Mamacita Foodie And Hola Con Lola
+5
Absolutely love the Peking duck!
We had lunch last Friday with friends here
Food is delish
I can’t wait to come back!
An iconic institution in the Melbourne food scene that has surpassed the test of time. Wasn't sure what to expect but imagined it might dish up exotic meals like those seen on Iron Chef. A little disappointed this wasn't the case as the menu was primarily Western-centric. The food was amazing and a super impressive wine list.
DO: Everything on the menu that you can afford. If you have no idea do the banquet or better yet, have a chat to the waiters and they'll sort you out.
DON'T: Forget the wine list.
TIP: There are a lot of "off menu" items. The Neil Perry crab Noodle is my fave. Ask the Waiters and say hello to the handsome Jason, the owner of Flower Drum
We had a wonderful birthday dinner here right before the restrictions came. The entrees were excellent and the scotch century egg and fried potato pear were the highlight of the night for me. We also tried the pearl meat (nice), honey ribs (tasty), e-fu noodles (delicious), barramundi noodles (interesting, lo hon veggies (great), vegetarian 1000 leaf tofu (nice), chicken with moutai (slightly salty), special fried rice (tasty), baked chestnut pudding (delicious), milk pudding (so-so) and deep fried ice cream. A special mention to the staff who were superb - very attentive and considerate, the tea cup was never left empty. The price was also very reasonable. Thank you to the team for a brilliant evening, highly recommended!
I love this place. The food, the vibe. Just an amazing, iconic experience in itself.
Absolutley love the Peking Duck here. Generous portions for the banquet. I think we were a little greedy wanting to try everything. Definitely appreciate that they were able to substitute beef to seafood for me. Would love to come back and try the al la carte menu next time.
Great classic Chinese restaurant, great service first class, food simply the best, great atmosphere. This was the best Chinese food we have tasted in a long time. Would highly recommend
We had a spectacular birthday lunch for my dad today. Quality of the produce was evident as was the care of the cooking with very gentle flavours highlighting the coral trout and the beef. We loved the Peking duck and this is a must have at Flower Drum. Huge thanks to our wonderful waiter Barney who made dad's birthday very special and really made sure that we were well looked after. Such a kind and knowledgeable waiter. Thanks Barney!
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Flower Drum has been in Melbourne for many years and it is a 2 hat restaurant. Nice decor and the ambiance is awesome for special events.
I have been here twice already. This is the third time.
Ordered the $150 banquet.
Look at the photo for full menu descriptions.
The first dish is the mud crab stuffed baked crab shell. Lots of crab meat mixed with curry mayo stuffed inside the shell and baked. Thus is a replacement of the abolone. Tasted good.
The next dish is king st George whiting with fried Enoki garnish. So fresh and delicious with the pepper salt and lemon juice.
Next came the seafood plate - 2 king prawns, 2 pearl meat, 1 scallop and crunchy sweet peas. Very fresh and tasty.
Peking duck is next with each person 2 pancakes wrapped with roast duck, cucumber slices and hoi seen sauce. Succulent and delicious.
Follow by grain fed black Angus eye fillet with Sichuan sauce. Very soft like cloud. The sauce is a tad too light. Luckily I was given the home made fermented prawn sauce. Dish came with fried seafood rice.
For dessert, mango crepe, chestnut pudding and milk pudding.
Overall very good, I can see why they are given the 2 hats. Very good service too and fast. Just tell the waiter you want your meals to arrive quicker. Highly recommended.
Expected a bit more. It was a work lunch and took 40 minutes to bring the first dish and there was no flow or service that you would expect at that cost. Baked crab and Peking duck was amazing and mains were average (barramundi and prawns). The dessert was nice but again, expected more and plenty more and better places to try I think.
One of the oldest and most expensive Chinese restaurant in Melbourne. They have consistently listed in the top restaurants in Victoria. The dishes are cooked perfectly in a traditional method and the service is top notch. The seafood are fresh and the pork chop is soft.
This place has got a classy reputation. When you tell people you're going to Flower Drum, they're expecting a fancy dinner with a price tag.
The foyer to Flower Drum looks like a past edition of a magazine insert, and the main restaurant is decorated with like a traditional Chinese restaurant. Pretty crockery is on the table when you sit down, but this is taken away before the food arrives- not sure if we didnt order something or if it is for show.
I enjoyed the food, but I wasn't wowed by it either. We were quite full with the serves and had to take away dessert as it was too much. I didnt get the hype much, but it was a pleasant experience. Not much love for the blue cocktail though 👎
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Flower Drum is definitely on the high end of the spectrum. Classy, refined and elegant. There's a whole presentation before each meal where they prep each portion per person right in front of you.
