Dinner is no everyday meal, not when Heston Blumenthal is your host.

This insatiably curious UK chef loves mining culinary history, both British and Australian, for inspiration, then crafting defiantly modern dishes and drinks that stir the senses and rouse food memories.

So, sauntering into Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, a glamorous space illuminated by plumes of flame, you could well find yourself ordering a Bloody Mary drained of all colour, a chicken liver parfait masquerading as an orange called ‘Meat Fruit’, and a Tipsy Cake that’s not really a cake at all.

Whimsical it may be, but Dinner – awesomely resourced in every department – executes its brief with considerable flair. Waitstaff glide around the room, striking that perfect balance between casual and attentive, while Melbourne’s biggest kitchen brigade, visible through glass, punch out dishes with heads-down discipline.

Must-haves include the ‘Frumenty’, a smoky, appealing sea broth murky with grilled octopus and pickled red moss; blushing pink venison with mouth puckering beetroot, red cabbage and pickled cherries; and that Tipsy Cake, an unlikely marriage of spit-roasted pineapple and brioche.

Still, there are blemishes the night we dine. A flat champagne cocktail. An extended lag between entree and main. And a lacklustre roast quail dish with pumpkin puree. Not good enough when that main costs $56.

The cellar here is as wide as it is deep with a recently expanded range of wines by the glass, so it’s good to have head sommelier Loic Avril as your navigator.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal remains a bucket list diner with plenty of surprises in store.

Must eat dish: Venison and bottled cherries
Instagram: @dinnerbyhb