“We take sustainable, locally sourced produce and cook it with global flavours and techniques. But being a restaurant goes beyond food, to things like installing a BottleCycler glass crusher so the crushed glass can be recycled into new containers, and taking staff on field trips to learn where the produce comes from.”

Rare seared kangaroo with quandong chutney and sesame rice cracker; sake washed tuna with soybean pesto and yuzu jelly; and Szechuan duck with hot mint salad and five-spice caramel.

It must be hard for city restaurants to maintain their connection with small producers beyond the suburbs. But Taxi Kitchen pulls it off from its glamorous first-floor perch overlooking the Yarra River, by virtue of Tony Twitchett’s produce-driven commitment. His free-range duck from the nearby Macedon Ranges is (rightly) the rusted-on signature: the bird dry-marinated with Szechuan pepper and chilli and served with a punchy five-spice caramel, cut through with hot mint. It’s typical of the lively, confident use of Asian flavours, yet somehow the results are purely modern Australian. Shaw River mozzarella, Sher Wagyu, Brandy Creek quail and sustainable cod farmers Murray Gold keep it proudly Victorian, pulling off that country-in-the-city thing. Drinks have an all-Victorian focus (save for Champagne, which is fair enough), starring biodynamic winery heroes such as Crawford River, Bindi and Delatite.

“Bold flavours and Melbourne views in one polished package.”

goodfood.com.au