Outfitted with retro cane chairs, beautiful hand-laid tiles, floor-to-ceiling glass panels and dining alcoves framed by arched ceilings, Porta’s inviting dining room evokes thoughts of the sun-kissed Mediterranean.

Fittingly, the menu criss-crosses France, Italy and Spain, enhanced by some fresh, local ingredients, herbs and spices to showcase comforting favourites at wallet-friendly prices. Mains largely hover around $25, while the set lunch is priced at a very attractive $18 for two courses—a steal considering the quality of the produce.

The Spanish octopus, singed and supple, hits all the right spots and is made even better with the accompanying potato puffs and smoky harissa sauce. One dish that deserves high praise is the Iberico pork secreto. The beautifully marbled pork shoulder blade, glazed with honey mustard, is plump and succulent, and is served with a silky mashed potato flecked with zippy wholegrain mustard. But the bestseller in the house is undoubtedly the prawn and chorizo pasta with smoky, fiery flavours that will leave you wanting more.

For dessert, spring for the strawberry and basil panna cotta spiked with crushed peppercorns or the aromatic five-spice apple crumble.