Who knew the melding of Japanese and Italian could be so magnificent? Lumi Dining not only walks the tightrope of two of the world’s most extraordinary cuisines, it has become one of Sydney’s best restaurants in no time at all. And the reason? It’s not the smart casual service, the modern, slick dining room with gorgeous pendant lighting, the quirky and approachable wine offering – nor the view of ripples of deep blue through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

It is, quite frankly, all because of the culinary musings of chef Federico Zanellato. Boy, that man can cook. Inside the nondescript box on Pyrmont’s Wharf 10, it’s peaceful, tranquil and the open kitchen reveals a brigade painstakingly plating up each course. But Zanellato’s Italian/Japanese ideal isn’t as scary as it sounds. For those who have travelled to Japan, you will know the Japanese do Italian almost better than the Italians themselves. Plus one man’s soba is another’s spaghetti. One man’s carpaccio is another’s sushi. With varied tasting menu options, depending on the time you dine, Zanellato takes you on a food safari like no other.

It starts with his take on gunkan (sushi) that sees sea urchin atop stracciatella instead of rice. Jerusalem artichoke crisps garnish a delicate raw veal tartare before, then his delicate spin on minestrone manifests as a medley of vegetables (carrot, turnip, tomato, macadamia) wading in a clear vegetable miso. It’s miso-strone! Gelatinous slow-cooked lamb gets a spicy, citrus ally in kosho (zest of yuzu, chilli, garlic). Lumi is forcing those at the very pointy end of fine dining to move over and make room for the new dawn of finer dining.

Must-eat dish: Pappardelle, duck, silverbeet
Instagram: @lumidining