Somewhere delightfully different to dine in Hobart

Kin is one of Hobart's newer restaurant arrivals, a tiny hole-in-the-wall joint that can seat a maximum of 13 people at any one time.

You'll find it on Macquarie Street, just a few doors from Tom McHugo's pub. The cuisine is Japanese yakitori-style barbecue with an impressive range of cocktails and sakes, as well as wines and beers.

The night I dined, it was a three-person operation; two guys behind the grills, one front-of-house person serving.

It is more funky than romantic but the food is authentic and sensational.

Think fresh local produce - from poultry to squid - the majority of which is cooked on a traditional Japanese Yakitori grill and can be paired with beautiful sake, Japanese-inspired cocktails or local beer and wine.

Chef/owner Casey Burns serves up dishes like chicken thigh and spring onion skewers (two per serve) for $12.50, or perhaps octopus ($14) or wallaby thigh fillet ($13).

Other options include a seaweed salad ($9) or Tasmanian octopus and mushroom gyoza (more like samosas in texture but four to a generous serve for $11).

The food is clearly cooked with love and attention to detail and guests can order either a la carte or pay $60 for a six-course "feed me" menu.

I loved it, and will be back soon. Bookings are recommended and Kin is open Tuesday-Sunday from 6pm. 

Kin is at 71 Macquarie Street, Hobart. 0474 875 892. www.kinjapanesebbq.com

# The writer paid his own bill.