Sokyo

It's not that long ago that dessert in a Sydney Japanese restaurant meant only one thing: green tea ice-cream. Now, in this glam, dimly lit Sydney-meets-Tokyo newcomer, you'll find such swoon-worthy offerings as caramelised white chocolate sandwiched between slides of chocolate and served with black sesame ice-cream. Chef Chase Kojima has cooked his way around the global Nobu empire, and it shows. Start by pairing a lychee martini with delicate slices of ocean trout, dolloped with wasabi-laced avocado salsa and drizzled with citrussy yuzu. The menu is kaiseki-style, which means it's intended to be a multi-course affair, so sashimi might be followed by lightly tempura battered Moreton Bay bug with a Korean buttermilk and grapefruit sauce, or a spicy short-rib barbecue roll with kimchi. A fillet of red snapper with a miso-based sauce could have done with a little more kick, but if you like your Japanese food with a little swash and buckle, this is the place for you.