Quay comes with a big reputation. It appears regularly on international top-restaurant lists and executive chef Peter Gilmore is widely recognised as one of the most inventive and thoughtful in the country. The room itself is like the bridge of a cruise ship, all glass with a spectacular view from the coathanger across the sparkling harbor to the sails of the Opera House. It would be easy to fall short of such a reputation, but Quay, right now, is gorgeously playful, assured and elegant as ever.

Start with raw smoked Blackmore wagyu. Over tiny diced cubes of beef doused in fermented chilli and miso are incredibly thin shaved mushroom petals and cultured cream. It’s soft and delicate, and an umami bomb all at once. On top are miniscule pearls of dory roe, which the chefs cure in house. Gilmore’s food plays allegiance to both flavour and texture, so every bite or mouthful is a delight – sharp, soft, crackling, crumbling, melting and even popping.

The tables are richly clothed and the room is scheduled for a makeover, but Quay is not here to be a passing fad. An established stalwart has a unique appeal, but it can be inventive and fun too. And when you crack a spoon into the sublime famed snow egg – a strawberry rendition marks a new era – discovering icy pink granita and creamy fool, it’s easy to see why this is world-class dining with an experienced captain at the helm.

Must eat dish: raw smoked Blackmore wagyu, fermented chilli, miso, shaved fungi, kombu, cultured cream, dory roe
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