Ho Jiak boss Junda Khoo wanted to challenge himself with Tam Jiak, his restaurant inside Sydney Fish Market. Surf’n’turf at every turn – with every single dish containing an element from land and an element from sea.

Rid yourself of any preconceptions. This isn’t lobster and steak on a plate, and it’s not the often-gimmicky “reef and beef”. It’s far more refined – and packed with Malaysian flavours.

Beef ribs could come with anchovy chimichurri. Fried rice could be dotted with Chinese pork sausage and smoked eel. Khoo’s signature char kway teow gets a seafood-friendly makeover with Alaskan king crab. The policy even extends to vegetarian dishes like gai lan served with lotus root (an aquatic plant).

The view from the 120-seat Tam Jiak looks out to the still waters of Blackwattle Bay – a constant inspiration to Khoo as he looks for ever-inventive ways to redefine and refine the surf’n’turf game.

The brief is understandably looser on the drinks front, where Ho Jiak’s signature Margarita (made with house tequila) leads a line-up of light, acid-driven cocktails and mocktails. Beers and wines are mostly standard stuff, from big-name Tiger draught beer to Penfolds shiraz.