Continuing my support for Put Victoria On Your Table, I booked a Winter Express lunch at usually super-expensive Taxi Dining Room for $35 a head (their 2 course lunch menu is normally $85).

Be warned that the Winter Express menu = the no choice menu. Fortunately, both the main course and dessert sounded much more appetising than the entree so it was an easy decision. The prelude were warm crusty bread rolls before the main of braised beef cheek with potatoe puree, mushrooms and lardons was served. It was well-executed comfort food  and I particularly liked the slightly sweet soy-based sauce, a nod to Taxi’s Japanese-influenced cuisine. The grand marnier souffle was an espresso cup pouffe which unfortunately still held grainy particles of sugar in the egg white and a slightly separated curd. Not bad, just not up to scratch for a three hat restaurant. To finish we replaced our included glass of wine with a pot of white tea (normally $7.50) and it came beautifully presented as a rectangular green ceramic platter holding a delicate white china tea set.

The service was, as usual, exemplary and the view, as usual, was a clear panorama of Melbourne’s city skyline and the Yarra river. The airy dining room is the kind of place that you take to impress your visitors, but to be honest after two visits and based on food alone I still prefer a number of other CBD restaurants (including that other award-winning Asian-influenced restaurant, Ezard).

• Taxi Dining Room, Level 1, Transport Hotel, Federation Square, Melbourne 3000 +61 3 9654 8808

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