Potts Point's Modern Japanese Open Kitchen
Cho Cho San on Macleay Street is Jonathan Barthelmess's Potts Point modern Japanese — a small open-kitchen room, considered yakitori from the grill, and the kind of disciplined neighbourhood cooking that has earned its SMH hat.
The cooking is contemporary Japanese with restaurant-grade discipline: yakitori from the open grill, considered sashimi, the kind of seasonal small-plate programme that the format demands.
What to Order
Yakitori flight from the grill — the proper progression through chicken parts and vegetables. Considered sashimi; seasonal small plates; donburi for the diner who wants a more substantial format. The sake list rewards a confident order.
The Format
The dining room is small and intimate. The open kitchen runs along the bar; the chefs work the grill in plain sight. The Potts Point address handles a post-dinner walk.
Best Occasion: First Date
Cho Cho San is a quiet Potts Point first-date win. The format is unintimidating; the cuisine provides natural pacing; the room is small enough to feel intimate without being forced. The price point allows a return visit.