After the tumult of the past few years with the wreckage wrought across the hospitality industry, it’s reassuring that some of Sydney’s restaurant institutions are still thriving. And Flying Fish definitely deserves the ‘institution’ title.
Originally located on Pyrmont’s Jones Bay Wharf when it opened in 2004, a move into The Star casino fourteen years later revitalised the restaurant and now the appointment of a new Executive Chef promises another exciting evolution.
Adam Hall is no stranger to Flying Fish with two previous stints in the kitchen as head pastry chef and sous chef. Having spent the past two years at Surry Hills’ degustation-only fine dining venue Arthur, Hall returns to Flying Fish with a plan to bring sustainable, quality seafood and produce to the forefront.
Diners can expect to see innovative seasonal menus focusing on local produce, native ingredients, and sustainable seafood from around Australia including a wide variety of edible seaweed and algae.
Garnishes are used to elevate the natural flavours and freshness of the seafood: Raw Shark Bay Scallops are taken to the next level with pickled desert lime and cultured cream, Hiramasa Kingfish is enhanced with green tomato and Geraldton wax, and Pacific Oysters with wakame cream and kelp oil. The results are complex and interesting dishes but ones where the seafood is still allowed to star.
The kitchen’s wood-fired grill is also maximised in Hall’s menu with the likes of Jervis Bay Mussels being smoked over paperbark, seasoned with fermented chilli served with almond cream and saltbush flatbreads or barbequed Goolwa Pipis served piping hot with chickpea miso, warrigal greens and salted sunrise lime.
In a recent interview, Hall said “building a new offering upon a restaurant with such established credentials is going to be a challenge but I’m really looking forward to getting creative and experimenting with redefining what an Australian seafood restaurant can be and what that will look like going forward.”
Based on what we have seen and tasted, Flying Fish have bagged a superstar and exciting times lie ahead. Find out more here.