Preserve Kitchen

If you lived near this lovable little restaurant, you'd make sure it felt your appreciation. People may not drive across town to sample the sparky, nicely executed Asian-Italian menu, or the sweetly fashionable interiors, all fake pears, crisp linen and clusters of naked bulbs. So the locals have it firmly tucked under their wing. Glance around the room and you might spot the primary school committee, a couple who've booked a babysitter, a woman dining solo who is treated just right. They're all here, sampling tuna carpaccio, piquant with pickled radish and ginger, or luscious pan-seared scallops on pea puree with chilli and prosciutto pangrattato. To follow are crowd-pleasing mains of fish and chips, char-grilled eye fillet or confit duck. Perhaps you'll spot a special of crisp-skin barramundi with green papaya salad, demonstrating the chef's prowess with seafood and spice. Finish with inventive smoked chocolate and hazelnut mousse, just so things don't end too predictably in this neighbourhood haunt.