Securing the talents of former New Normal head chef Charlie Vargas this year has paid off in spades for Andy Freeman’s The Flour Factory. The Flour Factory’s vibe has always been that of a hip inner-city bar with good food, a great vibe and fun with a capital F. And then the food got better.
Vargas has stayed true to the mission – this is not a fine dining bar by any stretch – so while the food is resolutley bar-centric and modern and a little dude-a-fied, it now has an edge of haute cookery, bigger flavours, sharper technique and banging ingredients.
Lamb ribs with red chermoula and lime; beetroot with goat’s curd, pear and walnuts; Hamlet pork jowl with persimmon and fennel; cauliflower with black barley, tahini and sumac.
Getting the idea? Not only does it read well, but the execution is next level.
After just a snack? Garlic potatoes cooked in duck fat and served with aioli is our recommendation.
The Flour Factory has always been one of the city’s superior bar offers with great booze and bar keeps who know what to do with it. Now, the food is reason enough to go as well. Pretty much perfect then.
