Taxi Dining Room

A decade as one of the essential Melbourne dining experiences has not wearied Taxi. The Federation Square glamourpuss remains a destination beloved by city powerbrokers and tourists soaking up views of the river and arts precinct,and chef Tony Twitchett is winning fans with his inventive continent-hopping dishes. An Asian-accented steak tartare - kaffir lime leaf,lemongrass and ginger,plus house-made sriracha and fried wontons - strikes a winning blow for fusion;scallops in a crunchy nest of kataifi pastry and smoked chilli mayo exemplify the high-octane appetisers;while raw tuna,earthed by a tangy kombu-flecked,soy and onion-powered dressing,goes back to Taxi's Japanese roots. The signature crisp-skinned Sichuan duck with five-spice caramel has made a welcome reappearance,but you can go classically Western,too,with a textbook rabbit ballotine studded with pistachio,or berries with smooth goat's curd sorbet and strawberry syrup. Staff have a formal aplomb,while the refined room proves good design is timeless.