It’s a slam dunk. The moment the first appetiser is put in front of me – a generous heap of shredded roast duck that’s been tossed in sawtooth coriander, dusted with nutmeg and served on a rice cracker, a mouthful of gamey goodness that finishes with a satisfying crunch – I know that chef Bongkoch “Bee” Satongun, believes in opening big.

The woman behind Paste Australia, the regional restaurant that has a solid claim to be the nation’s most exciting Thai restaurant, has plenty more dazzling dishes up her sleeve. The introductory fanfare continues with tapioca dumplings stuffed with smoked Snowy River trout, roasted peanuts, coriander and pennywort; watermelon balls nestled beneath a feather-light blanket of fried shallots, galangal powder and ground salmon; and a dish of slipper lobster and pomelo served with shredded betel leaves and chilli.