Expect the unexpected at Flui, a new restaurant that opened a few weeks back in Civic, writes dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON.
Unexpected, that’s with the fit-out, the style of food, the presentation of each dish, the wine list and, dare I say it, the flow (cool, calm and collected).
Flui’s chefs draw on international experience, inspired by Australian cuisine and the cuisines of several other parts of the world.
We grazed our way through smaller plates, instead of ordering larger mains, and the restaurant was happy to “go with the flow” pressing the pause button between dishes.
High-quality, pristine plump Sydney Rock Oysters are sourced from reputable East 33. Flow has fun with food and the oysters are an example, served with yuzu granita for acidity and balance, and a tiny mound of Australian finger lime (also called caviar lime) providing pops of citrus flavour ($36 for half a dozen). We applauded the innovation.
Battered zucchini blossoms arrived with Red Leicester cheese combined with peach ($7 each). The batter was super light, but don’t expect the zucchini flowers to be stuffed. Instead, dip them into the warm reddish-orange creamy cheese mixture, served in a side dish for dipping.
Next was charcoal extra jumbo king prawns, graded at U6 (which roughly translates to fewer than six prawns per pound or about a dozen in a kilo).
The prawn heads formed a small circle in the centre of the dish and the tails danced around them. They packed a punch with fermented chilli and citrus and the prawns were lightly smoked but still super juicy ($15 each).
Leek terrine – a wonderful palette cleanser – arrived with scamorza, compressed apple and nutty dukkah ($20 for three pieces). The terrine was soft and sexy, the compressed apple powerful, but not overly so, and the thin slice of Italian cow’s milk cheese rounded matters out.
Spring Bay mussels in a dynamite tomato and spicy nduja sauce were impressive ($24). While personal preference, we agreed more fresh coriander was needed to cut through. The mussels were perfectly cooked, and our house-made ciabatta ($5 each) soaked up every bit of sauce.
For wine, we thoroughly enjoyed the Linear Fiano ($75 bottle) from Moppity Vineyard, Hilltops, NSW. This cool-climate wine, with its citrus fruitiness, is a great accompaniment to the style of food Flow creates.
We had our eye on the orange chilli flan, with caramel and matcha ice cream ($18) but had no room. Next time…
Flui’s fit-out is sympathetic to the history of the Melbourne Building. The interior features raw brick and oozes warmth, comfort and style. The music has been curated around the best of jazz and blues and the volume is set right for comfortable dining. Service is impeccable.
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