Duck your head through the noren curtains at Haberfield’s Yakitori Jin and find yourself instantly transported to what feels like a hidden eatery in the back alleys of Japan’s street food capital, Osaka.

This Haberfield gem delivers izakaya enthusiasm, and food that celebrates the art of yakitori.

A stunning, contemporary fit-out – timber walls, open kitchen and a mix of textured chairs, leather seats and stools – gives it a wine bar aesthetic.

The cheering Japanese welcome is warm and service is delightful, as is the booze on offer. Asahi Super Dry lands with a dense, creamy head and the saké range includes brews from milled rice, pure rice and fortified.

Yakitori master Akihito Marui imported a custom-built Japanese yakidai, on which food is cooked over red-hot organic mangrove charcoal.

Perching on stools to watch chefs rotate a multitude of sticks over coals is like viewing a plate spinning act – but the only thing smashing here is the food.

True to yakitori tradition, chicken skewers, seasoned with tare (sauce) or shio (salt), are the star event here.

Chicken skin is a charred, textural treat. Chicken hearts take on enough smoke to eat like bacon. Wings coated in tare slide off the bone with ease. But it’s not just chicken. Wagyu beef is a flavour bomb, and asparagus appears wrapped in a thin sheet of pork that’s crisp and charred. Karaage (fried chicken) batter is like crisp bubbles of joy, the house-made and seared gyoza are an umami delight and they have a small list of rice and noodle soups too.

Yakitori Jin is really about good times with friends interspersed with the arrival of plates of real-deal yakitori. It’s authentic Japanese, without the jetlag.