Omen wine bar in Albert Park serves fancy fish and chips by the beach

Have you heard the one about the Irishman, the Frenchman and the Australian who opened a restaurant? The trio knew what they were doing, made the place charming and not really funny at all. With great soul, yes. Beautiful, no doubt. Yummy – I'll tell you soon. But if you want to have fun, you can come up with your own hilarious anecdotes and reveal them to your fellow diners in this friendly 40-seat restaurant.

Omen opened in April at the beach end of Victoria Avenue, near the number one tram terminal. Public transportation is a decent option, not only because Pierre-Marie Caillaud's wine list—yes, he's French—is a marvel (and includes his own Vino Pierrot Sauvignon Blanc, $75), but because parking for here is a demoralizing party. – opening hours (until 10pm!) and resident permit areas. It makes Albert Park feel like a gated community. After a 20-minute drive before taking an hour-long spot with a prayer, Omen was a welcoming balm. It was also a good omen: the parking inspectors must have dined out that night.

The menu is more or less French… zip code wise (with money) and times (adjusted).

Caillaud and chefs Declan Carroll (Irish) and Dean Stagno (Aussie) worked together at Crown's Rockpool Bar and Grill. It was in that elegant 200-seat institution that they hatched a plan for something smaller, more intimate and their own. It took a while – there was a pandemonium for seating, and they had to find the right place – a nice corner, previously occupied by Thai restaurant Thanon.

With costs up and down, it's not the easiest time to open a restaurant, but the way Caillaud, Carroll and Stagno rationalized it, as they painted the walls, built a bar and hung some d 'art, business will never be easy. so you might as well start at the hardest point on the curve.

The menu is more or less French, with the excitement residing in fine dining and tuned service rather than innovation. This is due to the classic training of the owners, of course, but it is probably smart for the zip code (with money) and the times (tight). The prices are high considering the excellent ingredients and careful techniques. Three owners who probably aren't paying themselves yet mean the value rocker tips for the dining room.

Sourdough ($5 a piece) is baked with a starter that has been nurtured for six years. It's baked in the oven and then placed on top of the Green Egg Ceramic Charcoal Grill which does most of the cooking. The crust is slightly smoky, the inside is soft and moist.

Brioche donuts ($9 each) are filled with chicken liver parfait, glazed with sherry and sprinkled with hazelnuts and gherkins. They're a cheeky, one-bite rendezvous of indulgence and sophistication.

The duck croquettes ($10 each) are coated in a tapioca crumb made over five days using an extraordinarily complex process that Stagno learned while working for three-Michelin-starred British chef Simon Rogan.

Honestly, I'm not sure that mixing, steaming, drying, freezing, grating, and frying has any benefit, but this multi-textured version of panko makes a suitable casing for gently braised duck mixed with its crispy skin

Bigger dishes to beat the green egg include a wagyu tapa ($65) cooked just like that and served simply with condiments at the Rockpool.

Pork cheeks ($35) are slow-smoked for 16 hours in a honey-ginger glaze and served with roasted root vegetables. They are very sticky and satisfying.

Cod fillet ($45) is lovingly poached in butter and finished with a shower of bits of beer batter – the contrast of fantasy and fish 'n' chippie made me think of a poised princess in dresses of silk that collapses into joyful laughter.

If there's one gap on the menu, it's the sides. The steak comes with salad and there are vegetable components with the pork and fish, but I'm surprised that vegetables aren't offered separately. Diners often share these days, completing a spontaneous feast with roasted vegetables or dressed leaves. It seems like a missed opportunity, not only for the diners but also for a restaurant that needs to make the most of every mouth that comes to visit.

To top it off, the apple pie and blue cheese are served together ($16.50), perfectly avoiding a restaurant conundrum I always find challenging: Instead of choosing between cheese and dessert, you get both on the same plate.

The tatin-style tart is turned so that the caramelized fruit faces the diner. The cheese is Stilton, a sharp counterpoint. Blue cheese and apple are good bedfellows – pairing them like this is smart and fun.

Omen owners may not be the ones ready for a joke, but this set of candy makes a great game point.

This review was originally published on Have a great weekend magazine