If you enjoy handing the decision making responsibilities back to the chef and are open to new tastes, join the crew at Etsu Izakaya for its very first seven-course degustation dinner. Each of the incredible dishes has been designed by head chef Jon Hizola (formerly from Nobu) and will be paired with a matching sake as selected by guest sake master, Yukino Ochiai. Yukino lives in Sydney and is one of the few bonafide sake masters in Australia.

Omakase is translated to mean selection of food, which is exactly what you can expect. Your feast begins with hamachi carpaccio (kingfish with yuzu dressing) before moving on to tuna tartare with crispy rice, tsukune (chicken meatballs from the robata grill) and buta no kakuni (pork belly with apple and ginger). Because one pork dish is rarely sufficient, pick at pork katsu with pork crackling and finish with black miso cod and beef tenderloin. Among the top-notch tipple accompanying the fare is Dewazakura Dewasansan Junmai Ginjo, Tengumai Yamahai Jikomi Junmai and Tengumai Umajun Junmai, don’t be perturbed if you haven’t the faintest idea what any of that means, Yukino will gladly talk you through each one. The Omakase Sake Night is $85 per person and bookings are being snapped up faster than you can ready your chopsticks. As sake has a way of sneaking up on you like a ninja in the night, you may want to consider leaving the car keys at home. For opening times or contact information, see our Stumble Guide.