With exposed brick walls and light filtering through large sash windows, Malt has an ambience of industrial chic meets heritage charm. Upstairs in a corner building near Brisbane’s St John’s Cathedral, the key feature is a baby grand piano (for live tinkling Friday and Saturday nights).

Lunch and dinner menus differ, as do the prices, with the daytime offering catering for a busy CBD clientele. Six plump natural oysters come with a trio of dressing, including pickles and hot sauce, while sesame tofu with roasted artichoke is an interesting vegan starter. Salt fish croquettes are beautifully mushy in the middle with a crisp crust that soaks up the spiced ketchup. The open barbecue steak sandwich is generous, on milk bread, with onion, lettuce, pickles and a mountain of shoestring fries, the beef slices marinated and grilled to caramelised perfection.

Of the 17 wines by the glass, the Aronui Albarino from New Zealand and La Villa pinot grigio from Italy are good choices. Dinner mains are heavier, such as roasted duck breast with fermented mushroom and free-range pork with charred cauliflower and turnip.

The dessert menu is compact, with the star attraction baked apple, walnut, sake caramel with cultured cream. Service is friendly and accommodating, and if you’re a tad early for the restaurant, grab a drink in the ground-floor whisky bar.

Must-eat dish: Salt fish croquette