Who would have thought? One of Victoria’s most beguiling Japanese restaurants in the Macedon Ranges. But it’s not so surprising that Kazuki’s should prosper in Victoria’s spa country.

This bountiful region brims with quality produce and chef Kazuki Tsuya, who hails from Akita in Japan’s north, capitalises on it in ingenious ways.

A seasonal Japanese salad (yasai) plucks ingredients from the Daylesford district, lusciously pink local lamb is attended by labne, and ribbons of crisp parsnip arch over quince like bracken.

A silken medley of hapuka, clams and mussels was especially enchanting, as perfectly formed as a haiku.

Kazuki’s compositions are all painterly, the flavours pure and focused, and the gentle staffers who ferry these dishes to you on ceramic plates can unpick their complexities if you wish.

Lit by sculpted lamps, and animated by murals, the dining room here is as well suited to one-course drop ins as diners seeking five-course tastings menus with matching wine, sake and tea options.

Quite a find.

Must eat dish: Hapuka, tomka, clams, mussels
Instagram: @kazukisrestaurant