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Matsu is no ordinary restaurant. Its most notable feature is its size: just four seats a service. Uptempo jazz soundtracks owner-chef Hansol Lee’s deft moves in the spartan room, and while the radical chef-to-diner ratio may not make for much hootin’ and hollerin’, it creates an atmosphere of deep respect and focus on the craft.

Your 10-or-so courses might include chawanmushi of rare silkiness. A petite bowl of pristine broth holds a single dreamy dumpling of scallop, sardine, mackerel and bonito, accented with a dot of umeboshi.

Nigiri is a strong suit, as seen in paradise prawn with cod roe, and tuna belly with Polish caviar. When it’s this hard to land a booking, the speedy pace of the meal doesn’t always square with the upfront investment, but it’s a winning addition to the neighbourhood nonetheless.