No. 8 by John Lawson, Fine Dining @ Crown Casino

For a chef so young, John Lawson is no enfant terrible. His Eton Mess is more like an Eton Neat of meticulously arranged ginger meringue, with poached rhubarb and piped custard. And look over there, where a chicken liver parfait with just enough foie gras to make it interesting saddles up with a few like-minded friends: mulberries and hazelnuts and a sticky drizzle of madeira. It's comfortable and genially contemporary, without really grabbing you in the X-factor department. Ndjua, the spicy salami paste on a sell-out tour from Calabria, ballasts the meaty heft of charry octopus and the bold citrus of blood orange. John Dory is buttery-sweet against the rich brininess of the sea urchin crowning each piece, with more big flavours via a garlic trio including the crunchy stems and the take-no-prisoners black garlic. Escoffier with shallot puree and green spring vegetables, the only surprise a puck of caramelised daikon. Perfectly crackled pork belly with carrot puree gets a bit of rev from smoked paprika and the curve-ball choice of preserved cumquat. It is quiet enough that you can hear the clink of cutlery against china, but not so quiet that it feels oppressive and uninviting. Unfortunately, the bar is somewhat small and was already occupied so we were left to stand somewhat awkwardly in a slightly too-narrow walkway occupied by the waiters. Spread out before us was the Yarra River, a sleek, glassy black speckled with the bright reflections of myriad fairy-light-adorned trees lining the pathway. I was already stretching my budget (Melbourne is not cheaper than Sydney, despite what I've been told). Instead, we picked our own dishes: Kohlrabi ravioli and sprout salad avocado, chilli and pistachio to start. It was small, as expected, and very light yet creamy on the palate. The texture was very much like soft avocado, and it was difficult to cut in a pretty way so it ended up looking a bit messy. For me the Crispy Otway Ranges pork belly, caramelised apple puree, carrot and cider jus. Although the crispy skin was slightly difficult to cut, I couldn't complain as the crunch was amazingly satisfying. The pork was juicy but with the sauce, not too heavy on the palate. Milawa duck breast with Williams pear, Brussels sprouts, and foie gras. She had truffles added at the waiter's suggestion (it cost an extra $25, which was not mentioned). She was lovely enough to let me try some and I have to say I was surprised. It was my first time trying duck breast – normally when I eat duck it's always Asian style. Somehow, it tasted like a super tender steak (yes, steak again) except duck flavoured. Although tempting, none of the desserts on the menu really sounded amazing and after the additional cost for the water and truffles, my dessert budget was somewhat expended. They’re fresh-as-you-like and shucked to order. The mussels are great, too. You’re presented with a heaving bowl of the stuff that even the most avid mussel fan would be hard pressed to finish. The slow-cooked pork belly is a winner. A succulent tower of porky goodness sits proudly on the plate, the layers almost melting into one another. There’s apple sauce, too – both sharp and sweet at once – and slivers of jamon iberico to inject smokiness. And no pork belly dish would be complete without a blistered crisp of crackling. So peruse to your heart’s content. If you’re celebrating then perhaps a sparkling wine’s in order.

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Unfortunately, the bar is somewhat small and was already occupied so we were left to stand somewhat awkwardly in a slightly too-narrow walkway occupied by the waiters.

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