Reflected in our mirrored table, so far occupied only by two pairs of chopsticks perched ready for action, are the thousands of pink petals of a cherry blossom tree which stretches overhead.

It’s one of many that decorate the space in Tattu, an Edinburgh city centre restaurant known for its banqueting menus, modern Chinese fare and dramatic flourishes like dry ice and sparklers that are made to be captured for Instagram.

At the group’s only site in Scotland, a new summer menu has just been launched, making the most of months that are filled with graduation celebrations, sunny evening cocktails and Fringe festival madness.

Even without the seasonal specials, the menu here is sizeable, and as first-timers, it’s a welcome relief when our server for the evening offers his advice for the best way to attack it.

There are two options, we’re told.

If feeling overwhelmed by choice, we can leave our fate in the hands of the kitchen team by selecting one of three set menus, each offering a different price point and pick and mix of dishes delivered in ‘waves’.

The ‘Modern Sharing’, will set you back £65 per person with highlights including short rib spring rolls, sesame salad black pepper beef fillet and Shanghai black cod, to name but a few, with Asian Pear sticky toffee pudding to finish.

The Emperor’s Choice, at £115 instead, is an all-out affair with premium plates like X.O scallop skewers, salt grilled Japanese black Wagyu and green pepper lobster.

Or, if we’re feeling adventurous, we can go off-piste – choosing whatever takes our fancy.

Not quite sure what to expect from the portion sizes, we land on the latter, once again relying on our waiter who is eager to recommend his favourites.

Pictured: Lobster and prawn toast at TattuPictured: Lobster and prawn toast at Tattu (Image: newsquest)

The staff here have just tried all the new summer dishes, he tells us, and there are a few in particular that went down a storm.

The lobster prawn toast is first up, a mile away from the limp, triangular slices you might expect from a local takeaway, and instead arriving as four bite-sized baubles of sesame-studded snacks.

A disk of firm, fried dough at their base is the only sign of toast here and does the job of adding texture to the robust chunks of fresh lobster that sits on top.

Wagyu beef gyoza comes next, best enjoyed in one bite so that the intense flavour of this tender meat ignites all at once as your teeth bust through its pillowy dumpling wrappers.

Pictured: The Peking duck pancakes are a staff favourite at TattuPictured: The Peking duck pancakes are a staff favourite at Tattu (Image: newsquest)

Both are promising signs of things to come, but it’s the sharing Peking duck pancakes that will really prove that the staff know their stuff when it comes to a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Despite having swithered over the £34 price tag, when a bamboo steamer basket packed with crispy skinned duck breast, crunchy onions, warm pancakes and smoky Szechuan pepper to drizzle is placed between us, all is forgotten.

This could easily feed three, but we’re very glad instead to feast between two, not stopping until there are just a few lonely sprigs of spring onion left.

Main courses are next, and its lemon baby chicken and caramel soy aged beef ordered to share.

A summer menu item, the chicken arrives charred and sticky with sweet citrus, ginger and a luscious sauce for dipping with an unexpected, umami-driven depth.

Pictured: Caramel soy aged beef fillet, Lemon baby chicken and shitake Singapore noodlesPictured: Caramel soy aged beef fillet, Lemon baby chicken and shitake Singapore noodles (Image: newsquest)

The the aged cut of premium UK beef is served rare and sliced thin needing little more than a touch of caramel flavour to hold its own with a side of shitake mushroom-laced Singapore noodles that could again have comfortably stretched to feed three.

Having spent almost the entire evening marvelled at the billows of dry ice vapour emanating from tables that have reached their dessert course before us, we too decided to join in the fun.

Pictured: Wagyu gyoza, best eaten in one bitePictured: Wagyu gyoza, best eaten in one bite (Image: newsquest)

And yes, the cherry blossom sweet looks incredible with its delicate candy floss garnish and dramatic plating, but also delivers on taste with a light fruit and chocolate cream scooped onto a biscuit crumb that’s a distant, more glamourous cousin to the humble cheesecake.

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Pictured: A cherry, chocolate and candy floss dessertPictured: A cherry, chocolate and candy floss dessert (Image: newsquest)

With an array of ‘Apothecary Cabinet Cocktails’ like the C&B Old Fashioned (Maker’s Mark, Banana Bruichladdich and cocoa) or Meridian (Odd Mezcal, Akashi Tai Umeshu, apricot and orgeat) to boot, a visit to Tattu should be high on your agenda for any capital city dinner dates this summer.

Tattu is located at 18 West Register Street in Edinburgh.

For more information, visit tattu.co.uk.