Ordered:
🦀 2x baked crab shell: $70.00
🦆 Duck Wontons: $42.00
🦆 Peking Duck: $40.00
🍗 Half Crispy Skinned Chicken: $25.00
🥩 Black Pepper Eye Fillet Steak: $40.00
🥧 Fried Bean Curd: $18.00
🍚 Small Special Fried Rice: $19.00
🍨 Deep Fried Ice Cream: $18.00
🍵 Oolong Tea: 4 x $5.00 per cup
Review:
There is always something intimate about watching someone prepare your food. Seeing our waiter take such care before each dish, and serving it to us was a touch of personalized experience. He also kept a watchful eye over the tea, and although it shocked me that tea was charged on the bill - luckily there was no a charge for refills.
Overall, the favourites for me were:
1. 🦀 Baked Crab Shell: with its cheesy outer layer and easy to consume and flavourful insides. It didnt taste too much of the sea, but it was amazing enough that I still remember the taste a month later.
2. 🥩 Black Pepper Eye Fillet Steak: was amazing in its medium cooked form. Soft, tender pieces that seemed to melt in your mouth. There was no where near enough of this!
The total price of $292.00 for four of us / $73.00 was a little expensive for the portions we received. However, for a really relaxed experience, where each dish is prepared carefully, consider Flower Drum for your next celebration.
Make sure you make a booking beforehand!
First time coming to Flower Drum. Every dish that came out was outstanding. So yum!!! My favourite was the mushroom dish. The steak was so tender & pork was soft & flavourful. 😍
This restaurant is well known since the 90’s. However it has changed owner last few years. I was told by a friend that it was a very grand restaurant with the setting like a Chinese palace and the prices are very pricey. Furthermore bookings has to be made in advance. So recently my family of four went to have our dinner there. Upon entering the premises, it was not what I had expected. The restaurant was renovated and quite modern and fit for fine dining type. The staffs are well trained and professional. We ordered a bit of almost every dishes for trying. Portion of dishes served are just enough for sharing. Menu may be different from other restaurant and prices are not cheap either. This place has been overrated. It is a place where you will not patronize often unless it is a company’s function or on occasion.
Look, this restaurant isn’t cheap but the food and service is impeccable. It really is a Melbourne institution.
I also love the nostalgic/old school decor as it takes me back to my childhood family lunches/dinners.
Definitely one of the best Chinese restaurant in Melbourne. You won’t get disappointed. Service is excellent! We were trying few more dishes but didn’t even have a time to take all the photos. I would come back here again in a heartbeat. Highly recommended!
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This restaurant have reputation of one of the best chinese cuisine in melbourne. The place and the ambience were so stunning like a traditional chinese restaurant with the huge grand entrance and the red wall on it. Moreover, from my overall perspective, this place really look sophisticated and modern. the staffs were also very attentive and friendly to me.
FOOD
1. Peking duck
2. Yeung chow fried rice-special fried rice with prawns, bbq pork, egg, asparagus and spring onion
3. Sauté seasonal vegetables-selelction of green vegetables
4. Mud crab & fish maw & egg white
5. Black Angus eye fillet
6. S.A Calamari
Overall, the food was really good, what i really recommend is that the crab and the black angus eye fillet, i feel like both dish are really one of the best dish that i’ve ever had in melbourne. Feeling so happy about their service too, always pouring tea whenever my cup is finish.. one of the best service that i’ve ever receive through my eating journey in melbourne..
Thank you for the experience. Will come back again for sure
#BHAsFoodDiary
I nice spot in the CBD for a special event. A bit pricey for an average night out but a quality feed none the less. I have been here a couple of times and both times left extremely satisfied.
Never ever order off the menu. Let the professional waiters do it. They are well versed into the seasonal produce and what is the best way to cook it.
Definitely a great dining experience - ordered mostly seafood and they tasted super light and fresh. Great service, friendly and informative. Food came out a bit slow though. Guess I should have asked for everything all at once.
Flower Drum has a legendary reputation for Chinese fine dining in Melbourne. Its name is always spoken of in reverence.
Flower Drum's entrance is grand and its interior is stunning.
While the food is typical Chinese cuisine, it's their service that is second to none. Their waiters and waitresses have an almost telepathic ability to predict what your immediate needs are - tea cups never stay empty, dirty plates are changed at just the right moment and it is impossible not to be able to attract the attention of their attentive workers for assistance.
So while we enjoyed their food, it's their high quality of service that we will always remember.
Yes, it's pricey but for the Camelot of Chinese cuisine in Melbourne, it's worth it.
This restaurant is really worth 5 stars. The service, the food, and the experience was great. The food was unique, full of flavor and it was delicious.
Ordered the crispy skin chicken with lemon and salt, black angus fillet, barramundi made into noodles, seafood rolls, and peking duck in a banquet. It came with fried rice, veggies and almond cake dessert. Food was great but slightly small in portions however their service is amazingly attentive, and friendly. Loved my experience here!
