Restaurants are more than just the food and service they deliver. The building itself can also spark memories of fond dining experiences. Take Porteno’s original buxom beauty on Cleveland Street, where dinner was as much about the venue as the offering. So, walking into Darlinghurst’s Gaku by chef Haru Inukai (Blancharu, Ramen Ikkyu) and former Aria chef Shimon Hanakura, all I can think about is the spectacular seafood experiences I’d had there when it was Fish Face, with Stephen Hodges rattling the pans.

As much as I miss its former self, it’s pleasing to see a respectful display of stunning seafood, and other beautifully cooked beasts, in the site’s latest incarnation. Ramen raconteur by day, electric izakaya by night, it’s breathing new life into the lungs of this tiny space.

Step through the noren curtains and pull up a stool at the counter, at the bench overlooking Darlinghurst Road, or squeeze onto a chair. Elbow-to-elbow doesn’t cut it; it’s tighter than Pavarotti’s pants. But once strapped in, slurp the shochu, sake or a brew from the Land of the Rising Sun, and order as many dishes as your waistline will allow.

Fresh, lightly salted edamame to start. Tender, twice-cooked rounds of pork belly are drizzled in tare , while sashimi of the day – ours Sydney rock oysters, Hokkaido scallops, New Zealand ora king salmon, Japanese amberjack (kingfish), and wild southern bluefin tuna – is compulsory.

Flakes of spanner crab and truffle make a moreish chawanmushi , sweet sea urchin is served simply on rice with tuna tartare, while onion and mustard jam helps down a dense pork tonkatsu. If, like me, you find matcha a bit too mucha (sorry), skip the matcha kuzu cremoux  and finish with a refreshing passionfruit melon sake ensemble with vanilla ice cream instead. Things change, but it’s nice to see, in Gaku, the joy and celebration of food remains.