I always prefer eating out locally; it creates a comforting illusion of village living and it makes getting home so much more affordable after a few glasses of wine - or sake, as the case may be. So crossing the bridge for a meal is not taken lightly. But, encouraged by friends' rave reviews of this long-standing Mosman restaurant, we take the plunge and head north.
The door opens to an unpretentious room; it is a warm, comfortable space, with soft-yellow walls and perfect lighting, accentuated by flickering tea lights. There are wooden tables and chairs - with padded seats - and a hanging wooden grid on the ceiling.
We are here for the house speciality, the six-course set menu or kaiseki, a food experience that embodies Japanese culture and is traditionally served at tea ceremonies. In essence a tasting menu, each course is made up of several small dishes that balance flavour, texture and appearance.
One of the joys of kaiseki is it speeds up ordering when dining with a group. There are two kaiseki menus: mino (regular) or goshu (seasonal), with a choice of mains and dessert flavours. Many of the kaiseki dishes are available a la carte in larger servings.
The restaurant is full at 7pm but our friendly waitress seats us quickly, takes orders and delivers the sake, along with a basket of sake cups for us to make a selection.
Then the parade of lacquered trays begins. The opening salvo is an aperitif or amuse - a shot glass of plum wine, surprisingly delicious, and not at all cloyingly sweet, offset by a mouthful of tart pickled mackerel.
An appetiser follows on a green-glazed plate with a bonsai serving of octopus and cuttlefish salad sitting in a puddle of sweet miso. Just enough to whet the appetite, it gives a false sense of what lies ahead.
The waitress delivers a third tray, a knockout presentation of three pieces of plump sashimi - tuna, salmon and kingfish -