Daylesford has garnered plenty of acclaim for being the home of food Australian produce god Alla Wolf-Tasker, but the regional Victorian district is also home to beloved restaurant Kazuki. The Japanese venue has offered a European take on seasonal Asian since 2011 but has just announced that it will be moving to within Melbourne’s borders.

In its place will open pan-Asian sister venue Sakana, which will sit in the same restored Victorian-era shopfront that has housed Kazuki since its opening. Sakana (a Japanese term referring to bar snacks) is a complete change for owners Kazuki and Saori Tsuya who were both eager to branch into a more relaxed take on dining. “Daylesford is known around Australia — and the world — as a regional dining destination,” says Saori. “We feel that there is a demand for Japanese cuisine and other Asian cuisines that people want to access regularly. Sakana Daylesford is our way of connecting with our locals and offering a relaxed, enjoyable and sharable approach to food and drink.”

Developed by executive chef Kazuki, Sakana’s contemporary pan-Asian menu will focus on seasonal produce from the surrounding district, serving up small bites to share plates. “Japanese is at the heart of everything we do because that’s who we are,” he says. “But with Sakana I am excited to be able to explore new favours, new ingredients. It’s the kind of food that I like to eat when I go out with friends.” House-made kimchi and pickles accompany pork and prawn dumplings with XO sauce to start, before guests tuck into heartier dishes from Sher wagyu steak with black garlic and aged soy to pork belly with pickled pear and kurage. Groups are also able to opt for an omakase-style banquet menu, with optional wine and sake matching.

The menu has been designed with a tipple in mind. The menu’s offerings have been specifically selected to enjoy alongside a lengthy list of Asian-inspired cocktails. For those who aren’t fan of an elaborate drink there will also be an extensive list of local and international wine, sake, shochu and craft beers and spirits to choose from.

Sakana will see minimal changes made to its original space, retaining the murals painted by local artists Bridget Bodenham, Madeleine McCristal and Miriam Porter throughout. But it’s a different story for Kazuki’s second rendition. Ready for Melbourne’s inner-north, the new restaurant space has been designed by Design Ofce (of Higher Ground and A. Baker) and will emerge as a two-level dining venue merging the ‘Japanese aesthetics and French culinary refinement’ for which it has become known.

Sakana, 1 Camp Street, Daylesford, Victoria; sakanarestaurant.com.au.