Let me tell you about this ballotine of chicken. It arrives at the table tightly wrapped, glistening, bathed in a sticky sauce of chicken essence and butter. Cut into it and its flesh is perfectly tender, cooked sous vide so it is both soft and juicy. Rolled within are sauteed carrots and chickpeas, singing with subtle spicing: ras el-hanout, anise and cinnamon, giving the whole dish a whisper of Morocco, by way of France. Beneath is a puree of burnt eggplant and black garlic, tangy and umami-rich, dark as night and utterly delicious.

The ballotine ($29) was perhaps the best surprise I had at Malin in Carlton North – it’s a stunning feat of technique and creativity – but it wasn’t the only one. I first saw Malin touted as a new wine bar in Rathdowne Village, and I admit that my eyes glazed over. Not that I don’t love a good wine bar. Not that I don’t love Rathdowne Village. But there are already plenty of options of that ilk in that neighbourhood, and I’d rarely bypass Gerald’s or Bar Bellamy when I’m in the mood for wine or cocktails and small plates.

But Malin, which opened in early October, isn’t really a wine bar at all. It has a small bar at its entrance behind the main dining room, but that dining room is the true soul of the place – a classic Melbourne shopfront, the bones of the 1880s building providing enough charm that all it needed was white tablecloths and bistro curtains to make it feel timelessly elegant. That cosy room, plus the food on offer, puts Malin squarely in the category of restaurant – this is a place for date night, for settling in and eating half the menu. If you stop by without a booking hoping for a casual bite and a drink, you’ll likely be out of luck. The neighbours have cottoned on, and this place is packed.

Malin is the work of Tash Sorensen and Donna Katrina, who met while working at Collingwood’s Smith St Bistrot, and they’ve brought on Clement Pilatre as chef.

Pilatre is newly arrived from France – this is his first job in Australia, and his first head chef gig, too. But he brings with him some of the freshness and exuberance of the best Parisian cooking these days, and I can’t help but think that his lack of Melbourne experience is part of what sets Malin apart. There is nothing on this menu that looks like every other dish on every other menu, and that’s a welcome relief.

Take his cauliflower tartlet ($9), a beautiful puff of a thing, its pastry-and-herb shell holding tiny cauliflower florets and a swoop of silken cauliflower puree, topped with coriander leaves. It is textural and generous and fresh, and gives new dimension to a well-known and loved vegetable.

Another dish that trades in unexpected but wholly pleasurable textures: a fresh oyster, topped with a buttery beef tartare, then crowned with a dollop of sabayon and caviar ($12 each). It’s a delicate and clever retelling of surf and turf, and I’m here for it.

There are only a few larger plates, and they’re far simpler, but no less appealing. Pilatre knows his way around a steak (you can choose from an eye fillet or a porterhouse, both from O’Connor, $52 and $55 respectively), and whisks a fine bordelaise. Paired with a dish of charcoal-grilled asparagus with verjus ($23), it made for an excellent dinner.

The luxuriant simplicity of the steak put me squarely in the mood for a more fussed-over dessert, which is exactly what I got. An almond cake, to be exact ($21), topped with strawberries and a herb sorbet and tiny micro-herbs, the whole plate singing of springtime and joy.

Sorensen is a lovely presence on the floor, and a great conversationalist when it comes to her tight but exciting wine list – it’s not quite as French as the food, but it is extremely complementary. On the cocktail front, it’s mainly lesser-known classics, such as the rye-based Brooklyn, which is like a Manhattan but cooler. That tracks, right?

I’m so glad I pushed back against my instincts to ignore Malin for now, given that it sounded like so many other venues. This chef is an exciting new talent, and Malin is a wonderfully personable and extremely charming addition to our city’s dining scene. And lord, that chicken. What a dish.