Most of us set the GPS for destinations far beyond the traffic-laden tarmac of Neutral Bay, but tap it in for good Japanese eats in Sydney – few suburbs match the wealth of its offering.

The latest to join the throng, Ichibandori (‘number-one chicken’), is part izakaya, part ramen bar and well worth the detour. Although its façade is on Military Road, the entrance is via a small mall on Ben Boyd Road and through the restaurant’s backdoor to find a cute, lively little space. Tables around the glassed-in kitchen afford a culinary peep show. Inside, chefs prepare the two iterations of the offering. In the first seating, from 5pm to 8.30pm, genuine izakaya fare comes courtesy of renowned chef Tomoyuki Matsuya (formerly of Hana-Jurin), then, as 9pm ticks over, it’s all about ramen by soup savant Hideto Suzuki (late of Manpuku Ramen).

Get in early, swig a beer or sake and get snacking on toothsome crisp battered octopus kaarage brightened with a squeeze of lemon, beautifully seasoned pork gyoza, or negitoro yukke – minced tuna with a slow-poached egg to toss through. Sweet baby corn, meanwhile, is charred in its husks, while sashimi – kingfish, snapper, tuna, salmon, alfonsino and creamy squid perhaps – is cut thick for a textural treat. It’s delightful. Thin slices of beef tongue, however, while seasoned well and smoky from the robata grill, are a bit overdone and leaning towards tough.

Come back for the second seating and delve into the depths of the daily ramen special. It might be rich Hokkaido scallop miso ramen, or the signature soy-soaked chashu ramen where braised pork lolls in a pork broth with all the trimmings.

Perhaps it would be best to set the GPS for two trips to Ichibandori to appreciate the individual offerings in their own right.