Prefecture 48 contains six distinct venues, offering a taste of the full range of Japanese hospitality. We visited each location, identifying a dish (or drink) from each that we couldn’t stop thinking about.

Squid with nori Ibushi

Unlike other places in the area, Ibushi is lively, rowdy and smoky. One of the star dishes is the South Australian squid. It’s cut into thin strips then thrown over open flames, cooked until tender and combined with peas and asparagus, which also take on a sweet smoky note from the fire. A fresh, tangy nori dressing brings it all together and adds color to the white squid flesh and fresh greens. It’s a dish you’ll keep picking and choosing, then wishing there was more.

Piadina with beef tongue pastrami Five

Unlike a traditional piadina (a large Italian flatbread), the version at Five is the size of a taco. It’s crispy and loaded with thin savory shavings of beef tongue pastrami, a herbaceous tarragon and parsley vinaigrette, arugula and parmesan. But it’s the burnt lime juice that gives this starter a tangy taste and a great glimpse into the days when chef Hiroshi Manaka worked in Italy and Spain, including at the Michelin-starred restaurant. Mugaritz in San Sebastian.

Abalone with leeks and rice Garaku

When you reach the yakimono dish – the stage where dishes are cooked over direct heat – of Garaku’s kaiseki experience, you’re treated to Tasmanian abalone. The abalone itself is gently kissed by the grill, until the edges are crispy but the flesh is still tender inside. The mollusk rests on a bed of rice with a creamy texture similar to a risotto, where the sweetness of the leek shines through. Upbeat percussion music sets the mood, making the kaiseki experience even more memorable and complementing the theatricality of the open kitchen.

Otoro with chives Omakase

Omakase offers the most transporting experience in Prefecture 48. One of the highlights is the otoro, a delicate, fatty cut of bluefin tuna belly hand-chopped into a paste with chives. Presented in the form of nigiri, chef Akira Horikawa (a great chef from Ginza) or chef Tomoyuki Matsuya personally places a square sheet of nori in your palm before placing the otoro nigiri on it. In one bite, you get a mix of textures and flavors: silky tuna, subtle notes of onion and garlic, and crunchy umami from the nori.

Dear Florence is the pastry shop named after the owner’s daughter. It features a dessert called Curious – a quality he hopes his daughter will embody as she grows up. Shaped like a swirling cone, it features fragrant whipped jasmine ganache and lightly pressed caramel apple terrine. The sweetness rests on a delicate, crispy almond cracker, which adds a nutty crunch. It’s dotted with sour apple gel and green apple jelly for a burst of flavor. The dessert – from resident pastry chef Aoife Noonan, who brings Michelin credibility – is displayed like a precious gem in a high-end jewelry store.

If you are looking for a Frosty Fruit in liquid form, Golden Origami is your cocktail. Served tall, this bright and refreshing gin cocktail blends Roku Gin, manzanilla sherry, St Germain elderflower liqueur, grapefruit, peach and rooibos tea for a light but intriguing sip. The zesty grapefruit perfectly balances the subtle bitterness of the sherry, and your glass is topped with a crunchy fortune cookie shaped like an origami bird. It’s an ideal aperitif, setting a playful tone for the bar’s extensive cocktail offering.

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