Besuto

Once upon a time, it was hard to imagine an omakase restaurant of Besuto’s calibre in Sydney. Co-owners Joel Best (formerly of Bondi’s Best) and Hirofumi Fujita have created a traditional space resembling something from deepest Osaka, with just 12 seats and a convivial atmosphere that might see you pouring sake for your neighbour – and vice versa.

In the lobby, an abstract neon light guides guests past a mural by Australian artist Lisa King to a narrow staircase lined with sake bottles. Upstairs, a wooden bench wraps around the open kitchen, where Fujita prepares fresh seafood with masterful precision, passing samples of sea grapes to diners as they settle in.

The offering changes daily depending on what’s available at the market, with the chefs hand-selecting the day’s catch from carefully chosen suppliers. Whether you choose 18 or 20 courses, oysters are included at every sitting and seafood nigiri takes pride of place. Other past highlights include a miso-marinated Glacier 51 toothfish, and a yuzu sorbet blended at neighbouring Zini Contemporary Gelateria.

A sake pairing for each dish is chosen from a 40-strong list, which ranges from well-priced pours to a limited-edition Komyo sake from Japan’s Yamagata prefecture that will set you back more than $5000 per bottle. Otherwise, Besuto has amassed upwards of 100 Japanese whiskies. Choose something from the extensive list and let the chefs do the rest.