It was a Friday night, the end of that day that happens each year in Melbourne when the weather turns suddenly from gloriously autumnal to wickedly cold, the icy rain whipping at our faces as we dashed from the tram.

What a relief to step into the cosy glow of Etta, to be relieved of our soggy raincoats, to be placed at the bar and to bask in the warmth of owner Hannah Green's cheery hospitality as well as the heat radiating from the wood-fired hearth in the kitchen.

It might seem like a night for red wine and whisky, but a strawberry daiquiri ($22) on the menu is impossible to resist. Shaken with lime juice and rum and then double-strained to form a clear but pink-hued drink, the fresh berries are distilled to their summery essence. One sip and the last traces of the foul weather outside are eradicated.

If I were to make a list of the most Melbourne restaurants in Melbourne, Etta would certainly be near the top. This city's soul is as varied and hard to explain as it is instantly recognisable to those of us who live here, but there's something about the intimacy and energy of this space, the fact that it's undoubtedly a neighbourhood restaurant while also being a destination – at once casual, fancy, low-key and a bit raucous – that makes Etta a poster child for this city's dining.

That designation is helped greatly by chef Rosheen Kaul, who took over the kitchen in late 2020. It has been widely reported that Kaul was ambivalent about taking on the top job at Etta, despite a resume that includes many of Melbourne's best kitchens (Lee Ho Fook, Dinner by Heston, Carlton Wine Room).

It's one thing to execute someone else's vision properly and entirely another to write your own menu, train your own team and deliver food that forms a cohesive narrative. A year and a half on, Kaul is doing all of those things and doing them in style.

Her menu pulls inspiration from her varied heritage – Kashmiri, Chinese, Filipino, and other parts of Asia – but with such modern Australian sensibilities that everything flows seamlessly. 

Tender greenlip abalone ($12 each) are skewered with lardo and then licked by flame, the two white-fleshed proteins doing wonderful things for one another. 

Enoki mushrooms ($7) are tempura-fried and served with a creamy tarator, a Middle Eastern sauce usually made with tahini; Kaul uses almond instead, though, and then ladles on a generous spoonful of chilli oil. The dish is oily, crispy, mellow and spicy – the perfect bar snack.

One of the pleasures of Etta is that you could eat a vegan or vegetarian meal here without even noticing. The wood fire in the kitchen works a type of magic with heirloom squash ($18), served with fried basil, and to cabbage flower ($30), which comes with a Sichuan white sesame dressing. A bowl of stracciatella topped with shredded potato and burnt garlic ($18) is an absolute umami bomb, as salty and rich and decadent as any meaty dish.

But I'll admit my favourite dishes here are at least a little carnivore-attracting. The crispy rice salad ($26), studded with red curry pork sausage and shelled mussels, is an absolute standout, fragrant with galangal, coriander and lemongrass. 

The tandoori market fish ($41) – monkfish the day I had it – is enveloped in a mellow, smoked-seafood curry and topped with tiny charred baby corn, giving the dish pops of sweetness and crunch.

It's tempting to label Etta a wine bar, given the impressive list Green has put together, although I fear that description sells the place a little short. Still, what other neighbourhood restaurant do you know that has more than a dozen champagnes, many of them made by grower-producers?

French, Italian and Victorian wines dominate the list, and there's obviously been much consideration given to matching bottles with Kaul's food (the extensive range of gamays serves as delicious proof).

All of the things that make Melbourne so wonderful – our cultural diversity, our sense of neighbourly community, our love of good wine and warm spaces – is represented at Etta.

Green, Kaul and their teams have created something intensely personal, but also broadly appealing. May their collaboration continue for many years to come.

Vibe: Just modern enough, but with a lived-in, neighbourhood feel

Go-to dish: Crispy rice salad

Drinks: Fantastic wine list; lovely cocktails; extensive spirits selection

Cost: $120 for two, plus drinks

This review was originally published in Good Weekend magazine