The notion of taking itameshi (Japanese-Italian fusion comfort food) to a new, fine-dining level seemed thrillingly novel when Kissa Tanto opened 10 years ago. The food here still delights, thanks to the sophisticated imagination of executive chef Joël Watanabe and his team. Some dishes on the short menu have been there since the early days, such as charcoal udon with Dungeness crab and Calabrian chili butter, or the deep-fried whole Pacific rockfish (like giant tempura) with daikon-soy dip. But frequent specials keep things fresh and seasonal — burrata, for example, matched with organic beets and Hakurei turnips, chicories and a minted soy emulsion. The ambience is another reason for the restaurant’s enduring popularity. Upstairs, in a nondescript building in Chinatown, soft lighting and rose-hued banquettes suggest a lot (tanto in Italian) of the jazu kissa (jazz cafés) of 1960s Tokyo. The drinks list adds to the mood of suave self-indulgence, with cult Japanese whiskies and sakes balanced by fine Italian wines and amari; creative cocktails fuse the two cultures together. Smart young servers are up to speed with the kitchen’s intentions and provenance of the first-class ingredients.

Every dish is deeply sophisticated, run through with dark Italian glamour and Japanese attention to detail.” Lee Man