My favourite Chinese restaurant. Super impressive! I’m much more adventurous with food choices here because everything is so perfectly prepared, I’ll eat it all! Such a beautifully decorated restaurant too!
OMG. Wow. The door the entrance, the elevator up, the room the atmosphere, it’s definitely a rare occasion to be in awe. It’s absolutely beautiful. The food is beautiful, the experience memorable. The most outstanding thing however was the service. The best waiters in the country 100%. Pricey though.. very pricey. But worth it. Recommended
This restaurant has been so famous as the best Chinese restaurant in Melbourne and I have been there finally with group of friend.
We didn't know what to order so had the 4 courses of set menu and it was so satisfying eventhough we paid extra $10 each per person for upgrading the fried rice which was including in the set menu.
The drawing on the plate for peking duck was so impressive and special experience.
The service was superb and all the ingredients were so fresh and tasty.
The interior and ambience were quite old typical Chinese style and I didn't like the red carpet personally but the restaurant is clean and pleasant.
Impressed with the layout, service and ambience. Food hit the mark, and highlights were the pearl meat, wagyu cheek and dumpling seafood soup with scallops that were fresh and full of flavour. Everything is fully valued/priced however, and some overseasoning did mask the flavours of the meats/seafood underneath, but still recommended!
Flower drum was a great experience, heard a lot of good things about it so was good to try. We had the banquet menu which had around 4-5 dishes and had great flavor.
The flower drum is quality Chinese fine dining. It’s been around for years and is a Melbourne classic. When it first started it was in a class of its own, but now Melbourne is so lucky to have one of the most vibrant, inventive and high quality food scenes that the flower drum may have lost some of its spark. But, it’s still great food and service. The Peking duck pancakes are wonderful and the Black Angus rye fillet is always a fave. A must try if you’re a Melbournian.
Had a wonderful experience here. I felt immediately welcomed on arrival by many of the friendly staff. The restaurant has the atmosphere and ambience of just what you would expect from a Chinese restaurant, but with a little more flair. The service was great, the cocktails beautiful, and the food delicious. The only dish to fault was the barramundi noodles... not much flavour going on. Apart from that, a very pleasant evening. Highly recommend.
Treated to a birthday celebration here and was very impressed. This place is top notch. Not usually a fan of Chinese food but I am a fan of this place. Had the lunch banquet: Peking duck and crispy skinned chicken, served with greens and fried rice. Everything was splendid, decent value too all things considered. The service is impeccable. I can see why this place is so highly rated. Will be back.
I went a little while ago and it was a great tasty treat. Amazing service and great food. Chinese like I'm not used to. Abalone and great Peking duck. So juicy. I'm not sure when I'll be back but I'm glad I got to try it.
Service - Very attentive and friendly staffs. They take their time to explain each dish and the ingredients used.
Food - They are very consistent with the quality of the food. Although portions are small but each dish taste amazing, they even removed the shells from the lobster.
Wine - Relatively small wine list but the quality is there, especially the vintage wines. The manager explains and suggest wines for different dishes.
Most people have a Flower Drum story, and a view on its merits as a big night out. Back when I first ventured there in my mid-twenties it was a three star restaurant still at the height of reverence from most dining circles.
It was described to me at the time as a destination restaurant even for people living in China. Naturally, I took that statement with a degree of skepticism, but when your waitperson has been at the same restaurant for 25 years, there is an instant knowing that something is going particularly well, in a world where a year is a milestone in hospitality.
Fast forward almost one and a half decades and the knowing is of a different kind.
My partner and I came here last night for my birthday. The service was the best I’ve ever received, I’m left handed and within moments of grabbing my chopsticks they came and reset the table for me. I’ve never been anywhere where the staff were that attentive to small details. The food was simple yet full of flavour and just what I had been craving. We wanted to share the duck wontons, which has 3 pieces, but the waiter was lovely and gave us an extra so we had 2 wontons each. The mud crab was divine, and tasted so familiar, like something my mother would cook. The Peking duck was a done beautifully, biting into the crispy skin and having the sauce and that rendered fat just mix in your mouth, then a light refreshing hit of cucumber in there too. Will definitely return to try the 6 course banquet
Ate tonight at the flower drum. A good fress. The food was delicious and the food was fresh, tasty and was nice. I felt a million dollars the waiter was great and will come again.
I’d never been here but had always wanted to come to this well known Melbourne icon. It’s an extraordinary experience with the food and service hitting very lofty heights. We had the six course banquet and found every dish absolutely superb. The service hit incredible heights. It’d be close to to the warmest and most professional service I’ve ever experienced. I can’t fault the restaurant. It was truly excellent.
third time to flower drum and what can I say it's flawless from the food to the service, you must try the dim sum it is the best in the country other noteble dishes had , quail San Chow bow , Peking duck pancakes , fried pork ribs , honey glazed ribs , lamb spring rolls !
