The opulence doesn’t stop there. Wines from the exhaustive, intelligently laid-out list can set you back $150 – for a single glass. Certain dishes, such as hyper-fragrant trofie al pesto and enviably smooth fior di latte gelato, are finished tableside for maximum effect.

When time allows, service flirts with theatricality, rendering the grandiosity more intimate and personal. Why asparagus and other “summer vegetables” dipped in salsa Trapanese feature as an antipasto after the winter solstice is a mystery. But steer towards that pesto and the menu’s other touchstones and you won’t be led astray.

Gnocco fritto dials the thrill of a street-food snack past 11 with its melted Taleggio lining and ruffles of wagyu bresaola on top. A grissini-crumbed veal cotoletta is everything you’d hope for and more, impressively juicy and tender throughout. In order to enjoy it to the fullest, you’ll have to pay to play, but what you’re here for is a vision of the cucina vera that revels unapologetically in romance and luxury.

To read our full list of reviews for NSW, head here.