From the staff who materialise to open doors to the subtly attentive wait staff, Aria is an operatic display of fine-dining finesse. Plates from executive chef Thomas Gorringe compete admirably with those billion dollar views.

Indulge in Gorringe’s tasting menu or the four-course a la carte – both a celebration of seasonal, local produce. A sweet potato doughnut amuse-bouche with duck liver parfait sets the tone, with revelatory slivers of frog skin melon offsetting the richness. Saffron-yellow petals adorn a golden beetroot and persimmon entree. Moreton Bay bug luxuriates on buttery bisque, studded with just-seared corn and bronze fennel. Add a bowl of mash to house-hung maremma duck, glazed this service with pomegranate molasses.

The wine list has all the heavy hitters. Fancy a grand cru Bordeaux? Lunch calls, perhaps, for Shaw + Smith M3 Chardonnay by the glass. The dining world outside might have embraced share plates and artful insouciance, but Aria sails ahead doing what it does best. As you polish off a textbook passionate souffle, you’ll be glad it has.

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