Dedicated to kaiseki – the Japanese version of a degustation featuring multiple courses of intricately prepared dishes celebrating the best of seasonal ingredients – Shunsai offers a culinary experience to remember.

The work of chef-owner Shun Mori, whose resume includes a stint at the Japanese Embassy in Switzerland, the 18-seat fine diner is intimate and cosy, serving three kaiseki menus of between 10-12 small courses that change monthly. Diners can choose to sit in the main dining room – more 1990s doctor’s office than the handsome, wood-heavy eateries of Japan they were no doubt going for – or better yet, at the bar opposite the chef as he prepares each delicate morsel in front of you and talks produce, technique and Japanese etiquette.

The filling but not overwhelming feast may begin with perhaps a light prawn and persimmon salad, the cubed pieces of protein and fruit daubed in tangy plum mayonnaise; before continuing on to a delicate kombu-infused broth suspending a single scallop wrapping around a bundle of green tea noodles. But the highlights are the sashimi and sushi – both harnessing the finest of fish, some left untouched, others elegantly cured to amplify their natural beauty. A liquor licence is still pending, but the sweet, obliging waitresses happily serve green tea or take care of your BYO.

Must-eat dish: Sushi