A new arrival in the nation’s capital has flown to number one straight off the runway, for good reason. This quaint 30-seat restaurant, in the quiet suburb of Ainslie, places emphasis on Australian ingredients without jumping on the native ingredient bandwagon. Pilot is the creation of clever young professionals Dash Rumble (Momofuku Seiōbo) and Ross McQuinn (Pulp Kitchen) with Malcolm Hanslow (Automata, Ester, Oscillate Wildly) on the pans. The result is an engaging, proactive dining experience, free of pretension but full of the whim of the new and the possibilities of where food is headed. With polished concrete floors, pendant lighting, chic curtains on floor-to-ceiling windows and dark furnishings, Pilot is a smart, low-fuss experience.

In the kitchen, Hanslow takes simple combinations and pushes them to a new level, without losing their essence. Beef tartare, for instance, is tossed in mustard and decorated with cured egg yolk before being served on a sourdough blini. Potato salad is a refreshing tumble of radish, celery, apple and potato cream, while a spin on cacio e pepe champions cabbage: roasted buckwheat noodles come slathered in caramelised cabbage and parmesan sauce. Pilot is a stunning, adventurous display of simplicity, so buy a ticket.