Best chinese i’ve had, the sauteed seafood is excellent, lobster is big and springy and presentation is different to your standard chinese restaurant. The peking duck is very refined and delicate. Even the fried banana was so good, batter was so light and crispy. If you are willing to pay the money, they definitely give you quality produce.
The food is very good and standard Chinese fare..service is outstanding too. Would love to give it five stars but it didn't have the wow factor ... Excellent place all the same
It’s been many years since I’ve been here and not much has changed. Formal fine dining service together with Cantonese cuisine cooked and presented beautifully. The quality of the ingredients are top notch. However, we all felt as good as this place is, it does seem a tad outdated here in 2018 and not that exciting. Another letdown was the long time between courses, argh! So excruciatingly painful! We spent over 3 hours here!! Too long! Oh well, a dinosaur will always be a dinosaur.
Chinese fine dining at its best. This place is a hidden gem. The staff are very friendly, and the food is substantially elevated from other Chinatown eateries.
Went here with my family and the service was amazing but the food doesn’t meet the expectations. The food was good, but not authentic Chinese and I had the beef hor fun and it lacked seasoning. Overall the food was average
Always wanted to try flower drum been so famous in Melbourne. Finally had a chance to try it out. The service was excellent the food was delicious. Recommend pan fried tooth fish and wagyu short ribs, crispy coating with tender meat. Barramundi noodles are amazing too!!!!
Staff was great, scallops were divine, but we found the rest of the food average for the prices they’re charging. Glad I went, but wouldn’t go back.
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They say this place is an Melbourne Institution and I can see why. From the moment you walk in, the dining room has the confidence and grandiosity so typical of Chinese restaurant. The waiters are scurrying around and are incredibly attentive. At times, I thought they were a little pushy with trying to sell a drink. All dressed in the same waistcoat and white shirts, they looked impressive in their uniformity.
We opted for the four course menu.
The food was definitely 'bastardised' Chinese food and appeared to be designed for the more western crowd. The more elaborate six course menu boasted the signature Chinese delicacies which are more typically associated with the East.
We had steamed oysters in black bean sauce, King George Whiting, Peking Duck, Black Pepper beef with greens and fried rice and finished off with fried ice cream, an undeniably un-Chinese but decadent way to end the meal. The food was delicious and the service prompt, and before the end of the night we were struggling to stomach the home made almond butter cookies which deserved far more attention.
I'm glad I finally managed to come here. The prices really are exorbitant at Flower Drum, but it will buy you an unforgettable experience.
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Flower Drums has a reputation for exceptional customer service and Cantonese cuisine fine dining experience. My last visit to Flower Drums was a few years back and decided to return for a birthday treat. The restaurant located in Chinatown has been around for over 40 years , won many awards and widely featured in international travellers and culinary magazines. However, the building is a bit old. The elevator could use some servicing as it was a bit squeaky going up to the restaurant. The carpet could be replaced too and looked a bit dated. The staff are all well dressed in long sleeves and the senior staff are in suits. The staff who looked after us was a lovely older gentleman, was very warm and friendly. I asked him for recommendation as we wanted a light lunch for a hot day. His recommendation for the pearl meat was delicious and light, beautifully presented in big pearl shells. He even joked if I find pearl amongst the meat, I should give it to the birthday boy! He also recommended a special seafood crispy noodles dish for the birthday boy as a symbol of longevity. The seafood was so fresh and the noodles was so flavourful. The Peking duck was so juicy and presented with hoisin sauce drawn in a duck shape on the plate, how creative! Then as compliment from the house, came a big plate house made almond cookies and candle as birthday wish. How lovely!! The only let down for me was the fried ice cream. Overall, it was a grear experiment albeit the high price tad but it's worth it for the special occasion.
Best Chinese cuisine in Melb, they say... well, I'm still waiting for the drums to beat to the final bang. Having said that, it is after all a Cantonese restaurant and Cantonese cuisine is all about simplicity and clean flavours done well and there is much finesse at the Flower Drum. Couple that with impeccable service. At the end of the day, I do like it... just a tad pricey for me.
I first discovered Flower Drum from an issue of the Conde Nast Traveller magazine. A photo of thinly sliced, glossy crispy duck skin enveloped in a pancake with shallot and cucumber took up the entire page and it looked as tempting as ever. Immediately Flower Drum was added to my list of places to eat.
Delicious. Best Cantonese in Australia. Baked crab in turmeric sauce beautiful. Whiting with fried enoki so fresh and tasty it was amazing. Peking duck pancakes perfect. Short ribs too rich for me but husband loved
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Finally got the chance to have dinner at the famous Flower Drum Chinese restaurant. The decoration of the restaurant was full of Chinese elements, elegant and low key. The overall service was quite good.
Due to the large number of the group, we decided to have the banquet.
