St Kevins Arcade has a certain magic to it, especially at night, when it comes alive under the glow of the colourful glowing orbs which hang from the high ceilings. The central mezzanine buzzes with hungry diners as lavish sharing plates begin to fill up the tables. At the heart of all this is Gemmayze Street, named after a lively restaurant-filled street in Beirut. It’s one of the most striking spaces to dine in the entire city.

Perhaps more importantly, the food here is terrific, simply put. It’s due to the practical work of chef Samir Allen, but is also a labour of love — a tribute to his Lebanese whakapapa. Allen brings precision and clarity to this cooking, capturing the nuances and multiplicities of Lebanese cuisine with sashaying herbs, balanced spice and plenty of zing. It’s complex but not fussy. The recommended way to dine here is by way of the “jeeb”, which means ‘to bring’, a set menu where courses range from two to three, resulting in a jubilant feast of dips, salads, small plates and a protein or two that are meant to be mixed and mingled and shared. A mouthful of this, a taste of that.