We visit on a recent Sunday night and kick ourselves for not arriving earlier as the live musicians pack away their equipment in the bar area. We quickly recover though as we are shown into the restaurant and to our seats. The menu reads like a love letter to Japanese cuisine and we have to ask for help with what to order, otherwise we’d probably still be deciding now. Sushi here is nothing short of exceptional –  delicate, jewel-like bites that arrive with precision and flair. Various arrangements of nigiri, ceviche, sashimi and maki rolls with tuna, prawns, salmon and seabass come out and are quickly demolished.

For a main dish we try the black cod, and it’s a stand-out star: silky, indulgent, and perfectly balanced with miso and lime. It’s one of those dishes you order once and immediately hope and pray to revisit. The menu carries a note explaining how the restaurant honours nature and all living beings by using local, sustainable produce, and this is as reassuring as the food itself.

Service flows seamlessly – warm, attentive, and reassuringly knowledgeable. When we toy between a crisp Chablis and a lively Riesling, our server guides us through each choice with a calm expertise, and tasting) making the wine list as exciting as the menu itself.