It’s almost storybook: Louis Couttoupes went to Paris a civil servant and came back a chef. But this bustling corner brasserie doesn’t feel like a career-crisis fancy – there’s depth and rigour here that’s very real. Happily that depth and rigour is behind the scenes. Dinner doesn’t feel serious – it’s fun and adventurous.

France was where chef had his epiphany, but the influences on the menu are eclectic. A fine smoked onion consomme lands next to a Korean-inspired crisp of seaweed and whipped tofu, while a stunning grilled halloumi plated with curls of persimmon, rose petals and pistachio reads more Middle Eastern.

Turkish sivri biber peppers bring heat and savoury richness to half a grilled chook with smoked yoghurt, and the compass swings north again in the robust sauce au poivre that accompanies an attentively grilled fillet of cobia. Whether it’s service or wine, the defining vibe here is an almost exuberant confidence. Canberra dining at its most inviting.

Good to know: The speakeasy downstairs is an absolute banger.

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