If not for the subterranean dining room that’s dark and sultry and is as drop-dead good looking as when it opened almost six years ago, or the sharply shaken zodiac-themed cocktails or the equally on- point 100-strong wine list. Or, indeed, for the service that’s as well-drilled as it’s welcoming, or for all the chilli-powered hits across the menu. For if nothing else, a visit to Spice Temple rewards with lamb dumplings that truly are the stuff of crunchy pan-fried, chilli-spiked dreams.

While hot stuff is everywhere on the menu that celebrates lesser known Chinese regional cuisine, there’s real elegance in how it’s wielded, with a clarity to the cooking that justifies the price premium. Steamed hapuka under a blanket of black beans and Sichuan pepper tingles and tickles in equal measure, while stir-fried lamb seasoned with cumin packs a hit of addictive heat. It’s not all hot — served cold, the tea-smoked duck breast with pickled cabbage makes its point equally powerfully — but those seeking a chilli buzz of rare refinement know where to come worship.

Must eat dish: lamb dumplings