Taxi Dining Room

Buy the Good Food Guide 2009 online.

Several years into an ownership change, the consistency at this brassy dining room is almost as refreshing as the space itself, a powerful architectural statement of optimism in Melbourne. This is THE show-off place to take visitors.

Taxi’s uncompromising modernity is matched by slick service, an unpretentious yet serious approach to wine and, largely, Japanese-inspired food that has managed to dodge the international winds of change blown by the likes of Adria, Blumenthal et al. With an accent on snappy presentation, Taxi delivers straight Japanese (excellent sushi/sashimi) and a raft of dishes with a Tokyo accent, such as the kingfish sashimi with spring-onion pesto, ponzu jelly and a sesame-daikon salad.

Elsewhere, the chef’s classic roots emerge, with seemingly incongruous but effective plates such as his duck, rabbit and foie gras ballotine with rhubarb and moscato jelly. And several mains, particularly fish, exhibit the fruity acids and sweet chilli caramels of the best Modern Australian cooking inspired by South-East Asia.

Desserts are not quite as consistent: a passionfruit curd can be tart, but poached figs with chocolate mousse, vincotto and vanilla icecream make love to each other, all for your benefit.