Watch as rare and wonderful seafood is sliced, rolled and torched before your eyes at Richmond’s Japanese fine diner Minamishima. Renowned sushi chef Koichi Minamishima’s tasting menu of 15 or so courses of melt-in-your-mouth nigiri is worth the months-long wait for a ringside pew.

Minamishima pays minute attention to detail in everything he does, whether it’s the tiny scoring on the flamed tako (octopus) flown in from Hokkaido in Japan, the subtly soy-licked toro (tuna belly) from Nagasaki or prawn-flavoured tofu cubes in a delightful dashi broth.

Much like what’s put before you on the plate, the space is elegant and minimalistic in appearance. The tiny, austere mod-look dining room is tucked beneath an apartment complex down an unassuming backstreet.

Impressive waitstaff recite each sake style and region for those on the drinks-pairing journey, while water glasses are constantly replenished, doors held open and jackets waiting upon departure.

Minamishima is expensive, but for a singular vision of Japanese perfection, this unique dining experience is worth a splurge. 

Must Eat Dish: Sweet prawn, cuttlefish nigiri