Chef Yamashita is the head of the local Kansai slow-food organization, and he takes his cooking seriously. It's international-style fusion with a lot of creative recipes - dishes like grilled Australian scampi with spicy yuzu-garlic sauce; Tasmanian salmon confit with salmon roe; and grilled Kagoshima chicken with Calvados.

The menu also offers a big charcoal-grill section, sashimi, pastas, great salads and interesting rice dishes. Drinks here include budget-priced Australian wines and several mineral waters. The small sake list is well-chosen, and four out of the five selections are local Kobe brews.

The dining room is small but stylish (with seating for around 30); big wrap-around windows look out over the south side of Kobe and Motomachi station directly below. Service is friendly and the atmosphere is casual and laid-back. Dinner runs around Y3000 without drinks, and the full-course lunches (from Y1900) are very impressive.

by Robb Satterwhite