#Pearl meat#-beautifully sautéed with asparagus, light, fresh, tender and sweet. Simply sautéed with no extra sauce to reflect the true flavour of the pearl meat! Recommend! But the #tooth fish# was quite disappointing, fresh but nothing stood out regarding to the flavours.
#duck pancake#-was another highlight of the dinner. Freshly steamed pancakes wrapped with juicy tender duck meat and crispy skin. Every bite was satisfying, and the sauce painting was quite cute.
#grain-fed scotch fillet# and #special fried rice# didn't impress me again. Even though the beef fillet was extreme enter, lack of "heat" and the "punch". #chestnut pudding# needed extra time since it baked freshly. Nice dessert to have but little too sweet for me. The kids were quite enjoying the #fried ice cream#.
I had very high expectations of Flower Drum, but the overall flavours of the dishes I got was not that impressive. Also the price tag was high too, maybe I should try their A La Carte menu next time......
Went here for our anniversary and loved it. Firstly going up to the beautiful red door so mysterious. Then up into the elevator and once the doors opened. Totally in love with the decor! Ordered the special fried rice, pork crispy noodles, king prawns in garlic butter and the Waygu beef! I loved the table service where they plate the food so delicately. The taste was amazing. I was worried looking at it that the portions were too small and we would be hungry but we weren't. It was amazing. My favourite was the wagyu beef. Done to perfection! The fried rice is average but when mixed with the meat it was good that the fried rice didn't distract from the main component of the meat. I was so full couldn't even make it to dessert. Even the cutlery was spot on. Service was impeccable. Couldn't ask for a better night. Loved it !
Had a great night at the flower drum. The service was very good and the food was excellent. The duck pancakes are the winner! Would highly recommend
Good Food = Happy Mood
+3.5
This place has been on the list for a while and finally we made it here , nicely set up and very organised was expecting a much more quality and better food , nothing special
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Drumming to its own beat.
Picture this. Earthbound entrance, unappealing lighting and a confusing entrance before jumping on the lift to quickly ask your partner if you're going to die tonight, "This is the right place, right?" Sure enough, when the doors opened, the warm lighting welcomed you to a grand view of red carpets that continued off to the distance with an army of waiters. Luxury fittings, generous spacing and gleaming wood detailing, it's sure to leave a lasting impression.
The lasting impressions don't stop there, the professional service provided by the waiters was exceptional. Skilled, well-mannered and in-tune with the menu, it's pleasing to know that service like this is still truly alive.
What's the food like? I'm glad you asked. It was my fiancée's birthday and that required the Chef's 6 Course Signature Banquet.
The entrees came out, one by one, we were presented with the Baked Crab Shell, S.A. King George Whiting and the Quail Sang Choi Bao. The Crab Shell was beautiful as it was delicate, the turmeric sauce and garlic told stories to your mouth that you haven't heard of before. The King George Whiting would make any king proud, served with spicy salt on a bed of enoki mushrooms. Pale, soft and you start to wonder why fish isn't cooked like this everywhere else. The minced quail meat cooked with Chinese sausage was delightful, the added shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots and spring onion served in a lettuce leaf, floated with flavours that could make your eyes roll like they're playing Ring a Ring o' Roses.
At this point we were getting really excited to see what the mains would entail. The journey so far was nothing short of memorable and yet we had the likes of Sauté Seafood with Ginger, Peking Duck and Grain Fed Eye Fillet with Sichuan Sauce to arrive yet. Here it goes. The Sauté Seafood had crayfish, king prawn, scallop and pearl meat that was wok tossed with ginger and spring onion. A savoury mix of love and craft shines from its glittering surface, elegant and delicious. The roast duck, wrapped in pancake with cucumber, spring onion and plum sauce begged to be eaten multiple times, over and over. The plum sauce had exceeded any plum sauce I have tasted before, and if there was 100 of these, I would have eaten them all. The Black Angus eye fillet, with spicy Sichuan sauce, served with seasonal vegetables and rice was a fitting end to the main event. Treated like a king as the Sichuan sauce danced with the vegetables, the butter soft meat and rich flavour of the sauce ensured that you savoured the experience for that much longer.
Then there was desserts, Fried Ice Cream and Banana Fritters, with gorgeous maple syrup and crushed berry sauce. The desserts are not in the same league as their savoury counterparts (unless you ordered the $135 Bird's Nest in Almond Soup), but they still tickle you in the right way, especially with the pile of almond cookies and Vittoria coffee that's provided.
If it's your birthday, they will create a nice little surprise for you too :)
Flower Drum is an expensive experience with flavours filled with vigour and a huge endorsement for Melbourne and Cantonese cuisine. It's at the top of its game, one that if it ever disappeared, would leave a lasting hole of one people who never tried it, would have regretted if they knew what they had missed out on.
