Izakaya, York - we try its 8-course Japanese tasting menu

Chef Danny Victory, 28, opened up here at the end of last year, taking over the former Wilde's wine bar which had been part of York's eating out scene for more than 20 years.

The restaurant scene in York is a crowded one, but Danny (ex Star Inn the City, Forage and Shori) has set himself apart by offering a menu of small plates inspired by the Japanese kitchen.

New for spring are his five and eight-course tasting menus, the latter of which we were invited to try last Saturday evening for a Press review.

Wilde's was one of the few wine bars in York when I moved here 25 years ago - so it was a sad day to see it close.

If Wilde's was a trendsetter back in its day, Izakaya is following in a similar vein. The enthusiasm for small plate and chef's tasting menus shows no signs of stalling.

Beef cheeks in a bao bun at Izakaya

This type of dining requires you to leave your appetite for Yorkshire portions at the doorway - and in the case of Izakaya, be prepared to have your culinary horizons widened.

Staff are welcoming and knowledgeable about the menu, which is just as well, because we had to quiz them about many items, such as the 'smoked dashi', 'umeboshi' and 'mochi' to name but three (translation: Japanese seaweed; a sour and salty Japanese plum; and a rice dessert).

We found it easier just to relax and let the food speak for itself.

First up was an oyster - a small Japanese variety that is actually grown in England. It was topped with a heap of caviar and a sweet, icy granita topping. Salty, sweet and cold, it was an invigorating start to the evening of indulgence and experimentation. The oyster has a £10pp supplement to the £68pp tasting menu.

A small earthenware bowl of tiny cubes of al dente turnip came next for sharing. The humble root vegetable was elevated to star status by a coating of salted miso crumb and a cooling quenelle of cool, miso sorbet. Delicious and ingenious.

Turnips with miso

Some seriously melt-in-the-mouth and silky-soft slow-cooked beef cheek followed, served in a home-made bao bun with an oyster mayo. Our only complaint - we could have eaten more!

But obviously, we were early on in our meal - more was to come, much more.

The drinks menu is adventurous too. We kept with the novel, trying the Shiso Tarsier (£10) from the cocktail menu. This was described as an oriental G&T; instead of tonic, it came with soda, lemon and a pretty Shiso leaf, a Japanese herb, likened to mint, but more subtle. From the sake menu we had one hot and one cold variety. The Kaze sake (£6) came warm and had a smoky smell and taste, with fruit and bitter notes; as it cooled it smelt more vinegary, and when cold I could taste melon and it was much sweeter. Amazing! The Junmai Ginjo sake (£12) was different again, tasting more of citrus and melon and was slightly sparkling. I'd recommend all three.

There is a wine menu too, starting at £29 a bottle.

The courses followed at a leisurely place and our expectations were growing in tandem. So we were a bit taken aback to find a course we didn't enjoy. A dish of creamed, silky tofu, topped with a chilli oil, was not to our liking. It was described as a tofu brulee and I didn't like the texture. Our lovely waiter was sympathetic, telling us it was a bit of a Marmite dish which divided diners.

BBQ duck with plum sauce and rice

Happily we were soon back on track with the rest of the meal: a sensational bbq duck with plum sauce; a buttery piece of mackerel cured in a light wasabi broth and topped with sesame seeds, and a perfectly cooked piece of tender lamb accompanied by tiny, sweet pieces of aubergine, a miso aubergine dip and smoked yoghurt.

This really was cooking at an extraordinary level and the chef displayed a real talent for flavour and texture.

Vegetarian menus are available too.

We loved the 'palate cleanser' - a small cup of cucumber water, lemon verbena and rose which magically banished the salty hangover building in our mouths.

Petit fours at Izakaya

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It was to prepare us for the sweet treats.

First up was mochi with rhubarb and custard. I loved the idea of this, the perfect combination of Yorkshire and Japan. But, in honesty, I didn't like the mochi very much. It is made from rice and has a chewy texture and is a Japanese staple. However, I suspect this may be another Marmite dish and some diners may love it.

But my disappointment didn't last for long because we finished the meal with some petit fours, which were two little pieces of delight - one chocolate, one fruity.

The dark chocolate cup was filled with a silky chocolate cream flavoured with sesame and was utterly divine. But the final praise landed on the fruit jelly which had to be eaten to be believed; its sugar coating dissolving as the soft sweet melted in the mouth leaving an explosion of fresh fruitiness that made you almost gasp in wonder.

Wilde's was part of York's history for more than two decades - Izakaya deserves to be here for the long distance too.

Find out more at: izakaya-york.co.uk