One of the most interesting movements in Australian food is the splicing of Indian cuisine with contemporary restaurant dining. Saadi, a roving pop-up now cemented in the former Sunda site on Punch Lane, offers a point of difference: engagement with local seasons and indie growers, melded with nostalgia.

The food is storied and delicious. Rock oysters are dressed with mignonette that includes salted coriander stalks (one example of the kitchen’s waste-saving attitude). Idli – a steamed, fermented rice and dhal cake – is topped with sweet grilled carrot tossed with spiced lentil powder.

The middle course, kadhi pakora, is a soupy yoghurt sauce bobbing with vegetable fritters; spoon in cumin-flecked rice for homely comfort food. Fire-cooked lamb brisket is served with bitter greens, cleverly balancing acid and punch. Desserts are simple: a nutty fudge called barfi is sparked up with buttermilk sorbet. From an exciting young chef couple, Saadi is one to watch.

Good to know: On Friday and Saturday, everyone dines on an $85 set menu (just $45 at lunch). On Wednesday and Thursday, a la carte is possible.

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