It might have a very new world entry — basement down a laneway with a misleading address — but Philippe Mouchel’s return to the kitchen in his eponymous restaurant is everything that’s good about the old world. That’s not to say it’s stuffy; rather, the softly spoken chef’s chef is serving up the best technique-driven French seen through Australian eyes. And that means, yes, Philippe’s rotisserie chook is back, but his new restaurant is so much more than that (though it remains a wonder of burnished, jus-drizzled delight).

From escargot with the perfect balance of butter and acid through a velote of sublime silken airiness to a cloud of meringue covering a praline of nutty heft served with an anglaise of deft sweetness, this is cooking that gets every step right. Sharp, well-drilled service keeps the city-centric crowd happy — as does the Francophile wine list — while a glass of champagne and some oysters in the verdant-walled bar is always a good idea.

Must eat dish: pate en croute