The creators of Porteño and friends have been kind to Sydney’s inner west. You’ll find Bodega 1904 inside the curated food hall that is the heritage-listed Tramsheds. In a palette of mint greens, millennial pinks, parquet wall tiles and delicate brass detailing, this is a softer, more elegant spin-off of their successful Surry Hills bar Bodega.

Cured Mount Cook salmon with corn and capsicum salsa is technically excellent, but the warm octopus salad with kipfler potato hash brown and radicchio, green tomato dressing is what this kitchen is really about: fire, texture, smoke, acid and punch. Likewise, the smoked pork sausage from Luke Powell at LP’s Quality Meats, which comes with pureed potato, witlof and sweet-and-sour raisins. It’s wonderful.

The heart of the restaurant is the woodfired grill, where ironbark from the Blue Mountains adds warmth and depth to the dishes. It’s perhaps not quite as extraordinarily daring as it once was – where is the bloodcake, the long octopus tentacles – but what is done, is done well.

At night the waiters are raring to go, ready to make this a special night, but when the clock strikes lunchtime that bounce in the step becomes a little lacklustre. Better to sit at the gorgeous bar at night, when the staff is energetic, reeling off interesting facts about the food, the producers, the chef’s tricks. This is the time, too, to explore Bodega 1904’s most excellent wine list, and even wander into its adjoining wine store, where they are top of their game.