Omakase is A Thing. As those keen on the latest food trends will know, this Japanese concept of leaving it up to the chef – enjoying a multi-course tasting menu prepared and served personally by its creator – is currently enjoying a boom. From Chatswood to the CBD and into the inner-west, the omakase obsessed are snapping up coveted seats – typically only just a few intimate spots for the full personal chef spectacle – and, with most menus upwards of $150 or so, spending up accordingly.

“Omakase is not actually a Korean idea,” says Jacob Lee, the friendly and talented Korean-born chef behind the eight-seat counter at Kobo, a tiny slip of a restaurant in Circular Quay’s buzzing new Quay Quarter.

A lavish meal in Korea might be more about a huge array of shared plates, on offer all at once, including a wide selection of small side dishes – or banchan. And while Kobo certainly turns on a great spread, it’s in the Japanese way … one small dish at a time. At $185 a head.

In essence, this is a chef show. And the good thing is, we’re not just spectators. We get to taste everything chef creates. With it comes a running commentary on how the dish is made, where the ingredients are from and even a few insights into Lee’s culinary journey through several Sydney restaurants, mostly Japanese.

The theme at Kobo right now is Jeju Island, South Korea’s largest island and a popular tourist destination. It’s also famous, the menu tells us, for female abalone divers (“who dive for hours without scuba gear”), delicious pork and sweet mandarins. Describing its charms, and rich volcanic soils, chef Lee proposes to take us on a visit there, via a seat at his “bap sang” or Korean dining table.

It’s a fast-paced, delicious trip. From a welcome drink of carrot, green mandarin and rosemary oil (beats your average juice bar) we are through in just over 90 minutes to the grand finale main course of either pork bossam (poached in broth) with ssamjang (a gloriously spicy, bean-based chilli paste) or slices of abalone on herbed rice with dipping sauces.

In between we’ve had some terrific and inventive snacks like a super-crisp seaweed roll topped with wagyu, truffled potato and sea urchin, plenty of raw or cured seafood (loved the blue mackerel with brown butter and pickled ginger) and a glorious bowl of noodles in an ultra-porky broth (bones and all) topped with some of the best-ever braised and seared pork belly. I could have happily stopped there.

But wait, there’s more… That main course, then a wonderful green mandarin sorbet with sage oil and a rich truffle, black sesame and chestnut ice cream and cream combination.

Our sake and soju sommelier is highly knowledgeable. Leave it up to him, too, for some interesting beverages including the fascinating Hwayo 41X Premium, a distilled rice spirit matured in oak to take on almost whiskey-like notes.

Service could be slicker – glasses removed, water poured, cutlery offered with a dish – but these are challenging times for the industry. If you’re into omakase, highly recommend.

Related review: This 12-seat omakase in the Sydney CBD is one of the city’s best