I'd heard great things in the press about Flowerdrum, but it didn't overly impress. We had the Chef's 6 course tasting menu. The food was good quality and well prepared, but nothing really stood out as a 'wow' dish. Desserts were hit and miss, mostly very simple. My partner ordered the strawberry dessert, and it was just a bowl of strawberries. Others included fried apple with toffee, and fried banana.
Service was good - very attentive, and the decor was nice enough. Expensive compared to other fine dining restaurants. Unfortunately nothing to rave about, wouldn't go back again.
Easy to see why this is a Melbourne institution. We actually went to this restaurant some time ago but only getting around to writing the review now. Delicious food and great service. Restaurant needs a refresh.
Definitely worth the experience, service was amazing and food was delicious, not your average Chinese restaurant as some would say, all the flavours and dishes were very unique. Highlights were the braised wagyu beef cheek, pearl meat, barramundi noodles, calamari and those banana fritters
Fantastic atmosphere and quite possibly the best service we have ever seen in a restaurant. We tried exotic dishes like the jellyfish and the Peking duck was completely unforgettable.
A timeless classic, providing of course fantastic food with high class service. However for a fraction of the cost bamboo house or the likes provide food of a very similar level in a slightly less refined manner (not always a bad thing) Great for special occasions , but it's not high on my list.
I had heard so many positive reviews about this place and our first visit recently certainly my did not disappoint! Service was impeccable and the food was spectacular. My taste buds were dancing with delight after dining here. We had the 6 course banquet with matching wines and each course surpassed the last.
Expensive, but this place has been on my bucket list for so long so worth every cent!!
Food was delicious! Service could have been better as we had to keep trying to get the waiters attention to get menus and the bill. Then they also overcharged us but did apologise for the mistake.
Went here for an anniversary dinner as I've heard about this places lots I knew it wasn't going to be cheap but I don't mind paying good money if the service and food is good and it was the service was second to none and the food was awesome the only thing I wasn't super happy with was the special fried rice was a little plain but I don't go to a restaurant for rice the wine was great and all of our other dishes were top notch would definitely go back again but make sure you book well ahead it's a pretty popular place.
Great food and ambiance, and the staff very attentive. The restaurant has a very good wine list and the food is served at a good pace to allow you to really enjoy the experience.
What's not to love about amazing Cantonese food! It is a bit more pricey it the food is well worth it. The staff are so attentive! A great dining experience!
Exquisite. Perfect food combined with perfect service. The four course lunch menu for $75 is the best value fine dining experience in Melbourne. There is no better Cantonese food anywhere.
grandma's house - it's warm and welcoming, the furniture is comfy, your waited on as if you are the only person in the room and some the dishes, well, even though you can tell they have put in. a massive effort, are a little outdated. . The venue itself is on Market Lane in China Town. With its huge round
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My first visit to this Melbourne Asian restaurant with the biggest legacy of all!
Big boots to fill..... and fill it did!
The service was exceptional, decor was splendid without being jaw dropping!
We decided to graze over a series of entree size dishes, which worked well for our mood. We enjoyed a solid Savy Blanc in the Catalina Sounds brand which accompanied all of our dishes well.
We began with the squid which was tender, moist and amazing. This was followed by my dish of the night which was the Pearl Meat, amazing.
We then had Peking duck, of course, this was very good. This was prepared at our table silver service and the detail in the sauce prep is highlighted in the photo.
Our deserts well they were exceptional for chinese!
Mango pancakes and toffee apples.... Yum! The apples were also prepared at the table with the toffee being spun magnificently.
I suppose when your reputation proceeds you, expectations go through the roof, at just under $400 it was exy but you know this before arriving.
Impressed
Hasn't lost its touch after all these years.
You won't find better Chinese.
You won't find better service.
Every dish a winner. Peking Duck the stuff of legends, pearls were lovely as was the fish.
A few niggles- decor needs an update, ice cream with dessert not too good.
But this is special occasion Chinese. And worth it.
Cannot fault Flower Drum, beautiful food, beautifully presented and friendly staff... If ever there is a special occasion this is the place to go!
Firstly, service was ah-mazing! The waiters pay attention to every detail and attends to your needs. Stand out dish was the abalone with rice noodle (note: this dish isn't on the menu) sooooo good!!! Have never tried anything like it. We ordered a set menu as well and food is good here. I mean, it is a Michelin star restaurant after all. Expensive food and their service is outstanding.
Food and service meet the reputation . Enjoyed pretty much everything .
We ordered two chef special , enjoyed every dish , and service is very professional and delightful.
Of course the cost is a bit pricy , two people spent more than 300 dollars but we have ordered a nice bottle of wine.
A posh Chinese restaurant with traditional decoration , nice place to take important business partners .
Recommended at least try once in your life ;)
Polite and attentive service as you would expect. Great value lunch at $75 for four courses considering the quality of the food. Recommended for those special (or even not so special) occasions.
