Smoke-kissed, pickled mussels perched atop a slick of toum and perfectly-formed hash brown disk is a firecracker of a dish. Mop it up with the puffy, baked-to-order flatbread, if you haven’t eaten that as soon as it landed.

The dry-aged pork cutlet is a Melbourne-only creation. With crisp crackle, perfectly cooked flesh and melty fat, teamed with a raisin and caper sauce, it nails the salty-sweet brief – and works even better with a fennel salad on the side.

But the biggest OMG moment comes from pastry chef Casey Mendez’s (ex-Tonka) mango macadamia dessert. Cleansing, fresh mango cubes and lime granita cut through a buttery macadamia ice cream that’s so indulgently creamy you’ll be surprised it’s vegan.

Timber tabletops, leather booths and a marble island bench help the space feel lighter than the dark den of its predecessor, Ezard. Challinor champions great produce, while delivering a sucker punch of flavour, and an approachable drinks list. There’s a lot to love about Nomad Melbourne.

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