One of the first things you notice, right after passing the diligent oyster shucker, is the meat locker. Large sides of beef hang on display and there's the glint of a mean looking slicer.

This is why we love Rockpool. You can come for the view (over the Yarra and the nightly flame show), you can come for the ambiance (soft lights and savvy staff), you can come for the celebrity-chef brand. But you can’t fail to be impressed by the beef.

There’s no escaping that this is a grill. The walls are decorated with handsome photographs of cattle and the smell of the open grill could surely have the most militant vegans falling off the wagon. But while the beef is impressive, we’d suggest you don’t overlook the rest of the menu, from sashimi-style swordfish belly to grilled pigeon with quince.

This is Neil Perry’s Melbourne extension of the Rockpool brand and it’s a great way to have an extravagant evening. Large numbers of diners bring bubbly murmurs and groups range from casino goers, to bright young things gearing up for a big night out.

From the floor-to-ceiling cabinets of wine, to the huge flavours of the grill, this is a large experience in the best possible way.