15/20  Wine List of the Year

Melbourne hasn't seen Chinese done like this before. We're not only talking about Neil Perry's dark, moody and seriously sexy clubhouse that looks something like a Shanghai speakeasy, but as Spice Temple shows, Chinese is a cuisine of regions far removed from the sameness of Cantonese. The aggressive tingle of Sichuan pepper infuses plenty of the action, where the hottest dishes are marked in red on the menu: 'strange flavour white cut chicken' achieves a wonderful balance between the cold, velvety chicken and the sluice of fiery sauce; hot and numbing dry wagyu brisket lives up to its promise. But Spice Temple isn't all about the heat, and there's subtlety in the lengthy menu. Cumin-spiced lamb pancakes nod to China's northern border, luxe seafood includes spanner crab and tofu in a sauce of ginger, chilli and fermented broadbeans for a lilting heat and soft richness, and watermelon granita with ginger syrup is a refreshing finale. Unquestionably the most exciting Chinese in town.

Open Mon–Fri noon–3pm; Sun–Thurs 6–11pm; Fri–Sat 6pm–midnight
Typical prices E $20 M $35 D $14|
Cards DC AE MC V
Wine A 100-strong list with a bias towards aromatic whites and spice-friendly reds
Owners Neil Perry, Trish Richards & David Doyle
Chefs Neil Perry & Ben Pollard
Seats 140; private room; bar

And … The cocktail menu is matched to the food.