Taxi Dining Room becomes Taxi Kitchen

After a speedy refurbishment, Federation Square fine diner Taxi Dining Room is ready for its big reveal at noon on Friday, rebadged as Taxi Kitchen. With the change of name comes a new menu, service style and fitout, aimed at making the jewel in the Sovereign Hotel group's crown more accessible and relevant, says the group's food and beverage director, Martin Webb.

Taxi Kitchen executive chef Tony Twitchett says the food will be far more relaxed, with an emphasis on share plates, smaller dishes for snacks and pre-theatre and lots of seasonal ingredients. Twitchett is tipping slow-cooked shoulder of lamb, spicy salt-and-pepper quail and sesame-scorched oysters to head the most-wanted list.

Changes, overseen by Collingwood-based studio Eades & Bergman, include relaxing the decor, resanding and repainting existing wood surfaces, and exposing and polishing the concrete floor. It's the first major refurb since it opened at Federation Square in 2004. Taxi Dining Room was named Restaurant of the Year by The Age Good Food Guide 2006.

Sarah James-Page, who has had stints at Circa in St Kilda and the Smith in Prahran, will head the front-of-house team. It will open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner.

Details: Taxi Kitchen, level 1, Transport Hotel, Federation Square, 9654 880, taxikitchen.com.au