Have been dining @darrenmfcfood for over 12 years , and absolutely loved my visit to his latest chapter @izy.aki . Kappo omakase style dining with a daily changing menu based on produce and the creativity of Darren and his head chef Bonnie .

You can rest assured that there will always be “the egg “ - a silky Jindabyne egg with perfect old school onion soubise , smoked eel , foie gras . The texture is pure silk and the sweetness and salinity are in balance .

Chawanmushi is also a menu mainstay , uniquely served at room temperature , it once again plays with those lightly sweet flavours and the brininess of caviar .

Dishes generally fall in the deceptively simple umbrella , be it prawn crudo with Port Phillip Bay Uni , or tuna akami sashimi just given a light marinade to accentuate the Unami , or a warming octopus beignet which kick starts the meal .

Stuffed zucchini flower with a seafood mousse , harks back to a classic European preparation , again texture wins the day with the mousse having structural integrity and a light bite .

King George Whiting , quail and a show stopping Sher Wagyu are all cooked over binchotan coals to absolute precision, and paired with complimentary flavours .

And every meal is guaranteed to finish with souffle as has been the case with Darren’s menus for as long as I have known him , it’s a nod to the past while continuing to drive firmly into the future . Less