SYDNEY
Taking cues from the 2000s is no longer reserved just for fashion, with the newly opened Funda citing “Y2K vibes” as an inspiration. The poppy, neon-lit Pitt Street restaurant combines Korean techniques with globetrotting ingredients. On the plate this may mean a pan-fried grated potato pancake with bulgogi (Koreanstyle barbecued beef) and parmesan cheese; or crudité served with an Ortiz anchovy-powered ssamjang (a spiced, salty paste) and light sour cream; or soy-cured prawns with an orb of burrata. Executive chef Jung-su Chang and head chef Chris Kim have worked at the likes of Tetsuya’s, Sepia and Supernormal, and Chang previously held two Michelin stars for four years at South Korea’s Jungsik Seoul. The 120-seat restaurant has a rotation of DJs to soundtrack the evening; and next door you’ll find soon-to-be-opened sister restaurant Allta. Here, Chang will further flex his Korean fusion skills in a more refined, fine-dining environment.
In more new wave takes Khānaa in Surry Hills is exploring Bengali cuisine with a modern edge. Chef Opel Khan is joined by daughter and chef Lucinda Khan in the kitchen. You’ll find confit duck leg samosas served with fermented daikon and mandarin; a spiced take on a millefeuille with garam masala and portobello mushrooms; and aloo pakora-style fritters topped with buffalo curd and shiraz gin-cured roe.
Nearby in Darlinghurst, The Strand Hotel has received yet another revamp, launching Strand Bistrothèque, with Public Hospitality’s culinary director Clayton Wells overseeing the menu.
Wells’ imprint on the menu is noticeable in marigold oil-topped oysters and piment d’Espelette-slicked yellow belly flounder dotted with crisp-fried curry leaves, alongside brasserie classics such as Gruyère soufflé and steak frites. A Mike Bennie-curated wine list keeps the good times going, while a regular saxophonist ups the vibe.
Bondi is readying itself for summer with a triple-up of shiny new offerings. On Bondi Road, is a swish new Spanish spot. Tapas include house-baked bread with an inventive truffle butter “candle”;
