It’s not for everyone, but the audacity is exactly what gives Little Rose its brilliance

Some dishes play it light on the Frenchification: a Kampot pepper and pearl meat saute is described as “au poivre” but it’s more a trick of language than cooking. I’m not complaining; the use of pearl meat in this context is thrilling, and if anything it lends a decidedly Australian angle to Kaul’s repertoire.

The wine list is predictably wonderful for Francophiles, but there are some fascinating Chinese bottles, too, as well as a few detours into Italy, Germany and even Georgia. Drum and Tait, as well as Kaul’s longtime front-of-house collaborator Rachel Toca, provide the kind of personal, fully invested service that you only ever find in businesses that are a true labour of love.

This is not a restaurant for everyone – audacity doesn’t typically aim to please the masses. The food is unapologetic in its funk and swagger. The team is small; the pace is slower than at slicker, more resourced venues. But eating at Little Rose offers a rare opportunity, one in which you can observe food culture evolve in real time. This is something new, something vital, an expression of an unbridled global identity that is, increasingly, where the frontier of culinary excitement lies.

Atmosphere: Pure, unadulterated neighbourhood brasserie

Go-to dishes: Pommes puree ($22); fish of the day (market price); coquillages froid ($22)

Drinks: Strong classics-with-a-twist cocktail game; excellent France-heavy wine list with some fascinating Chinese options

Cost: About $200 for two, excluding drinks

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