Circular Quay, the Bridge, the Opera House, harbour beaches (and pretty shortly, New Year’s Eve fireworks) fill the frame when it comes to Sydney Harbour imagery. And yet, as those who frequent its inner reaches will know, this spectacular city has more waterside nooks and crannies than almost any other in the world. 240km of shoreline, in fact (I just looked it up).

An immediate thrill at this new restaurant at the far, far end of Pyrmont’s Jones Bay Wharf is the angle it gives you on the “working harbour” – ferries plugging their way from west to east, north to south, pleasure boats flitting by, and a rear-window view of the city, complete with casino shard. It’s not the picture-book vision but a deeply charming, almost moving outlook onto just how many ways there are to marvel at our city.

The next grand pleasure in this high wood-beamed Italian dining room is the service – performed by spiffily suit-clad waiters. It’s clear they come from a country where front-of-house is a serious place to be. In this case, we’re talking Italy, where guest-care is a given. So yes, benvenuti – welcome, welcome, welcome.

And finally, there’s the food and drinks, brought to you by chef Danny Russo and his team. While it’s been more than 10 years since this seasoned consultant has publicly headed a restaurant (he was last seen at The Beresford back in its heyday), this is his return to the stoves, in partnership with restaurateur Con Dedes. Those of us who remember his talents are ready to be wowed again.

Related review: A French bistro with je ne sais quoi has opened on the harbour promenade 

A plate of warm sourdough, brittle-crisp grissini and aniseed-flecked taralli rings arrives with honey’d, whipped, housemade butter and a fine slurp of peppery olive oil, an organic product from Puglia. This, we’re told, is standard, greeting guests with fully-fledged Italian hospitality. All breads, including the grissini, are baked here. It’s a wonderful prelude, and accompaniment, to a mostly fish-focussed menu – from snacks to a series of crudi (raw fish dishes), on to pasta and mains.

Two teeny ciambella puffs are richly glazed with a fishy, black-garlic blend, and topped with an anchovy curl. Just the thing with a minerally but fruity white from Sicily’s Mount Etna – an Alta Mora by Cusumano – on advice from the excellent wine waiter.

A fillet of raw blue mackerel, just-seared on the skin side, takes a kick from a green-bean-and-tomato “agrodolce”; our pasta treat is Turin-inspired “plin” parcels, wrapped around albacore tuna and sitting over silky white stracciatella curd punchy with cunserva (a chilli, tomato concentrate and garlic preserve). And immaculately cooked toothfish takes zing from a puttanesca of anchovy, capers, olives and yes, more tomato. It all works just fine. Actually, really really well.

When the sweet Sala ‘nocciola’ arrives, it’s almost a crime to shatter its hazelnut look-alike shell – an ultra-thin chocolate casing (from esteemed Chocolate Artisan Jessica Pedemont) around fluffy mousse and a luxurious chocolate core. Yep, the Italians sure know a thing or two about chocolate-hazelnut combos.

They also know about creating a complete restaurant experience – from scenery to service, from drinks through to dessert. Grazie, Danny and team. Bravissimi!

Related review: This western Sydney restaurant is a bit of magic in the park