Dalmatino

The sights, smells and sounds of the Adriatic are dizzying once you're past Dalmatino's red-brick facade, the air heady with the scents of spices and grills. A pyramid of lemony octopus salad flecked with parsley and red onion might whiz past en route to a table of jocular diners enjoying the flavours of their homeland. Four cevapcici fingers arrive boosted by a subtly sweet eggplant and capsicum relish. It all comes together in a lofty space made snug by rich wooden furnishings, simple settings and dim lighting. Croatian wines feature, flanked by enough local and global heavyweights to satisfy most - informed staff are good guides. In the kitchen, it's not all tradition: a jade-green asparagus risotto is balanced with the bite of Maffra cheddar. Three veal eye fillets stand like soldiers on velvety lima bean and potato puree, heady with sticky rosemary jus. Occasional dishes may miss the mark, like a gluggy creme caramel. But for a Croatian sojourn on our shores, Dalmatino delivers.