We had not long been seated at the small counter overlooking the Blue Pelican’s open kitchen when we were presented with a steaming bowl of mushroom broth that doubled as both a fine amuse bouche and a powerful statement of intent.

Our walk to the door of this Japanese-inspired restaurant on Deal seafront had seen us buffeted by the gusty winds blowing off the Channel, faces stung by the rain. But now we were safely ensconced inside the calming, tastefully decorated dining room, this rich, comforting bowl packed with smoky, umami flavour was an ideal way to begin what was to turn out to be a very fine meal indeed.

We kicked things off with a negroni (£12), given a twist by the inclusion of umeshu, a Japanese plum liqueur, and ran our eyes over the menu.

Larger sharing plates of grilled squid and pork katsu definitely appealed, but in the spirit of really getting a comprehensive feel for the place, we took little time in deciding to focus our attention on the small plates and dishes from the grill.

First up were a pair of crab croquettes (£7), stone bass with winter tomatoes (£14) and smoked eel on tamagoyaki (£12).

The croquettes were bursting with brown meat inside, crowned with a topping of spiced white meat and sat on a citrus mayo.

The bass was the most delicate of the trio, the fish sliced so fine as to be almost translucent and the tomatoes garnished with seaweed simmered in soy sauce.

Smoked eel was presented on a pillow-like slice of tamagoyaki, an omelette made by rolling together several thin layers of seasoned egg.

Based on the evidence so far, chef Luke Green is clearly at the very top of his game. There is wonderful attention to detail throughout the menu, and he wins extra marks for his willingness to patiently answer all enquiries lobbed across the counter as we worked our way through lunch.

There may be tables in the main dining area where windows look out onto the sea beyond, but the only view we were really interested in was that of nimble fingers busy executing dishes of such high quality and finesse right before our eyes.

Next, we turned our attention to the grill. We opted for skewers of lamb hearts (£6) and pork collar with fermented greengage (£6).

Both were excellent, and all the better for being accompanied with a side dish described simply as ‘pickles and ferments’ (£5). A straightforward billing that belies the wondrous flavours elevating these little morsels of cucumber, mushroom, kohlrabi, daikon and golden beetroot.

At this point we should probably turn our attention to the wine list, a tightly drafted selection mixing crowd-pleasers like sauvignon blanc with some more left-field options. A dark pink Leicestershire wine, winemaker Matt Gregory’s Field Blend, was the standout star.

By now lunch service was drawing to a close, but we decided there was still room for a little more from the grill, so we brought the curtain down with the dry-aged rump cap with turnips (£15) and skewers of Jerusalem artichokes and kale tops (£6). The beef was, as you’ll be unsurprised to hear, cooked to perfection.

We were bathed in the warm, fuzzy contentment brought on by a leisurely lunch and a few glasses of very agreeable wine.

The team at the Blue Pelican have created something absolutely splendid here on the Kent coast. Service was light-touch yet attentive, and the ability to watch masters of their craft executing such exquisite dishes before your very eyes makes the experience all the more special.

As word spreads, seats at the kitchen counter and tables in the light-filled main room will surely be in high demand.

If you want to enjoy some of the finest cooking happening anywhere in the county right now, get yourself down to Deal as soon as you can.

Ratings out of five:

Food: Quality ingredients and incredible attention to detail ensured everything we sampled was simply first-rate - incredibly impressive stuff *****

Drink: The wines we sampled and the negroni with a twist were all excellent *****

Decor: A beautifully decorated space with a wonderful atmosphere ****

Staff: Everyone we encountered on our visit was welcoming, and the willingness of the kitchen team to engage with diners made things extra special *****

Price: This is not necessarily a place for a cheap bite, and nor should it be when everything is done so well, but our meal was worth every penny ****