I’m not one breathtaking views, at least not in a restaurant. I mean it’s not a deal breaker. It’s lovely. I succumb to the hypnotic bliss of deep blue as much as the next person, but it’s not important. It’s just a bonus.

Aløft has magnificent views of Sullivans Cove and beyond. It’s housed on the top level, down the deep end of Brooke Street Pier with tapering walls like a bedroom in the attic – you might feel like the walls are caving in if it wasn’t for the outside streaming in through floor-to-ceiling windows. But as the sun sets, the saltwater ripples fade into the horizon and, apart from dotted lights across the harbour, the restaurant is left to prove its worth.

The dining room is, for the most part, rows of tables and chairs, but if you see me here again I’ll be at the kitchen bar. We all like to dine in different ways, but the sentiment of the staff, the theatre of the kitchen and the umami oomph on the plate are what mesmerises me. And Aløft has nailed the trifecta. It’s as smart as any in the new wave of dining. In fact, the big city culinary crusaders could take a cue from the staff here. They care and it shows. Even the wine list, by young gun Alice Chugg, shows a consideration for the palate ranges of most, but it’s brave enough to twist your arm too.

The kitchen is led by a double act that shared time at Melbourne’s Taxi Dining Room a decade ago. Both set sail for Tasmania – co-owner Christian Ryan (with manager/co-owner Heiki Stanley) to Property of: Pilgrim and Glenn Byrnes to Garagistes. They’ve teamed up again and the maturity shows.