One bite and you understand why Detour chef-patron Damon Amos enlisted lawyers to ensure his KFD (Kentucky Fried Duck) dish is exclusively his. The meat is juicier than an overripe pear and rolled in a secret spice mix even The Colonel would be jealous of. With a side of chilli salted mayo for dipping and buttery, jalapeño-dotted corn bread, it’s a dish worthy of being his signature.

But challenging the KFD for top spot is the vegetarian smoked pumpkin from Amos’s creative omnivore and herbivore-split menu. Like a canyon with cliffs and valleys, wedges of thick kent pumpkin come roasted until soft and yielding and dusted with a nubbly maltose powder, supporting hunks of aerated fudge pieces resembling honeycomb. Another herbivore standout is the coal-roasted broccoli, charred and entangled with spinach and tri-coloured quinoa, with umami notes from miso and wilted seaweed.

Desserts offer lightness, delicacy and a bit of theatre courtesy of a hibiscus tea being poured at the table around heavy droplets of white chocolate yoghurt, poached rhubarb pieces and paper-thin lemon myrtle crisps; while a nitrogen meringue made with chickpea brine (aquafaba) rather than egg whites arrives smoking and harbouring fresh and frozen berries, toasted almonds and pearls of yuzu curd.

Charming staff appreciate the finer details of old-fashioned service that make a restaurant experience special. Detour offers an experience worth going out of your way for.

Must-eat dish:  Roast pumpkin