A raviolo, oozing duck egg yolk and smoked potato over a foam of fermented white asparagus, arrives early in the meal at Sydney Common, a signal that this isn’t your average hotel restaurant.

Overlooking Hyde Park from the first floor of the Sheraton Grand, the dining room is all warm timbers and wavy lines, bookended by a flame-lit kitchen at one end while martinis glide from the bar at the other.

Chef Dylan Bennett’s menu sparks confidently with global influences, hitting a skewer of smoky tri-tip with Sichuan pepper-spiked jus and spring-onion oil, and a charry pork chop with a pickled walnut ketchup that’s all umami. The spanner crab crumpet is a party of richness on carbs, and every drop on the brisk wine list is available by the glass.

No room-service vibes here, this clever cooking makes Sydney Common a destination in its own right.

Good to know: For $39 you can score free-flowing house wine throughout your meal. Also, the bar is open daily.

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