The brilliantly restored stable and its glass-walled addition looking over a gum-lined creek remains among the best of restaurant settings. However, Hentley has been through significant changes (and challenges) in the past few years and its young team, headed by Clare Falzon in the kitchen, might still need a little time to properly find its feet.

And the service, while still well-drilled, has lost some of its sense of pride and spontaneity. There is a formality more suited to a big city hotel than regional dining, the lighter touch coming mostly when the young chefs bring their dishes to the table.

As for the food, there are still wonderful moments, some familiar (the “egg” of passionfruit and yoghurt), some new (cauliflower puree and salmon roe wrapped in fine slivers of raw cauli looking like little paper trees). The flow of starters needs attention, with subtle elements shouted down by potent flavours such as an unctuous spiced eggplant relish. While a piece of barramundi with lemon dressing borders on perfection, the same can’t be said for the quality of kingfish sashimi.

Raspberry sorbet on a parfait-style cream with pistachio crumble is nice enough finish but the little extras from the old days are sadly missing.

To read our full list of reviews for South Australia, head here.