CIRCA The Prince Restaurant

Although trained in classical French cuisine, the Brit who became Head Chef last year prefers no-frills presentations where natural food-the restaurant uses 3 percent of its ingredients from its garden at nearby Albert Park-is the center the attention. The restaurant directs gaze to the star of the evening, food, with well-positioned spotlights that hang above each table. Dark drapes are juxtaposed against white leather furniture. Everyone's experience is entirely their own just like at a theatre production.

That impressive wine list (the waiter hands over a leather-bound book) contains over 1,400 different labels. And Circa has also just been offered a very intriguing 1995 Krigs clos d'Ambonnay Blanc de Noirs. liam O'Brein os circa's resident sommelier.

Dashing Dishes

Paired with 2002 Bay of Fires Arras sparkling wine from Tasmania, the bread-crumbed lamb cutlets were an excellent prelude to what was up Wilkinson's sleeves. The only whetted our appetites. There is no better way to celebrate the fresh oysters than no to have them whole and raw. No frills. No fuss. The shucked clair de Lune gems were light, sans a strong metallic aftertaste that sometimes can put dinners off. Wilkinson (the chef) also served a deep fried version which was not dry and retained the original seafood taste.

The entree of a blue fin tuna was lughtly seared on its sides so that it was rare and a nice pink. This was paired with a slightly sweet sherry onion relish with pinenuts to give the extra crunch to an otherwise immaculately tender dish. Tenderness varies with rump because it is a working muscle. But Wilkinson seared the outside of a sher wagyu rump cap to a perfect pink, so that the meat did not become overly chewy yet was still juicy.