A lively and fun izakaya-style restaurant, Cho Cho San shook up Japanese dining in Sydney when it threw open its doors, and the Potts Point hot spot hasn’t looked back.

Co-owned by Jonathan Barthelmess and Sam Christie and named for the heroine in Madame Butterfly, Cho Cho San churns out game-changing Japanese fusion food for the hoards that still gather two years after it opened.

Japanese bolognaise, koji-glazed lamb cutlets and miso sticky date-pudding sound like they should be a disaster, but Nic Wong’s deft hand makes them unmissable dishes.

More traditional fare is perfectly executed, too, with sashimi, pork katsu steam buns and tempura vegetables all must-haves.

Must eat: Anything from the raw sushi bar