TakashiYa

Familiar with the Japanese style of dining known as omakase? If not, essentially it means "I'll leave it up to you"—letting the chef decide what you eat. Typically it involves multiple courses of delicately prepared sushi, sashimi and other fine delicacies—and that's just what South Brisbane's new TakashiYa is all about. 

Headed up by much lauded chef Takashi Nami, who finally has his own venue after years of working at some of Brisbanes' best Japanese restaurants, training in Japan and also recently wowing diners with his private, in-home dining experiences, TakashiYa is located just outside Emporium Hotel in South Bank. Split into two sections, with a more casual bar at the front and the omakase dining room at the back, the venue is adorned in masses of cherry blossoms and hung with sake bottle lanterns, setting the vibe before you even take a seat. 

If you're dining at the bar, you'll have a chance to sample plenty of sashimi, rice and udon dishes, vegetarian sides and some selections from the omakase menu without having to commit to a 14-course feast—think negitoro cones, wagyu tenderloin katsu sandos, fried sweet corn and roasted duck and foie gras fried rice. Meanwhile, the drinks menu features plenty of Japanese whiskey and sake, with tasting flights available if you're keen to try something new. 

For those prepared to go all out though, the $230 omakase is where it's at. There's seats for just 12 diners per session—you can book in for the 5.30pm or 8pm seating, or book out the whole room for a private lunch if you've got a big group together. Here you'll get to watch Chef Takashi and his team prepare each exquisite morsel in front you, from melt-in-your mouth sashimi to spanner crab tamagoyaki. And for anyone familiar with Takashi's menus, yes, there is plenty of truffle involved. 

Image credit: Ranyhyn Laine