No exaggeration, this was one of my best dinners this year! Heston’s talent is incredible and is reflected in every details of this ultra chic Melbourne restaurant, an outpost of Heston Blumenthal’s two Michelin-starred London restaurant.

Located in the Crown casino complex, it is a hidden gem (literally) behind the invisible doors. Dimply lit hallway leads you towards a magic door that unexpectedly opens to let you in the atmospheric dining room. Soft lighting, leather sofas, sparkling view of the Yarra river, well heeled Melbourne crowd – everything lets you know that you are in one of the city’s most fashionable establishments. There isn’t one spare seat at 8.30pm on a Friday night, so book well in advance.

We are shown to our window table and maître d’ makes sure that we are comfortable. Glasses of champagne arrive seamlessly to the table and set the mood for an evening of celebration.

A menu is another pleasant surprise, as nothing is what is seems. Heston drew inspiration from very old recipes, some dating back as far as the 14^thcentury. I hear that ‘Fruit Meat’ is a ‘must have’ on the entree list, so we both order it and prepare for a surprise. For a main, I can’t go past Sirloin of David Blackmore Wagyu; at $125 per dish it would have to be incredible. My partner chooses Venison & Bottled Cherries and while we are left in pleasant anticipation of an incredible dinner, a warm sourdough bread arrives, fresh from the oven, accompanied with the most delectable butter. It’s that good that I can’t say ‘no’, even though normally I have enough will power to resist the bread before a gourmet meal.

Fruit Meat is incredible – it is served on a wooden board and looks like a real plum or mandarin depending on the season, served with a toast. It even comes with stalk and leaves, the only not edible part of this dish. Encased in a delicate plum jelly, is the world’s most tender pate.

While Fruit Meat is ‘interesting’, my Wagyu steak is incredible. Without exaggeration, it melts in my mouth like butter, I almost don’t need to cut it. It is worth every cent. And is it even possible to put a price on nurturing yourself?! This dinner is true luxury!

Venison I hear is just as good as my main and truffle mashed potato is a wonderful complement to both dishes.

With all this beautiful food we have no room for desert, but feel like we have to try something, even if it is only a little taste. We choose the famous pineapple desert ‘Tipsy Cake’ that has been cooking on a spit for 24 hours before it came to our table. It is another ‘not negotiable’ dish, one that you just have to try.

Pineapple arrives with five balls of brioche dough rolled in clarified butter and caster sugar and squashed together in a little cast-iron pot. Then cooked to perfection the oven with a mixture of Sauternes, brandy, sugar, vanilla and cream ladled over them.

Last but not least – the wine list deserves a special mention. Or shall I call it a ‘wine book’? Because it’s definitely not just a list.

The fussiest of wine connoisseurs will be satisfied with Heston’s selection. The list has a wonderful collection of whites and reds from all over the world and features some of the most prestigious French and Italian labels.

All In All – Dinner By Heston might not be a restaurant for every occasion, but it is certainly a spectacular restaurant for a special occasion. It has everything I personally love – elegant atmosphere, inviting warm interiors, great menu, fabulous designer food and exceptional service. Couldn’t recommend it highly enough to all residents and visitors to Melbourne! For me personally – Dinner By Heston has become one of my favourite restaurants in Australia and I will be back soon!