A visit to Otto is an immersion in a seamless restaurant experience as smooth as the crema on an expertly made espresso. From the greeting at the door on arrival, through an impeccably timed meal, during which service is attentive but not intrusive and the food exciting yet anchored within tradition, this is a restaurant at the top of its modern Italian game.

Moreton Bay blue swimmer crab and mascarpone-filled ravioli with black garlic crema is alarming to look at (the sauce is dark brown and entirely covers the pasta) but wonderful to eat. The pasta is silken and the sauce light and luscious. Squid ink spaghetti with baby octopus is also perfectly cooked. Mains might be quail or calamari from the wood-fired grill or perhaps a Gooralie pork cheek enhanced by piquant pieces of cumquat, garlic, mustard, almonds and charred onion.

Dessert lovers will need to take care not to overindulge in the rest of the menu because they are seriously good. Diced strawberries cascade over salted white chocolate and mascarpone mousse and buffalo yoghurt gelato or chocolate lovers might consider a construction of coffee gelato over a disc of chocolate mousse topped with a sable biscuit dusted with lemon sherbet. Views over to the light-garlanded Story Bridge and crazily whirling light shades complete the picture.

Must-eat dish: Moreton Bay blue swimmer crab and mascarpone filled ravioli with black garlic crema