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Been trying to eat here for years but couldn't land seats. So for my wedding anniversary, I booked a table 3 months prior to ensure we get in.
First thing we noticed, the setup... Requiring an elevator to get up to the restaurant level but we were assisted by a very polite gentleman.
Up there... The restaurant is not your typical modern setup with big scenic windows and modern furniture. But it felt prestigious.
The food was great... Very tasty and original, well for me anyways. I recommend trying their soup.
Now, the service... I have to say... The best service I've experienced in Melbourne and probably up there globally. Waiters were extremely skilled at their jobs l, their timing and promptness were remarkable. Well done.
Plenty of room between tables also, fine dining indeed. Although you will see the occasional big groups but the place is big enough for sure. Also most patrons were dressed nicely, so wear something with a collar if you want to blend in or not if you don't care.
Its one of Melbourne's restaurants that you must check out. I'd go again for sure.
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For my 4th year anniversary my boyfriend had arranged for us to have dinner at Flower Drum. As like every anniversary, I had no idea where I was going.
Flower Drum is a very fancy Chinese restaurant. The food menu is of course similar to the menus at other Chinese restaurants besides from being pricer. At Flower Drum, you are paying for a different type of experience - you can see the waiters preparing some of the food from your table. It's quite a show. You are also paying for the professional service - the staff are very attentive. The staff are also very knowledgeable about their food. We had this side dish which was this lovely chilli sauce. We also ordered the Black Angus Hor Fun. The waiter suggested we used the sauce on our meal because they made a good combination. He was definitely right about that!
Just one note about the menu, for every dish you order, every other person on the table will also get this meal on their own separate plate. For example if it says for one dish it is $22 per person, that means if there are two of you, unless you specify you will get two serves. That's really not something I expected - meant I ate more food than what I thought I was going to anyway!! Haha.
The Singapore Noodles were very nice, and probably my favourite dish.
Flower Drum is probably one of the only few places I can think of where you pay per dumpling. We ordered some Berkshire Pork Dumplings/Jioazi. They are $4.50 each. They tasted really nice though. The Saute Mushrooms were definitely a highlight - the mushrooms were so well cooked and there were such a varied selection of mushrooms.
The wine selection is pretty good too. I ordered 2 glasses of an Italian sparkling that was on the menu. Very nice! Expensive at $20 a glass though, one of the few places I have gone to where the cocktails have been cheaper than a glass of wine! But the waiter was really good though - when my boyfriend ordered the wines he didn't mention glass or bottle. I was just waiting for 2 bottles of wine to come out (one of those would have cost $300) but fortunately the waiter asked if we wanted a glass or bottle. I really appreciate that level of detail and care for customers and making sure the customer has specified what they would like to order instead of assuming.
First time for me dining in this famous Chinese restaurant
Its ambience bespeaks of its nearly forty years existence
I was impressed by the spacious area given to diners for their privacy. Sadly this is not given by many Chinese restaurants these days
The ratio of diners to waiters is also great
I had a three course lunch costing $60
The Peking duck was delicious as a starter
My main was beef and it was excellent
The dessert of coffee flavour apple toffee was a little too sweet
All in I enjoyed this father's day treat given by my daughter
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Flower Drum has a special place in our family as we always go here for special gatherings. This time around, my parents were meeting my brother's girlfriend's parents for the first time. Things were getting serious!
We had the 4 course winter tasting menu (which actually had 6 dishes):
1) abalone and glass noodles: The abalone was slightly overcooked so was a bit chewy. The glass noodles were yummy and the sauce was great. 4/5
2) barramundi: the first few bites of the barramundi had a distinct muddy aftertaste which I didn't like. But after that, the rest of the fish was beautiful and tender. The sauce was also nice and I liked the fact that I could mix and match with the chilli sauces on the table that they had set up for us. 4/5
3) Peking duck pancakes: we got two pancakes and the sauce was well presented with some of us getting a dolphin shape and others getting ducks. It was yummy but the skin was not as crispy as I thought it would be. Still delicious. 4/5
4) beef fillet: I ordered it well done for a change and I was expecting it to come out chewy because of that but it was just as tender as a medium rare steak. Very well done (no pun intended). 5/5
5) fried rice: I've been told that fried rice is served at Asian banquets and served last so that if you were still hungry, it would act as a filler. Well this was no afterthought filler, it was one of the best fried rice I've tasted. It wasn't greasy and it was just so fresh with large, juicy prawns and small pieces of Chinese sausage. 5/5
6) chestnut pudding with sago and ice cream: that was my choice of dessert. It was nice but in hindsight I probably should've chosen deep fried ice cream or something as I had some serious food envy. The chestnut pudding was nice but tasted very eggy ... Not much chestnut actually. The ice cream was nice though and I enjoyed that more than the pudding. 3/5
The service was 5/5. They were very attentive and looked after us. There's a reason we keep coming back. It's a real institution for us.
