Treehouse appeared with a bang less than six months ago. The prettiest of the Sydney Building establishments, it became an instant hit for its fantastic fit-out, feature DJs and delicious cocktails.

These are things Treehouse does well. Very well indeed. However, to assume this is the sum-total of the Northbourne Avenue oasis is to miss a fantastic and vital element: the food.

For Taste it 2013, Treehouse turned out a fabulous little feast combining the best of their new season menu matched with a selection of especially crafted cocktail samplers to match the flavours on offer.

So, where to start? Well, that was easy – a delicious aperitif made from Aperol and champagne was the perfect way to open the palate in preparation for the flavours to come. As the diners – in early on a Wednesday night – provided an excited buzz throughout the room, chef Joel Welch and his kitchen team readied the first of the dishes: a chicken pate with plum jam and caperberries.

The courses kept on coming, with host Nick Tuckwell and manager Tayla Lewis working the floor and ensuring everyone felt like it was their special night. The Japanese seven-spice prawns with apple, cucumber and wasabi provided another fresh and dazzling mouthful of flavor, while the crispy squid surprised everyone through the clever addition of a cube of Szechuan marshmallow.

Certainly, one of the highlights was the serving of chorizo on scallops. The succulent sweetness of the scallops was a fabulous contrast to the slightly crispy chorizo bearing a delicious hint of salt. How do you match this? How about a taste of the fabulously-titled ‘Blood and Sand’ made from Johnny Walker Black and Rosso Vermouth with orange juice. Confronting it may sound, delicious it certainly was.

All-in-all it was a fabulous evening at Treehouse. Finishing off with a serving of a fondant variation of the classic banana split (shared by this stage – we were more than full!) was a great way to close off an evening filled with creative morsels that contained humour as well as flavour. It was a fabulous effort, and showcased another reason why Treehouse is a great place to play.