It’s something of a custom in Japan for white collar workers, typically men, to go out after work and get shitfaced with their colleagues as a form of team building exercise. This bonding is often done at izakaya – a bar serving food that’s set up for short sharp sessions of two or three hours where patrons can fill their boots and still roll home to the family at a respectable hour. In Potts Point, Sydney, Cho Cho San is recreating a bit of the Tokyo izakaya spirit, although owners Sam Christie and Jonathan Barthelmess are probably looking for a healthier balance between food and drink while retaining the buzz that the Japanese venues enjoy.

One very Japanese thing that the George Livissianis-designed Cho Cho San has faithfully recreated is the minimalist ethos, and wow, is it minimalist. Minimalist plus – or should that be minus? So minimalist that you don’t even get a cushion under your bum, unless you are lucky enough to snag one of the softer banquette berths. Still, the Japanese do a lot of their dining sat on the floor, so even a rock-hard chair is something of a welcome concession to Westernisation. This is an interpretation after all, and not a facsimile; while the place is recognisably Japanese, it’s not trying too hard to be slavishly authentic. Pale wood and clean lines have been warmed with golden accents to keep things inviting. Berthelmess has developed a produce-driven menu that celebrates the traditions of Japanese cuisine, paired with a fine selection of sake, shochu, whiskies, beers, wines and cocktails.