Rockpool on George

While Neil Perry's name is inextricably linked with this groundbreaking pioneer of modern Sydney cooking, his head chef Phil Wood is increasingly making the place his own, executing every dish with show-stopping finesse and a seventh sense for perfect flavour matches. Just like his boss, Wood has a love affair with Chinese spice, which shows in ma po tofu with hot and numbing beef and a sweet, silky dumpling of soft bone marrow. Quail breast stuffed with eight treasures sits on a soupy pillow of gelatinous, master stock-rich risotto with a delicate quail tea egg, while tender Cowra lamb is cleverly matched with fragrant tea smoked mussels and salted wombok. An exquisite vacherin of pandan custard and a zesty jasmine and kaffir lime granita is nicely offset by its crisp white shell of meringue. Sleek staff glide around the floor, flawless and professional, and always there when you need them. After 23 years, Rockpool on George remains a quintessential Sydney dining experience.