Andrew Mitchell, assisted by Steve Liebeskind, was in the kitchen, and some pretty classy Indian food was the result. As starters, there was a thick spiced pumpkin and kumera soup served in teacups, and pork satay sticks, marinated in Eastern spices with a chili hit, and grilled just so. To wash them down, it was chiefly a 2003 Richmond Grove Watervale Riesling, sound and soft, and an array of others, including both the Fino and Amontillado sherries from Lustau.

For the main course, it was a roghan josh –style lamb curry, with diced lamb leg cooked in a rich sauce with English spinach leaves, sliced green chilis, plenty of garam masala and coconut milk for extra flavour and texture. Not very hot, but sliced fresh birdseye chilis served as a garnish provided plenty of burn for those who wanted it. Long grain rice was well cooked and served in moulded discs with a spicy date chutney. There were authentic curry flavours with a delicate hand on heat so as not to disturb the faint-hearted. Delicacy was the key to the accompanying wines, a 2013 Tellurian marsanne from Heathcote, high on alcohol at 14% but a bit dull; and a 2013 Rose from the same maker, made on shiraz, grenache and nero d'avola (a Sicilian grape) which was definitely in the crisp and savoury French style and a much better match with the food.

The cheese arrived late, but although slightly cold was a delight: one of the Society favourites, Taleggio washed rind from Lombardy in Italy. With golden rind and delicate nutty paste, this worked very well with some simple sliced apple and strawberries, and with a couple of bigger wines: a 2012 Avance pinot from Tasmania from the Glaetzer-Dixon stable and surprisingly robust and potentially long-lived considering the variety and origin; and a 2004 Bethany Barossa shiraz, restrained at 13.5% alcohol and in style, fine tannins underpinning a lovely drink at (or maybe slightly past) its best.

The coffee came from medium roast Monsooned Malabar beans from India, so called because the green beans are exposed to monsoon rains after harvest, losing some acidity in the process. It was robust and pungent with a clean finish. Some home- made coconut balls from the chef were a sweet and soft accompaniment.