Anyone watching Dan Pepperell, Mikey Clift and Andy Tyson closely will notice they stick to the tried and true: French (Bistrot 916), Italian (Pellegrino 2000; Neptune’s Grotto), Chinese (Grandfathers).

But far from feeling unimaginative, each opening has felt like the city’s most up-to-the-minute interpretation of its genre, rendered in settings that you – and just about everyone – just want to be in. Clam Bar is no different.

It says New York grill on the tin, and dishes like prawns on ice with proper American cocktail sauce, named for NYC seafood spot Penny, back it up. But then there’s a very local move in dressing grilled scallops with lemongrass sambal and finger lime, say, or serving attentively grilled yellowbelly flounder with a side of chilli crisp. Even if steak comes out rare rather than medium-rare, the quality of the product is undeniable, right through to a drinks list that dares to go its own way.

Good to know: Clam Bar’s burger, served impaled with a steak knife, is only listed on the lunch menu, but it’s an off-menu order for dinner.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.