No matter what a restaurant is serving up, it's likely you often leave thinking about not what was on the plate, but everything off it. It's the service that makes everything come together, and so often they get it wrong.
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But then sometimes, they just get it so very right. And sometimes you find said service in the unassuming location of Campbell shops.
While its sister restaurants Chairman and Yip and Lilotang are next door neighbours over in Barton, Lanterne Rooms has sat by itself in the quiet Campbell shops for the better part of a decade.
The restaurant has the feel of a posh Malaysian resort, with dark wooden floors and ceiling fans. White linen tablecloths sit on the tables under gently flickering tealights, and the restaurant is separated into more intimate areas by heavy curtains and wooden shutters.
It's a slightly older crowd dining the night we head along. Staff on the other hand are quite young, energetic, and don't put a foot wrong all night. They're attentive, and everything is done thoughtfully - from little slices of lime added to the sparkling water, to carefully seating guests and making sure everyone ir comfortable, to checking before plates and glasses are taken away. They don't linger and are quite hidden away most of the time, yet seem to always be around as soon as you them> At one point our candle goes out, and within seconds it's gently taken from the table, and a new lit candle is returned.
The wine list is good - there is an entire page of interesting options available by the glass, three more pages of wines by the bottle from all over the world, including plenty of locals. But it's the sake list, which is given to us on a separate piece of paper, that catches our attention.
Not being super experienced sake drinkers we ask for a suggestion. We're told to try something more traditional first - the Dewazakura Dewasansan Junmai Ginjo ($16) has rockmelon flavours with a strong taste of mushrooms. Then we try something from the more interesting end of the spectrum - the Tengumai Yamahai Jikomi Junmai ($15) still has the mushroom flavours but with a sweet honey aftertaste.
Served in champagne glasses, the first sake is chilled and the second is a warmer, a touch we're told the sommelier, who's from Japan, is passionate about.
The menu is fairly short and dishes are designed to share and split into small and large plates.
The kingfish ceviche ($19.50) is a good way to start, fresh and full of flavour. The raw pieces of fish are stacked on slices of avocado, wedges of cherry tomatoes, with a touch of tartness from pieces of grapefruit, all sitting on a crunchy tapioca cracker. A delicious combination.
Lamb murtabak ($19.50) are crispy, meaty little morsels, served on a wooden board. This version of the traditional dish has confit lamb in fried rice paper rolls, served with strips of slightly charred red, yellow and green capsicum, and drizzled with a creamy yoghurt. The little cigars are quite hard to cut through with the knife, but it means it all holds together well, and they are quite moreish.
Plates and cutlery are removed and replaced after every dish, so you start fresh with each course.
The roast chicken dish ($34) arrives at the table with a whiff of freshness. There's not a lot going on in this dish - and that's what makes it so wonderful. Going for the clean lighter dish doesn't always scream 'fun' but this is - slices of succulent chicken, cucumber, Chinese ear mushrooms and coriander all sit in a gentle but flavoursome broth.
The meat in the twice cooked pork belly ($33) is quite dark, having been cooked in a master soy stock. Everything on this dish is tender - from the fat on the pork to the slices of poached pears and beetroot, and giant stalks of asparagus.
We have both the mains with rice, which is served by the scoopful directly to your plate and replenished by watchful staff as needed.
There are three options for dessert - the lime and coconut posset ($15) is made straight for Instagram, with a beautiful pop of pink in the middle from a raspberry semifredo, and decorated with blood orange chunks, and a very pretty rose praline. It's light and full of citrus, and a great way to end the meal.
As the night goes on, more groups crowd in and even when the restaurant is full to the brim, staff are calm and attentive. We leave thoroughly satisfied by the food, but blown away by the hospitality.
