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Vivid isn’t the only light show currently electrifying Sydney, with a dazzling DJ-fuelled display drawing crowds of foodies every night.
Those in the know are already frequenting Funda, the Firestone restaurant group’s neon-clad Korean fusion venue on Sydney’s Pitt Street, with one reviewer counting four visits in just a month.
And that’s during a cost of living crisis.
Funda’s modus operandi is simple: fun, upbeat dining with an increasingly light-hearted approach to Korean fusion food, wine and cocktails in a setting that one diner described as “like an LED cave.”
Chef Dongha Kim, who comes to Funda via Melbourne restaurant success in famed Gimlet and Supernormal kitchens, doesn’t shy away from bold and unique flavor combinations.
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There’s nothing demure about Funda’s technicolor interiors, which reflect its bold, bright approach to food.
The ramyun cradles a fried egg in shredded beef bulgogi and no shortage of scallion.
There are Pacific oysters with fermented honey and lime and a notable dish of roasted leek with Vanella stracciatella cheese, pistachio sauce and “Korean master soy sauce” that one reviewer called “delicious.”
Italians may want to close their eyes, but if you’re still eating your burrata with olive oil and basil (maybe it’s time to try it with soy-cured shrimp, ginger, and microdill), you only live once.
The Bibimmyun, a tangle of dry rice noodles, soy-cured bluefin tuna, mushroom sauce and cucumber, was “beautifully presented,” according to one happy diner.
Bibimmyun is dried noodles with soy-cured tuna, mushrooms and cucumber.
The fried seaweed roll filled with prawn and scallop mousse was a must if you ask Sydney food blogger Lorraine Elliot, of Not-Quite-Nigella fame.
You’ll want to leave room for dessert.
The jujube cake with caramel caramel and jujube mousse is also a hit with diners, but others prefer the “yeast meringue” pavlova with makgeol-li ice cream and injeolmi rice cake.
The famous yeast meringue pavlova is a swoon-worthy ending.
Fresh oysters and fried seaweed rolls with sauce are ideal for sharing.
That particular pavlova caused one foodie (maybe with a little sugar) to exclaim ‘OMG!…So good!! One of the best desserts I have ever tasted in my life.’
Funda, which is the sister restaurant of Allta Omakase, also doesn’t leave out creativity when it comes to cocktails.
The Gochu-Chang cocktail is a sublime blend of Jinzu gin with mango, lime and mango leaf oil and there’s even a Soju happy hour, for those curious who want to dabble in distilled Korean spirits similar to vodka.
Reviewers praise the incredible service, and the staff will be happy to recommend suitable dishes and drink combinations.
Although some diners complained that the portions could be a little bigger for the price, if you’re looking for ‘awesome upbeat vibes’ and something new and fun, then the answer is (obviously) Funda.