With 2.5 kilometres of rope dramatically suspended from the ceiling and an in-house beat-spinning DJ, Sokyo is bent on getting your attention. In the swank surrounds of The Darling hotel, it’s a choose-your-own-adventure through modern Japanese cuisine. This bullet-train of flavours doesn’t get more contemporary than Moreton Bay bug sashimi served with Vegemite croutons, burnt butter mayo and passionfruit jelly. Chef Chase Kojima (ex-Nobu) isn’t fishing for shock value; instead he’s paying tribute to the local icon. Plus, Vegemite has a salty, yeasty twin in miso, a Japanese staple. Other inventive dishes include nigiri of crisped rice, topped with spicy tuna, and ‘mochi’ ice-cream – a great delivery system of sweetness conveyed through soft dessert dumpling parcels with a frozen strawberry milkshake. Brilliant. Corn with pickled grapes and ponzu was rather too over-pitched in tang, but otherwise this is an energetic update on sushi, sashimi and the robata grill – with a friendly Sydney accent.