Australia gets a lot of things right. Beaches and work-life balance are near the top of the list. Sure, they have their issues. An alarming abundance of deadly snakes, for one, and a rather questionable grasp of Olympic breakdancing. But we can overlook those things because anyone who has visited knows that when it comes to food, the Aussies get it very, very right.

So I arrived at Oz & Isle in Cambridge with expectations. Quite high ones, actually. This is a restaurant pitching itself as British food with a sprinkle of Antipodean flair, and I was keen to see what a little Australian influence could bring to the Cambridge dining scene.

First, the good news. The restaurant is truly stunning. An atrium with beautiful old stonework, perfectly judged lighting and an atmosphere that manages to feel both impressive and relaxed. The seats are comfortable, the layout works, and the whole place has a rather lovely feel to it. Add in service that was spot on, friendly and genuinely helpful, and you have a restaurant where you feel less like a customer and more like you’ve been invited round to your best mate’s house for dinner.

So far, so good.

Unfortunately, there’s a rather important part of the restaurant experience that comes after the lighting, furniture and smiling staff. The food.

And this is where things went a bit pear-shaped.

The menu centres around small plates and sharing boards, which is absolutely fine. In fact, done well, it’s one of my favourite ways to eat. A little bit of this, a little bit of that, everyone having a go at everything. The problem was that very little we ordered gave me much to get excited about.

The bread accompanying the meat board was, in essence, burnt toast. Not charred sourdough with a carefully considered smokiness. Just burnt toast. The meat itself was average, doing little to rescue the situation, while the tempura vegetables were disappointingly oily.

And that was the general theme. Nothing particularly offensive, perhaps, but very little that made me want to stop mid-conversation and announce to the table that everyone needed to try a bite.

Which is a shame, because I really wanted to like this place.

Maybe we ordered the wrong things. Maybe the kitchen was having an off night. Maybe the produce available here doesn’t quite lend itself to the sort of food I’ve come to expect from Australia. Those are all possibilities, and I’m happy to accept that one meal isn’t necessarily the definitive verdict on a restaurant.

But you can only review what’s put in front of you, and on this occasion, the food simply didn’t live up to the surroundings.

My advice? Go for drinks. Enjoy the beautiful building, settle into a comfortable seat, admire the atmosphere and let the excellent team look after you. Oz & Isle has plenty going for it, but based on my visit, dinner wouldn’t be the reason I’d rush back.

A restaurant can get almost everything right, but if the food is the bit you’re most looking forward to, it really needs to deliver.

Sadly, this one didn’t quite make it across the finish line.