It didn't take long for FigMint to make a significant impact on the foodie scene. Far removed from the downtown core, Humphries' eclectic plates make it worth the sojourn. This self-taught young chef has brought an opulent sensibility to his all-day menu. Like the décor, the fare at FigMint swings wildly between extremes. At its best, it is romantic and elegant, while at its worst, it is insanely misjudged.

The smart diner at FigMint will avoid the hotel-resto clichés (i.e. beef tartare) in favour of the restaurant's creative signature dishes, intriguing salads, and blissfully puzzling desserts. The best of the small but aggressively priced starters, the foie gras ($16) comes served au torchon style over a pea-shoot salad and a toasted brioche. The kitchen also has a way with white onion and Riesling soup, drizzling (mmm, drizzle) it with truffle oil.

The menu boasts a delectable classic gruyere soufflé ($12), aided with a superb walnut emulsion with specs of roasted pear and arugula. Grilled prawn ($15), huddled together in the center of a discus-size plate, made a bright first act, alongside a tartly sweet crab apple jelly and crème fraiche. A miniature assemblage of seared scallops ($14) in a syrupy cauliflower purée was straightforward enough, though the scallops lacked flavour.

With the mains, often overshadowed by their sides, all of the time-tested gimmicks are on display. The beef tenderloin ($32) is pan roasted and paired with braised Kobe short ribs to extract every bit of flavour from this otherwise one-dimensional dish. The pan-seared rainbow trout ($26), a hearty and very satisfying dish, is firm and flavourful, with enough presence to stand up to its kurri squash and mascarpone risotto accompaniments. Served on a significantly soggy mushroom and beet purée, the braised veal cheeks ($24) is excessively braised and glazed with a strong saffron and pine nut butter.