Azafran

Pinning down the Azafran menu is no easy task: it ducks and weaves its way through numerous cultures with equal ease. Owner-chef Marc Bocquee seems supremely comfortable mixing up (very successfully) a mostly Thai-inspired spatchcock dish with pineapple, Thai basil and nam jim with a distinctly Chinese Sichuan dust. Glutinous pork cheeks rolled in panko crumbs and served with a sticky, sweet chilli caramel is even better. He follows it up with a swift turn to contemporary Australian with a kangaroo fillet cut with the tang of juniper and a perfect bittersweet combination of witlof and peach. If it all sounds a little mixed up, rest easy in the knowledge that Bocquee's experimentation is underpinned by a solid, classical training. This is clever food for any surrounds but when set within the confines of a cosy suburban restaurant it's quite remarkable. The fact that Azafran allows BYO further endears it to those with a cupboard full of Bottles.