes is usually fine, but subtle, sliced hiramasa kingfish with chilli and yuzu ponzu dressing suffered by turning up after a fantastically sticky pile of rich, smoky barbecued pork spareribs with sweet soy and chilli. The pace slows down a bit with the arrival of an elegant fishbowl of yuzu cheesecake topped with torched frozen meringue - but only because you want to linger over its citrussy, crunchy base and ile flottante meringue.