To one of the peninsula’s more subtly picturesque and beautiful dining rooms, chef Michael Demagistris has recently brought his bag of tricks, honed at his short-lived but acclaimed diner, Mount Martha’s East.

At Polperro in Red Hill, he’s adding modern flair – see his signature nitro caramel popcorn that comes ‘steaming’ to the table – and beach herbs and gels to a menu that spans six choose-your-own courses brought by a young but well-briefed team.

A fat, wobbly scallop cooked with seaweed in XO butter might begin a procession of small plates that includes elegant kangaroo tartare seasoned with mustard and gerkins and finished with grated yolk; wasabi-spiked mayo that cuts through excellent crunchy fried quail; and croquettes hefty with chorizo.

While an over-use of decorations can make dishes feel like they’ve come from the florist rather than the kitchen, that prettiness doesn’t come at the expense of flavour, as is proven in the meltingly soft lamb shoulder with hummus and beetroot jam, and beautifully cooked barramundi swimming in a bright tom yum broth.

Along with owner Sam Coverdale’s estate wines, the short but worldly list has a winemaker’s prints all over it, with excellent drinking at all levels.

With fires and blankets for winter and expansive deck for summer, Polperro is a destination for all seasons.

Must eat dish: Barramundi with tom yum broth