Flower Drum (Melbourne CBD) 04/2015

The Flower Drum has managed to  resurrect it's reputation as one of the best Chinese restaurants in Australia, and possibly in the world. It is certainly one of the most expensive and offer excellent service in a tiring venue.
Table settings have not changed in decades,

and their show plates are gorgeous.

They have an extensive menu and also offer a six course degustation menu ($190) to which you can add $75 for matched wines and an extra $30 if you swap the eye fillet  for a waghu sirloin, which we did and I regretted as it did not improve the dish.
Here is the menu:

Chef’s 6 Course Signature Banquet
Crab Meat Crystal NoodlesHand picked mud crab, spring onion served on clear
mung bean noodles with sesame sauce.

 A delicate quality dish

 

2014 Leo Buring ‘Dry’ Riesling, Clare Valley SA
Wok Fried Fillet of Blue CodWild blue cod from Chatham Island, New Zealand,
filleted and wok fried. Served with seasoned soy and spring onion.

Pretty ordinary
2013 T Gallant ‘Tribute’ Pinot Gris, Mornington Peninsula Vic   

We swapped the next dish, a spicy quail, for another fish dish which turned out to be just a nice pieceof fish in batter.

Sauté Seafood w/ Ginger
Live Tasmanian crayfish coupled with king prawn, scallop and pearl meat,
stir fried in a wok with ginger and spring onion.

Uninspiring
2011 Kooyong 'Estate' Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula VicSome how I think I missed a course here!

Blackmore Waghu Sirloin w/ Sichuan SauceCooked medium rare or to your liking and
dressed in a spicy Sichuan sauce. Served with seasonal vegetables.

Another very nice but oh so ordinary dish
2012 Langmeil ‘Valley Floor’ Shiraz, Barossa Valley SA 

Special Fried Rice Not very special

Dessert

Choice of Dessert(excludes Bird’s Nest Soup)

 

Fresh hand-made almond cookies

Chinese Tea or Vittoria Coffee


A very nice but very expensive uninspiring meal
 Score:14 /20