After a series of key changes, Aria emerges brighter, bolder and better than ever.

Poised on Sydney Harbour, with the grand sails of the Opera House to stage right, Aria really knows how to set the scene for a date with the city.

It’s been two years since architect and designer George Livissianis remodelled the curvilinear venue, and his earthy textured interiors, all leather, travertine and bronze, makes for a dazzling viewing platform.

The biggest change, however, has happened backstage, with the appointment of new executive chef Joel Bickford, who hails from hospo heavyweights, The Gantry and Biota.

A fervent forager, Joel brings with him a passion for native Australian ingredients and home-grown goodness, and his newly revised menu reads like a ballad to the bush.

Raw slivers of kangaroo find themselves artfully arranged with jellied beetroot ribbons, smoked apple matchsticks and stinging crisps of saltbush to create a riff on steak tartare that really jumps in the mouth.

While a towering burnt orange soufflé may be show-stealing, it’s a caramelised pineapple dish that quietly wins our hearts. Pan-fried strips of golden fruit are delicately curled beside a pearlescent macadamia puree, puffs of sorghum and a quenelle of coconut sorbet, to create a tropical ensemble that tastes like Queensland on a plate.

Drinks are no less local, with Aria head sommelier Alex Kirkwood and Solotel group sommelier Matt Dunne putting together an eclectic list which combines new faces and old favourites, with a breadth and depth that can’t be matched.

Nineteen years and still going strong. Aria, take a bow.

Must eat dish: Kangaroo tartare, beetroot, apple, saltbush