Even with its small footprint, roughly half of Gaku’s snug Darlinghurst space is kitchen. Chefs bounce between stove, steamer, fryer and the eponymous charcoal grill, while diners sit elbow-to-elbow across the counter, throwing down ponzu-spiked oysters, gleaming sashimi and marinated tuna nigiri crowned with real pickled ginger instead of the hot-pink stuff.

The chawanmushi, a velvet-soft custard perfumed with truffle and crowned with spanner crab, is heartiness incarnate, while blocks of charred beef tongue mingle with shimeji mushrooms in bright, yuzu-kicked dashi. There’s grilled and soy-glazed eel in a lacquered box, sake in a flight of tiny glassware and a colourful parade of precision from a kitchen that speaks fluent umami.

It isn’t showy, but Gaku’s the kind of friendly, satisfying neighbourhood restaurant every neighbourhood wishes it had.

Good to know: The kaiseki-style set menu changes with the seasons and showcases the best of the kitchen.

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