The Saint Malo experience starts right from the front door.
Diners at Canberra's new Spanish-Mediterranean restaurant will enter through a 300-year-old oak door imported from Europe, into an intricately designed space hosting a bar, restaurant, wedding venue and theatre.
The idea is to leave your problems at the door, according to the joint's food and beverage director Kingson Joseph.
"When you walk in, you actually hit a wall and then you turn right - you're in the restaurant," he says.
"Which means you're not connected with the main door, you leave everything behind and walk into a different world.
"You forget how busy you are in life and everything just stays outside the door,"
The restaurant, owned by Zoo Bar's Rulla Bakri, was designed by friend Nik Bulum across three levels.
The restaurant features offerings with a 70 per cent Spanish, 30 per cent Mediterranean influence, Joseph said. The head chef is John Santos, who's honed a feasting-style menu.
Share platters with traditional Spanish food will fill up tables - think paella with octopus or rabbit, croquetas, a charcuterie station and much more.
When it comes to drinks, one of the main attractions is the water menu, which features 12 different house-infused waters, some served chilled or warm.
The menu continues with different types of tonics, soft waters and sparking waters.
"So even when people don't want to drink, they've still got heaps of options to drink to enjoy with their meal."
That doesn't rule out alcohol - the menu features a range of cocktails, vodka, whiskey, sangria, wines and sherry.
"We're offering Canberra something that Canberra does not have," Bakri said.
That comes down to a unique space, cuisine and service with a flourish, Joseph said.
That means "fully deconstructed service" - order a fine whiskey and it will be served in decanter with ice on the side, he explains.
The venue will also host a space for live entertainment, known as Templo Theatre, on level one, while an outdoor courtyard, known as Gardino, offers a space to enjoy treats and drinks in the open air.
The second level is home to Rito, a wedding and event space which is already open to bookings.
The restaurant, located at 21 London Circuit, will open its - finely crafted - door on August 24.
From Wednesday to Friday it will be open from 11am until late, while Saturday and Sunday, trading hours will carry through from 7.30am until late.
More information is available here.
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