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Aubergine

Under previous owner James Mussillon, Aubergine was a standard-setter for dining in the capital; his protégé Ben Willis has since bought the smartly appointed restaurant, but the quality remains. The lamb cutlet with minted yoghurt and cumin-scented eggplant is earthily appealing, but serving it as an entrée seems a little strange. Better to place it alongside the full-flavoured main course of yellowbelly flounder, its buttery meat taken off the bone, crumbed and paired with a prawn mousseline like some sort of luxurious giant fish-finger. Chocolate fondant is typical of desserts in that it’s fine without being distinguished. Service ranges from well-meaning fecklessness to the wine-smarts of Bill O’Rourke, one of the city’s finest managers, which can make for a chequered experience. A good restaurant, Aubergine will be better still when it cuts the cord from its predecessors.