It may be one of the most dynamic dining scenes in the country, with new places opening (and closing) at a cracking pace, but among Brisbane’s faddish, fashionable and frighteningly avant-garde, e’cco Bistro has always been the little black dress of restaurants – effortlessly chic, confident and capable of holding its own on any given occasion.

“It’s unbelievable to think that we’ve been around for 27 years,” says e’cco owner and arguably one of Australia’s first celebrity chefs, Philip Johnson.

One of the secret to e’cco’s longevity, is what Johnson calls “the gorgonzola theory,” a kind of antithesis to the “customer is always right” refrain.

“e’cco had been open a few months and a diner said to me: ‘You know, that’s the best gnocchi I’ve had in my life, but there was just too much gorgonzola.’

“So, I went into the kitchen and told the guys: ‘Hey, we need to cut back on the gorgonzola.’

“Then a few weeks later, someone I knew, another restaurateur came in and after he finished, he said: “Look Phil, that’s the best gnocchi I’ve ever eaten but I just couldn’t taste the gorgonzola.

“So, I realised you will never, ever please everyone and I should just make the call and trust my own instincts.”

While still deeply passionate about the business of feeding people, these days, Johnson, who’s been in the business for more than 40 years, is pulling back a bit, spending less time in the kitchen and passing the baton into the capable hands of head chef Simon Palmer.

Palmer rejoined the e’cco team last year, after a stint at Beach Byron Bay.

That gnocchi, the one that has never been off the menu and comes with exactly the right amount of gorgonzola, plus spinach, pine nuts and a parmesan crisp is part of the three-course American Express delicious. Month Out menu.

The second course is confit duck with lentils, braised radicchio, and goats’ ricotta, while dessert is a banana tarte tatin with Pedro Ximénez and raisins.

“Classics are classics for a reason,” says chef Palmer.

”It’s what all dishes are built on and our American Express delicious.Month Out menu features some of our favourites from our classic e’cco menu that mirror our values of simplicity and produce-driven food.”

Furthermore, they’re proof of e’cco’s stalwart belief that good taste never goes out of fashion.

The special three-course menu is available to order on Friday and Saturday lunchtimes in May for $75 a person.

Head to delicious.com.au/dmo to view more delicious offers and deals this month

What: American Express delicious. Month Out menu at e’cco Bistro
Price: $75 a person, includes three courses
Where: Shop 8/63 Skyring Terrace, Newstead
When: Friday and Saturday lunchtimes in May