Some restaurants wow with flashy hooks. Those with a marketing budget might splash out on advertising. Others simply endeavour to quietly do their thing better than anyone else.

At Vex,afternoon sunlight dances across a room that teems with animated conversation and intuitive service. And anyone who’s known the simple comfort of the restaurant’s stockbrot – wood-fired dough twirled around a stick and served with creme fraiche – will defend its low-key deliciousness to the death.

Roasted artichokes are slicked with pear and sage dressing,while cobia poached in spiced butter is delicate magic (and eats nicely with a burly glass of well-priced Victorian roussanne). Tie a bow on the experience with cacao cream,sour cherries and caramel:a Black Forest flan for the history books. Barely a red meat in sight,nary an eyelid batted.

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Melbourne’s Northern Suburbs

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