Stokehouse

Avocado and apple jelly with crab salad; fig and basil with jamon; sweet corn with quail; peach and fennel with duck - forget for a moment the flavours, rather picture the colours, artfully displayed on a black plate. Stokehouse is an experience, led by staff who seem to care for diners' welfare - 16 years in the industry, a senior front-of-house staff member tells us, reciting orders sans notes. Take staff drink recommendations on board, too - they know what they're talking about. Each dish on the modern menu has a star ingredient: with the barramundi, it's charred truffled cabbage; for the duck, a semolina fondant and radish. There's saffron cream with lobster; fennel and basil with pork cheek ragu; and mushroom consomme with artichoke tortellini. To fill up is tempting, but 'The Bombe' awaits - white chocolate parfait with sorbet and toasted meringue. Blood orange souffle, spiced pear and affogato tempt the eye as much as they do the palate. Not enough room? Try the 'baby cakes'.