Many superlatives are spent on Flower Drum and its kind. Initially I was critical of the Chinese restaurant, but a subsequent visit has changed my mind somewhat.
This website has small, local, home-cooking focus. It does not ignore restaurants like Flower Drum, just avoids them unless they offer outstanding flavours, sauces, dishes or atmospheres. There is something about the hype of the food world that is offensive. The following of the crowd or of a critic. A meal is made by more than the chef and ingredients. 'You must enjoy the meal at Flower Drum otherwise you don't appreciate food' say the critics. It's just not true and not instructive for most foodies.
Flower Drum operates in a lush premises with many waiters hovering around each table. Usually I feel uncomfortable in such surrounds and Flower Drum is no exception. I don't like the feeling of being obtrusively surveyed. I would rather go thirsty for 15 minutes than feel under constant surveillance. The upside is that with the amount of water poured into my glass I was in the toilet for most of the meal.
The food is another matter. When I was young and innocent I found that the food did not live up to its reputation. Fresh, simple ingredients? I could not understand why they would be fresher than around the corner. Once again this is partly based on the excessive Flower Drum hype, however the balance and blend of ingredients is delightful.
There are no overpowering flavours. All of the dishes that I have sampled involved perfectly complementary ingredients. The refinement in the creation and presentation of the food is also something well above the ordinary Melbourne restaurant. My opinion of the Flower Drum has been swayed by the lack of pretension regarding the food. This is simply great ingredients cooked to perfection and presented with pride. There is no showmanship. The way good food should be delivered.
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