Jamon is what eating out should be all about. It’s minimalist, small and cosy and exceptionally good.

Unlike most restaurants, the chef is right in front of you. For the real experience, you can sit at the Sashimi bar and watch your meal unfold before you. As far as size goes, if they had 20 people in they’d be packed. So you’re always assured coziness and personalised service.

There are no menus here, which is fantastic! The bloke who owns the place is the chef and has been doing Jamon since ‘97. So he knows by the look on your face whether you like it or not. If you like it, the next course will build up on that ingredient. If not, you don’t see it again. So you’re not locked into a set menu.

Fortunately too, if an ingredient is below average or out of season, he won’t stock it. Chef only stocks absolute minimal quantities of fresh ingredients. Often regulars are SMSed to tell them that their favourite ingredient is in and mightn’t be this good again for many months, so get in quick! Suffice it to say what’s on offer changes regularly, as opposed to getting masses of frozen food in.

As far as $ go, there’s a regular, deluxe or gourmet set price. Regular is $55 a head. We must’ve had about 7 or 8 courses of sashimi and rolls all made to our palletes in front of us. The regular was so sumptuous that the gourmet must be pure sin. We left absolutely full as a boot, no room for desert.

Worth noting is regardless of whether you’re coming for a good time, or a long time, tell the chef. He’ll time the courses accordingly so you’re on the way to your show no probs.

From memory, I think the gourmet set menu was about $100 a head. That’s all the sublime shellfish and what have you. Likewise they have a wine list that caters from good local pinots and Sauv Blancs right up to great Traminers and top shelf French stuff for the gourmet foodies.

Frankly you can’t fault this place. If you like a bit of spontinaeity, trying new combinations and ingredients and have a Japanese bent, come here. You’ll have trouble leaving.

Absolutely 6 out of 5. Best dining experience in a long bloody time.