It feels, however, less prevalent outside New Acton and the city centre, and quite surprising here in old Kingston. I'm talking about Onzieme, where the team hails from the likes of Bar Rochford and Eightysix. And yet, they're occupying a windowed corner in Kingston. Canberra's inner south windowed corners, as you'll know, are more commonly home to Italian or kind-of pan-Australian casual eateries.

We're pleased to be here. It's a nice feel, a small room with bare wood, intimate tables and a royal blue decorative front to the long bar. Plus the large windows, some of which are swung open to the street, allowing a warm breeze. We are also pleased to see this style of menu - smallish dishes focused on a single ingredient, rather than structured around entree, main and dessert.

Actually, "see" is the wrong word when it comes to the menu, which is written in black marker on a glass dividing wall in the middle of the restaurant. This makes it very difficult to see. Our waiter suggests we can head over and photograph the menu then read it on our phones, so we give that a go, but it's awkward for the guy trying to eat his meal at a table directly under the menu window and I feel obliged to assure him my photos will not include his head. Even so, it is very difficult to read some of the details from the photos and we flounder a bit. This is a logistical problem.

However, we make out the words "fish head" and those are words not easy to go past. Specifically, the offering is fish head, baharat, herb salad. It looks great on the plate, a golden charred crusted head with sharp little teeth, covered over with lots of mint and coriander leaves. The fish is salty, with a curious cinnamon flavour in the spice rub. You have to go hunting for the pockets of meat, as you'd expect. I guess in the end, this is really a dish about style and attitude, more than filling your tummy.

Onzieme does a set menu at $60 a head, in which you choose two snacks, one vegetarian dish and one "protein". Since there are four snacks to choose from and there are two of us, we don't have to choose at all but simply opt for all four. Gim bugak, tofu and cured yolk is our favourite - a kind of wafer of lightly battered and deep-fried nori leaf, curled around a spoon of smoky cream, presumably the tofu. It's cool, crisp and creamy. Agnello tonnato is, I guess, lamb rather than veal, with the classic tuna sauce. This mix, spiked with onion, is served on little squares of toast and has loads of flavour. Crudo, yuzu, sesame is a pile of citrusy fish on a sesame leaf; and beetroot, horseradish, cherry is another little chutney served on squares of toast.

These bite-sized starters are an interesting way to start and set the scene for the dishes to follow. You do get the feeling that there is excessive complexity, though, for a scene setter.

You wouldn't want the kitchen spending too much time on this part of the menu if it distracts from the main game. We prefer the padron peppers that we order as a side dish ($12). The whole green peppers are charred and collapsed, and served with a very light kewpie-style mayo, described as smoked aioli. Simple, hot and good.

A large chunk of cabbage is presented simply, charred and very buttery. It's caramelised and crunchy, which is a likeable treatment for cabbage, although the richness and pervasiveness of the butter is quite overwhelming.

The quail, ssamjang, cucumber comes butterflied with funky Asian flavours in the sauce, again a nice idea and I like the way this is just quail with chunks of pickled cucumber alongside. But in this case, it's a bit dry - not a plump, luscious little bird, and I am reminded this is a very small animal. I like the simple chunks of cucumber alongside.

Mushrooms are good, seared with onions with sticky caramelised bits making them sweet, and a creamy macadamia sauce. I like the intensity and simplicity of this dish.

A yuzu posset ($14) is a great dessert, with a lovely citrus mousse covered in toasted coconut, and sitting on a soft meringue.

You'll have recognised by now the broad influences. From the Korean gim bugak, to the Spanish padron peppers, a French pork and pistachio terrine, and the Italian-inspired agnello tonnato. Yuzu, horseradish, wakame and miso, on the one hand, and the baharat Middle Eastern spice or fig leaf oil on the other. I don't feel precious about cuisines, probably because I'm not French or Italian. However, I think a more singular focus at Onzieme might help during this early phase of a welcome new eatery.

The wine list is a real strength, focused on natural, on-trend wines. To give you a feel, the wines by the glass are the Mada pet nat bubbly, an Italian Garganega (La Battistelle), and a marsanne from Margaret River (Lost on Mars from Amato Vino). Quite clearly, there's lots of love in this kind of list.

Address: 35 Kennedy Street, Kingston, ACT

Phone: 0424 984 763

Website: onzieme.com.au

Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 6pm-11pm.

Owner: Louis Couttoupes

Chef: Louis Couttoupes

Vegetarian: Loads of dishes

Noise: No problem