The only problem with chef Rosheen Kaul’s genius skewer of greenlip abalone and lardo is that it is, in my opinion, too small. The delicate needle of deliciousness is barely more than bite-sized but I tease it out by nibbling just two sheets at a time of glistening flame-grilled backfat and briny mollusc and marvelling at this marriage made in heaven.

The skewer is served on a gleaming nacre shell with a drop or two of special sauce, a concentrated elixir of soy and abalone juice (an offcut reduction) basted onto the smoky meats for extra umami, sending these kebabs into the god tier.

This is why we eat out, surely. To treat ourselves to lavish tastes we couldn’t or wouldn’t make at home and to be reminded that, despite the countless meals we’ve consumed over the years, there are still chefs who will wow us with what they’re capable of. Kaul is one such chef. Melbourne’s lucky to have her.

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Her other showstopper is the rib of Western Plains pork belly, cooked over flame and sectioned as perfectly as piano keys. The rib is marinated in soy, garlic and other classified ingredients and is so addictively tasty that I gladly ignore the fact it’s maybe slightly too big for two people (perhaps portions are a bit of an issue here?).

Not everything on the menu floats my boat. I can live without the tempura enoki mushroom with almond tarator and chilli oil. The dominant taste is batter.

But the sweetness of Shark Bay scallops against a punchy, salty snow-crab sambal butter goes down a treat. As does a bitey bundle of shredded potato blanched and dressed with smoked garlic, stained red with vegan fish sauce, the sharper notes tempered by the freshness of dill and the creaminess of stracciatella.

The sourdough bread deserves special mention too – more precisely, the smoked brown butter it comes with. It’s like caramel toffee without the sweetness, testament to the kitchen’s mastery of milk chemistry.

Etta’s staff are dynamic characters well-versed in the specifics of dishes, wines and showing guests a good time. The dining room is, as the website promises, a “cosy local dining room … that feels like an extension of your living room and part of the neighbourhood”.

It’s a bit fancy, with a Moooi chandelier over the front bar, tablecloths on footpath tables and a life-sized terrarium in the dining room. But it is also intimate, warm and well oxygenated with potted plants.

The drinks list is generous and diverse, offering everything from sake and “oxygen-treated” wines to boutique Champagnes and a surprising breadth in red and white Burgundies. It’s a wine buff’s list but you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy what’s on offer. The staff are really knowledgeable and not condescending in the slightest while explaining wines that would be unfamiliar to most Melbourne drinkers.

As for the question of how big the skewers should be, I’m thinking they could be 50 percent bigger and leave me handsomely satisfied without spoiling my appetite. Although of course it’s probably better for business to always leave your diners craving more.