There’s something deeply comforting about consistency in the restaurant world. From the minute you step into Cho Cho San’s concrete-clad, George Livissianis-designed space, you can be assured that service, izakaya-style snacks and smart sake-forward drinks will all be on point, crafter with impeccable attention to detail and no shortage of precision.

Miso-glazed eggplant sticks are so dangerously crisp and syrupy, they’re halfway to churros. Steamed buns are stuffed with juicy slabs of pork belly katsu, lettuce and gochujang mayonnaise – fight-’til-the-last-bite stuff. That’s not to say the big plates pack any less punch: butterflied king prawns arrive charry off the hibachi and blanketed in a silky-as kombu butter, while king crab omelette is light and lacy, sauced with Japanese curry that manages not to overpower things.

And while the matcha has moved from soft-serve to strawberry-matcha trifle, the miso-caramel version of the signature is already a winner.

Good to know: In a very Potts Point kind-of move, Cho Cho San also does takeaway for locals, with most of the menu available for pickup.

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