A flurry of inventive snacks instantly sets the scene at Sixpenny, the revered restaurant in the unlikely inner-west suburb of Stanmore. Fried pumpkin cakes, fluffy gougeres (baked savoury choux pastry) and translucent wedges of Japanese cucumber are prettily arranged on the table by chef Daniel Puskas, who also doubles as a waiter to deliver his artful creations from the kitchen.

This former fish and chip shop has been transformed into a crucible of elegance, expertise and experimentation. It’s an intimate, sparsely-decorated room where the focus is on what’s on the plate or in the glass. Guests choose from six or eight courses, and the wine pairing option is highly recommended. Sommelier Dan Sharp is, as his name suggests, sharp and a whiz at sourcing unusual, texture-driven wines from Australia, New Zealand, France and Germany. A zesty Vouvray from the Loire Valley is the perfect foil for a dish of spanner crab with clam butter emulsion and trout roe.

As the meal continues, it’s impossible not to be wowed by the level of creativity here. Venison tartare arrives encased by ribbons of beetroot and laced with shaved hazelnut, managing to be both earthy and sophisticated. Dutch cream potatoes, meanwhile, are poached in rye-infused butter, seasoned with oyster brine emulsion are dotted with ebony truffle shavings. Even a palette cleanser of softly set mead vinegar custard is encircled with a tangy citrus consommé and topped with icy pearls of ruby grapefruit. Dessert is a heavenly fennel and apple granita with white chocolate cream and caramelised white chocolate.

A take home bag of petit fours soothes the separation anxiety, but regardless, you will be back.

Must eat dish: mead custard with citrus consomme
Instagram: @sixpenny_au