Temporada tempts the tastebuds

When Temporada opened more than two years ago, owners Ben Willis and Chris Darragh shunned the more buzzing restaurant strips to open up in a hidden, quiet street on the fringe of Civic. Fast forward to now, and very little has changed - Temporada still sits, hidden in plain sight on Moore Street with only the Hellenic Club within earshot.

But it is one secret that isn't well-kept, as the full row of tables on the night we visit shows.

We're ushered in and seated at a table at the very front of the restaurant, with the glass frontage offering a front-row seat to Civic workers rushing to get home. Inside the restaurant though there's a far more relaxed vibe. There's lots to like about the space – a great deal of thought has obviously gone into everything from the furnishings right down to the cutlery.

The wine list is extensive and adventurous, with some interesting drops from Australia and beyond, and a decent selection available by the glass. Even the most well-versed wine drinker could easily find something they've never tasted before, and staff are encouraging when it comes to tempting you with something different. 

This restaurant may be more casual than co-owner Ben Willis' hatted Aubergine, but they're no less serious about the food. The menu is designed for sharing, starting with oysters, a fairly lengthy list of starters, a smaller selection of larger plates, four desserts, and cheese. And this is share food that shares well - we certainly don't leave hungry.

To start, we try the fried green garlic with romesco sauce ($10) – mostly out of intrigue. It's garlic shoots, coated in a crispy tempura and resting on a bed of romesco sauce. We enjoy the crispiness but find the garlic shoots a bit stringy, and a bit difficult to navigate with a knife and fork.

The raw Hiramasa kingfish ($24) is a very generous serve for sashimi. The melt-in-your-mouth fish has a nice smokiness to it, and is plated up with olive oil, avocado and yuzu.

The real standout is the Vannella Dairy burrata with broad bean and lemon pesto ($16). Spread over two slices of bread, the lemon pesto has a serious zesty kick, which lifts the creamy cheese and makes for a delightful spring dish. 

It's tempting to eat our way through the starters but we move on to the larger plates, and choose the corn and potato tortellini ($26) and the pork belly ($28). The plump pillows of pasta are tasty, and served on a bed of wheat berries and mushrooms – an indulgent combination. The pork dish is served as a Thai-style salad, with barbecue cuttlefish, green mango and a thorough serve of peanuts. It's sweet and crunchy, and a great lighter take on the standard pork belly.

Dessert is a pop of colour - particularly against the black, matte plate it's served on. Caramelised white chocolate is served in cylinders of delicate brik pastry, with a strawberry sorbet and an extra scattering of strawberries for good measure ($16). The white chocolate is luscious and decadent, and we're somewhat regretting sharing this one. Next time we'll be ordering one each.