No matter how many courses you choose – three, five or “up to the chef” – you can always count on knowledgeable service, a diverse Gallic-minded wine list and creativity from chef-owner Dan Arnold. To start, a series of snacks: hash-brown-esque pommes boulangère crowned with finely diced kangaroo tartare, say, or coriander-flavoured tapioca crackers with hand-picked mudcrab. Technical? Indeed, and always bolstered by excellent produce and awareness of the season. Later on, duck sausage comes with an earthy pearl barley and pine mushroom risotto, while tender Falls Farm carrots are paired with puffed rice, a soybean emulsion and a cup of airy carrot soup to drive home their sweetness. Three house-baked breads, a cheese trolley and petits fours – including warm cinnamon doughnuts with vanilla custard – ensure the experience in the Scandi-style dining room feels extra special. RDA’s sustained excellence over the years has resulted in high expectations; all credit is due for continually surpassing them.
