The Dining Room

With the relaunch of this spectacular hotel, the restaurant (once harbourkitchen&bar) has been reborn as The Dining Room, but it's a subtle change. The so-close-you-could-kiss-it view of the Opera House remains and we're still at the gently padded, spacious end of the hotel dining room spectrum, but the look has been updated, with elegant touches such as gold pendant lights glowing decorously over the beige-toned room. The short menu is precisely executed, with potted Alaskan crab nestling prettily against buttons of lemon creme fraiche and tiny croutons. A more rustic terrine, with excellent translucent aspic, is delicately covered in nasturtium leaves. Charcoal-grilled Spencer Gulf prawns were disappointingly uncharred, however, and lacked flavour; not so glistening squares of tamarind and molasses-glazed Blackmore wagyu beef brisket, fork tender and beautifully matched with beetroot horseradish. Service is discreet and polished, and a feather-light praline millefeuille with vanilla anglaise is a pretty counterpoint to the harbour lights outside.