Its turquoise timber door could be a secret passageway to a marvellous place.

But you won’t find any illusionist tricks or hidden trap doors inside The Blue Door on 5th – just a rather unusual blend of decorating styles.

The front of the compact, multi-level space is stark with concrete floors and bare walls, while the raised bar area at the rear has an almost backyard saloon vibe courtesy of corrugated iron and timber detailing. It’s all slightly out of kilter with the Mod Oz menu that darts from revived European classics to flavours of Asia and the Middle East.

Yet while the fusion might not work with the fit-out, it does with the food.

The sweetness of king prawns is amplified by corn puree, while cured pork cheek and XO sauce add seasoning, and forbidden rice gives texture.

Even better is salty, pan-fried duck rillettes turned into a mini charcuterie board with duck prosciutto, gherkin, pickled onion rings and a superb, mousse-like duck paté to be smeared on crisp-edged, soft-centred milk bread.

Line-caught local swordfish is equally well executed. It is flaky yet firm and has punchy dots of zhoug, the spicy Middle Eastern version of pesto.

Brussels sprouts have also been tastily reimagined – this time with the individual leaves pan-fried until crisp and dressed with caramelised yoghurt and black tahini, alongside chilli and sunflower seeds.

A solid drinks list, diverse with wine styles and craft beer, and complemented by a range of quality spirits and interesting spins on classic cocktails, is the ideal counterpart to the food. But as the venue is still relatively new, service has some work to do. Staff are convivial and obliging but somewhat inattentive.

Although there’s no wizardry beyond the blue door, this new restaurant holds serious potential for magic.