The benefit of being tucked at the back of the new 25 Martin Place is that Kazan feels more like its own beast rather than part of a dining precinct. The dark, sexy, circular space with its intricate geometric patterned ceiling is hidden away and if you take a seat looking inward at the bar, rather than out towards the neighbouring White + Wong’s, you can weave the spell of being in the world of a restaurateur rather than that of a builder.

Kazan is just one of several offerings in the new precinct, which includes Botswana Butchery, Aalia, Cabana Bar and more. Kazan is the luxe Sydney outpost of Canberra’s Inka and is all about modernising classic Japanese cuisine. It has all the dishes you know and love, but with a twist.

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Take the nasu dengaku ($16), the slow-cooked miso eggplant is a textural delight. It’s cut in large chunks, fried, so there’s a bit of batter to break through, then you have the crunch of peanuts and subtle heat from sliced green chillies.

Kai sen ceviche ($28) is presented in a structural tower, with slices of kingfish, batons of salmon and cubes of tuna. We’re instructed to mix it all together before we dive in. A creamy sauce of aji amarillo – a subtle, fruity chilli – is studded with small pieces of crunchy red onion and cucumber.

An omakase sashimi-nigiri platter ($110) – six nigiri, nine pieces of sashimi, six maki rolls – is traditional Japanese. As well as the usual suspects of kingfish, salmon and tuna, you have briny, buttery uni tongues and nigiri of red emperor and John Dory.

Sake-steamed New Zealand red snapper with ginger and shimeji soy ($34) is a Japanese take on a traditional Cantonese preparation. The scent hits you before the dish is placed on the table thanks to the fragrant sauce made of a reduced broth thickened with cornstarch.

Black angus beef tenderloin ($44) from the robata grill is marinated in honey, garlic and soy. So far, so classic. It’s already rich and indulgent, does it need to be topped with grilled foie gras? Probably not. Are we glad it is? Very much so.

While the steak is pre-sliced, the pieces are too big for neat, one-bite morsels but the meat isn’t soft enough to bite in half, or cleave with chopsticks, neatly. A side of robata-grilled zucchini ($16) is more interesting than it sounds. There’s creaminess thanks to small cubes of feta, tartness from wafer- thin slices of green apple and a gentle warmth courtesy of a jalapeno dressing.

The sign of a good fondant is when you break into it with a spoon and the inside oozes out like lava. This one is a cracker. But rather than the Yamazaki whisky fondant ($21) we ordered, we get the straight chocolate version.

Service is a little green, which is understandable given the venue has been open less than a month and hospitality is going through a staff shortage, but it takes away from the experience.

With a little more polish so that the service matches the slick setting, Kazan could carve out a position as one of Sydney’s more interesting Japanese dining destinations.