One of the original Flinders Lane fine diners,Coda still holds the bar high 15 years on – though its French-Vietnamese premise has evolved. Even green goddess dressing gets a look-in these days.

The subterranean space holds a casual bar and formal dining room,and there’s calm,intelligent service at both. Textural white wines and lively reds show an affinity for the food’s crunchy,salty and sweet elements,especially cheong fun (fat rice noodles) tossed with puffed rice,sugarloaf cabbage and dan dan sauce.

Coconut-soaked kingfish sashimi is brightened with pops of finger lime,and tea-smoked duck breast is crowned with a glorious daikon rosette. Ultra-marbled wagyu in rendang is as rich as it sounds. But don’t let that keep you away from Vietnamese-coffee-inspired “babamisu” sporting a lick of orange liqueur and lightly salted cream. You’ve come this far.

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Melbourne CBD

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