The moody minimal decor keeps the focus on the carefully created food in this reworked old shopfront in inner-city New Farm.

To begin, pork jowl is soft and luscious, married with carrot recreated in several textures and brightened with tea-infused date and elderflower, while scallops are seared and presented with florets of caramelised cauliflower, pickled grapes, raisins and capers.

Mains might be crisp-skinned coal-grilled Murray cod lapped by smoked butter sauce, with thin sliced baby squid lurking in an outcrop of crisp kale, or lamb belly teamed with pureed pumpkin, roasted shallot, yoghurt and kale dust.

A log of white chocolate parfait is attractively teamed with strawberry sorbet.

Service is attentive all the way through, a match for the intricate, careful cooking that seeks to elevate the dining experience.

Must-eat dish: Lamb belly