La Luna Bistro

From the images of butchers' cuts decorating the walls to the house-cured smallgoods and dry-aged Gippsland beef, meat is the undoubted star at Adrian Richardson's casually stylish bistro in urbane Rathdowne Village. There's a genuine paddock-to-plate ethos here and the charcuterie is a must - the taster plate skates round the deli, from delicate lardo to gelatinous pork cheek, slivers of rosy prosciutto to hot and mild salami. Primary ingredients are generally hearty but overall dishes are executed with subtlety, like a starter of bite-sized smoked salmon pieces lightly tossed in a julienned apple salad. A range of beef cuts from the grill served with a modicum of greens justifiably steal the limelight, but alternative mains like the fish of the day, perhaps blue-eye on fluffy fennel puree with white asparagus, hold their own. The dessert share plate is a greatest hits collection, featuring petite lemon meringue, silky vanilla-bean creme brulee and chocolate fudge cake triangles.