“Momofuku Seiōbo is all about celebrating the flavours of the Caribbean with the local voice of our team and produce, and welcoming guests into a place that feels like home.”

Cou-cou made from cornmeal and okra with Sterling caviar; Western Australian marron with a spicy sofrito sauce; and dry-aged Kurobuta pork marinated in the Puerto Rican pernil style with pickled choko (because the chef loves chokos).

At the first international outpost of David Chang’s restaurant empire, Chef Paul Carmichael vividly channels his Barbados upbringing – as remixed via collaborations with local producers such as JOTO Fresh Fish’s Wayne Hulme and Boon Luck Farm’s Palisa Anderson, who grows speciality ingredients for Seiōbo on her organic farm. Even house-made non-alcoholic pairings like spiced macadamia milk have a tropical influence.

The dine-at-the-kitchen-counter concept has been turned into live theatre here, and can fast make dining in an actual dining room seem so last century.

Sustainability is a priority, so plastic straws were recently abolished. Paul Carmichael obsessively takes part in fundraisers such as Cook For Syria, while restaurant manager Kylie Javier Ashton’s involvement in Appetite For Excellence and Grow Assembly inspires and leads hospitality’s next generation.

“Carmichael is presenting a beautifully considered tribute to his birthplace ... That this incarnation of Momofuku Seiōbo exists in Australia makes us a lucky country indeed.” –Besha Rodell, The New York Times