Komune

Despite being housed in the relaxed locale of Ovolo Southside hotel, Komune is a restaurant that pays serious attention to detail. Take the fluid layout for example, which transitions seamlessly from loungey laid-back terrace to casual-chic dining room to intimate sequestered dining area. There’s nothing flippant about the playful vibe either. Everything is the result of meticulous planning, from the designed-for-Instagram wall mural all the way down to the beautiful, paint-splattered vessels that hold the bar’s signature Chinese Ink cocktail (a balanced mix of lychee, tangerine, lemongrass and rye whiskey; $108).

The same thoroughness applies to the food. Chef Álvaro Ramos’ sharing plates are based on the bright and sunny flavours of South America but with Japanese, Korean and Chinese inflections carefully sprinkled throughout. Served on a citrus squeezer, the restaurant’s take on Peruvian tiradito ($68) features thick slabs of raw and buttery hamachi cloaked in deliciously tangy lime juice and leche de tigre. Fried corn kernels and avocado purée provide a welcoming textural contrast, even if there’s just a touch too much heat from the sliced jalapeños. Even better is the ‘LA style’ crab roll ($90) – a vibrant, zesty mix of crabmeat and mayo served in a buttered mini brioche that’s warm, toasted and soft as a pillow. This is the tastiest dish of the evening but, in terms of culinary skill, it’s the rainbow tacos ($88) that impress the most. Made with shredded red cabbage, avocado, jalapeños and fresh coriander piled atop five mini tortillas, the dish may not sound particularly exciting but taking a bite reveals the amount of thought put into it. It’s crunchy and fresh, sweet and acidic, and finished with a sprinkle of fried kale for a nori-ish depth.

It’s all this TLC that makes Komune’s liquid cheesecake ($65) seem like such an anomaly. Despite what the menu claims, it’s more coagulated than liquid, more custardy than cake. And while it’s listed under the ‘I’m so sugar high’ page, it’s a savoury item made from camembert and blue cheese, and served with a piquillo pepper sauce that looks like ketchup. It’s overly heavy, but the taste isn’t necessarily bad. If anything, we commend the boldness of this dish. Our concern however, is the misleading description. Given how polarising blue cheese can be (disclaimer: we actually love this funky fromage), some warning on what exactly this ‘cheesecake’ entails might be necessary. After all, that’s what’s done with the ‘HK Style’ eggettes ($65), which the menu reveals contain a ‘happy surprise’. They deliver just that, arriving with sifted icing sugar and gold luster dust on the outside and jam and dulce de leche lovingly piped into every little eggy bubble. Not only are they delicious, they represent the level of detail that makes Komune a restaurant worth going to.