Danielle Alvarez has been a superstar of the Sydney dining scene since arriving. Our former number one restaurant hasn’t lost any of its appeal. Part of the Merivale Group, Fred’s is still as stunning as ever, like stepping into a luxurious holiday home and eating in the kitchen and entertaining room of your host. The dusky pink tones, high-energy frivolities and swag of service staff at your beck and call, plus the open kitchen with a hearth at its centre and casual sophistication all provide the perfect canvas for the loving, warm, generous cooking of Alvarez and her team.

Toothsome raw striped trumpeter plays nicely against shaved fennel, yuzu kosho, a dash of crème fraiche and a sprinkling of togarashi. Pipis and pork sausage come tossed with rigatoni and a gorgeously grassy cime di rapa pesto, while whole oven-roasted John dory steals the show, garnished with jewels of finger lime and wading in a puddle of finger lime buerre blanc. Alvarez has brought back her signature dish, too. Sitting and watching the lamb leg spin on a string ‘a la ficelle’ over the open fire is an allure like no other, so don’t hold back. Slices of the lamb leg come with blushing pink grilled rack of lamb, grapes, cime di rapa and jus. It’s a delicious culinary hug – exactly as Alvarez intended.