Tonic

As the sun sets, is there a better street view out of a restaurant window? Tonic's old, wide-canopied building sits on the corner of a streetscape packed with historical character, yes, but the big picture windows, high ceiling and swathe of dark carpet lend an inviting, modern air to its spacious, airy dining room. The food, too, has an old-fashioned, generously flavoured honesty, but is very much of today, confidently finessed and prettily plated. Pan-fried gnocchi are seriously good, tanned outside, light and fluffy within (salt and crispness are judiciously used in several dishes), with a mushroom ragout. One glazed, pan-fried, stuffing-oozing quail perches on a pile of potato batons, with well-buttered cabbage. Blue-eye trevalla flakes beautifully, bolstered by a robust potato and fennel galette. A pre-dessert creme brulee with caramelised blood plum is almost a course in itself, a fine precursor to a subtle ginger mousse in a rhubarb jelly wrapper, with nubbins of rhubarb.