Waqu

It's a midweek evening and the joint is jumping. The large dining room with long bar, timber floors, tables and chairs attracts a mixed crowd. The menu makes it easy for groups, with six courses and choices only required for the fish (pan-fried barramundi or salmon with sweet and sour yu-an yaki sauce) and meat (cabernet-marinated lamb, roasted duck or wagyu). Service can be distracted and if you BYO, expect to DIY. But once the waiters are engaged, it's quick smart with a delightful kaffir-lime-infused pumpkin soup, served in a martini glass with a nutty blob of hazelnut sauce atop to start. There are foams, crumbles, essences and purees throughout the meal, with many contemporary touches and presentation. Slices of rice-stuffed chicken galantine are displayed on the plate with soba seeds (buckwheat), rice and peanut tuiles. Scallops and sake-marinated mussels line up with a dill sauce and for dessert, lychee lime mousse is served with lemongrass jelly and lemonade crumbles.