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Esquire

Campari curds and whey at Esquire, Vittoria Restaurant of the Year, awarded by the brisbanetimes.com.au Good Food Guide.
Campari curds and whey at Esquire, Vittoria Restaurant of the Year, awarded by the brisbanetimes.com.au Good Food Guide.Supplied

18/20

Contemporary$$$

Restrained, Scandinavian-influenced decor and floor-to-ceiling windows framing Kangaroo Point and Story Bridge views make this a serene spot to lunch, although we quite fancy the city lights and river traffic at night, too. Exquisite attention to detail has been paid to everything from the hand-thrown, slightly irregular pastel bowls, (no white crockery here) and earthy pottery plates to crisp napkins, replaced if you leave the table. The degustation-only menu changes daily and is delivered at well-spaced intervals. Minuscule cubes of scallop in buttermilk with split peas and intense dobs of Meyer lemon gel is both light and satisfying, while a beef calotte with horseradish-infused yoghurt and onion rings is a clever take on a classic. Sixty-six per cent cocoa ice-cream with a coconut/malty chocolate wafer invokes childhood Ovaltine nostalgia but it's the quenelle of Campari curds with orange and whey curd ice-cream, Campari crystals, sherbet and freeze-dried mandarin that prompt the fondest post-prandial reminiscing.

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