sushi e

Just what does that 'e' stand for? Establishment of course, but it could be Elegant, Engaging - and, maybe just a little Expensive. Head chef Nobuyuki Ura's Exquisite sushi and sashimi is the go here (make sure you sit up at the long, sleek, rectangular counter for the full fish-slicing, rice-rolling theatre of it all). But the backstage-cooked kitchen choices, such as powder-puff prawn shumai dumplings, spider salad (lightly fried soft-shell crab) and the retro spoons (an old sushi e favourite of eight delicious Japanese delicacies) nicely complement the raw items. Allow your sushi (some of which will be lightly seared by a gas blowtorch) to be selected for you, but do so knowing that the bill may blow out like an obese fugu. At least the signature panna cotta dessert in a shot glass is complimentary. Standing the test of time, and in sushi e's time-honoured tradition, this is one Sydney sushi bar that truly comes close to capturing the authenticity of its Tokyo or Osaka equivalent.