You are utterly spoiled for choice for Japanese restaurants in Sydney – one to keep in mind is Toko. The expertly-executed Japanese cuisine deserves a significant nod, proving that it’s definitely not a case of style over substance at this restaurant. The finely-sliced ocean trout and snapper sashimi is always of the melt-in-the-mouth variety, while anything off the chargrilled robata grill smells, looks and tastes exceptional. If you think Japanese is done and dusted, Toko may surprise you. There’s nothing overtly radical on the menu but the pairings are unique – like duck breast with nashi pear, or the divine miso-marinated lamb cutlets. Best to dust off something decent to wear, because Toko is a place to be seen, too, and on any given night the place is packed and the atmosphere is buzzy. The counter will give you the chance to watch the slicing and dicing chefs, but you can opt to sit in one of the street- level tables if you want to bask in the jealous stares from passers-by strolling along Crown Street.