Izakaya Den

From street level, stairs lead down to a windowless, basement lair. Music is pumping and cooks are hard at work in full view. Seating is at wooden benches and stools, the best alongside the bar and kitchen to watch the chefs' dexterity with knives or the ceremonious preparation of green tea. The food, though, blows tradition wide open. Kangaroo tataki is a delicious example of the will to take a modern fusion approach. Marinated in miso, mirin, sake and ginger, the lean meat is served with just the outer edges seared. Corn kakiage is fun. balls of tempura-battered kernels served with green-tea salt, like new-age popcorn. With beautiful precision, nori is tucked into rolled lamb. Banana-leaf-wrapped barramundi mixes traditional miso with Thai influences to outstanding effect. Finish with a wondrous black sesame brulee. it cracks open, it's creamy, it's a whole new taste experience.