The next course started to bring the Mediterranean coast to life with the Gamberi alla Griglia, a bold-flavoured dish of chilli grilled prawns, shaved fennel, charred onion petals, basil lemon butter and crispy noodles, which paired well with the Iona Chardonnay 2021.

Stefancic made sure the prawns were ever so slightly separated from the shells, making it easy to deshell them with the ease of just a knife and fork and no need for messy handling. While this dish is an explosion of bold, tasty flavours, a fair warning to those who can’t take a bit of heat that it is spicy.

After the taste bud-jolting flavour profiles of the first starters, the next dish of Carpaccio Di Manzo, comprising finely sliced raw beef, marinated mushrooms, Grana Padano shavings, wild rocket and lemon mustard aioli, comes as a welcome, leisurely pause in the menu as the palate enjoys something a bit more delicate and melt-in-your-mouth, with the addition of a beautifully smooth Iona’s Mr P Pinot Noir (2022) to accompany it.

Getting to the meat and potatoes of the menu, the main courses service both red meat and seafood lovers with the choice of a sesame salmon or a braised beef short-rib. Salmon lovers will not be left wanting with the grilled Norwegian salmon that is cooked to tender, flake-off-with-a fork perfection, served on a bed of pickled cucumber spaghetti with sweet chilli jam and perfectly complemented by the Iona Pinot Noir 2021.

If traditional, hearty winter dishes are more your taste, the braised beef short-rib paired with the Iona One Man Band (2018) is a must have. Succulent, richly-flavoured and visually unmatched, this dish allows you to eat with your eyes first before savouring the beef short-rib braised in a merlot emulsion, served with sun-dried tomato polenta and glazed root vegetables. And you will be happy to know this dish tastes as decadent as it looks.

Just when you think it can’t get any better, the dessert is the perfect end to this moreish menu. While most would go with a rich chocolate dessert or something hot and custard-drenched, Stefancic serves up an expertly executed classic vanilla panna cotta served with macerated strawberries and basil.

Creamy, delicately light and with just the right amount of wobble, there’s nothing more to want or ask for, except for a glass of Iona Noble Late Harvest (2017) dessert wine to finish things off.

Visit www.radissonhotels.com for bookings

Wanted Magazine