(I would usually take pictures but given the formality of the occasion I tried not to be that weirdo that takes pics of everything before eating)
One of the best dining experiences I've had. Been here a few times, each better than the last. Jason Liu is the consummate professional. The perception here is it's expensive. Unless you go for live seafood it's not. Even then, you get what you pay for. A quintessential Melbourne experience.
We booked in for 6pm and left 3 hours later but time flies when you're having fun and good food. Entrees included San choi bao, garlic ribs, dim sum, spring rolls, dumplings and eggplant. Mains included Peking duck, honey ribs and various vegetarian dishes and special fried rice. It wasn't as spectacular as when I came here many years ago but it was lovely. The service was professional and attentive and friendly. Desserts included ice cream, fruit and Peking toffee apple with cinnamon ice cream. The wine was lovely and smooth too.
I took a friend of mine from turkey to try some Asian food as she really wanted to indulge with Asian cuisine. I must say it looks really good from inside, the sitting area was very fancy, service was amazing! We went for lunch and tried there lunch set menu which was good! Will be back to try more stuff! Over all it was nice :)
Who doesn't know flower drum? It is the quintessential Chinese restaurant of Melbourne.
Many reviewers have dissected each dish and raved about how perfect the execution is. Just as many talks about the excellent service and wine list. I really don't have anything to add. However I will say do order the pearlmeat and truffle fried rice. Both so luxurious and decadent you will remember them for years. The other excellent dish is the baked crab shell. The flavour and texture is just sublime.
Flower drum is a must do. Every year if I can.
Jacqui's Food Fetish
+4.5
It really is a treat going to Flower Drum. It’s like entering a whole new world, away from the hustle and bustle and interesting odours of Melbourne’s Chinatown – a world where the food and service standards are ridiculously high. This is true fine dining Chinese where the service is so attentive but in no way intrusive. Yes – this place has the formula right and that’s why it’s received accolade after accolade and remained in the top restaurant lists for so many years. Tucked away in Market Lane, it’s a large space with white tablecloths and waiters in waistcoats and bow ties.
The best dining experience I've had in Melbourne. The service here is at another level and the food is exquisite. Photos wouldn't do the dishes nor the elegant setting justice. I recommend everyone dines here at least once for a special occasion. This is a night I will never forget!
This restaurant deserves all the accolades and more. If you're looking for Asian fine dining then look no further. Service here is impeccable, and not only because staff are attentive. They make conversation with customers and aren't afraid to crack some jokes to show off their personality. We ordered the lunch banquet meal which was outstanding. Each course was presented beautifully and tasted fresh and authentic. I particularly enjoyed the baked crab shell and the enoki mushrooms in the fish dish. Overall it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. We'll definitely be back once we have some cash to spare!
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Flower Drum does not need another glowing review but it deserves one anyway. For such an institution you might expect a bit of snobbery and pretension. I went to take my 10 year old to Matilda this weekend and was foolish in not booking somewhere for dinner (he expressed a desire for dumplings ages ago). As a special night out I didn't want to just end up anywhere. Having found ourselves out of luck, I decided to chance it at Flower Drum. We were dressed up after all. We were not big spending, didn't order any wine, and were out in time for the theatre, but everyone was utterly charming to us, and especially to my son. He behaved perfectly and was treated not just politely but with charm. The dumplings were sublime, the fried rice addictive and the lamb pockets just the best thing I've ever tasted. But above all, it's just so nice to be well treated and have attentive service even when we don't fit the target market. We will definitely be back next time we have a family milestone. Best line from the waiter "you must try the fried ice cream it's the best dessert". We did. It was. And I've had it many times elsewhere. Really impressive all round Flower Drum!
The Devil is in the details! thank you flower Drum for educating Melbourne Aussies about food, experience, detail and the rest. Well you know the story.
You cant just go past Flower Drum. There is no doubt it is still the best in the Southern Hemisphere. The service is fine dining and the food matches such an experience. Menu's who needs them let the fantastic team indulge you on a culinary experience. In over 20 years it still outranks all competition. Anthony, William and Pat, well done on keeping up with the very high standards set by Gilbert Lau.
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Still in bloom. Flower Drum has long been reputed as the leading Chinese restaurant in Melbourne - first under Gilbert Lau and then Anthony Liu. The food is reliably high quality although a few aspects at FD seem caught in the traps of time.
The booking was in my name for three guests, only one of whom was male. He was the only person given a menu or the wine list even though my friends were my guests and l paid the bill. My other female companion and l asked for our own menus, which eventually did arrive after repeated requests. That drops FD down from the full score l would otherwise give it. Once that small but important issue was sorted, we had a fantastic meal, with excellent service.
Rather than choosing the set lunch menu with its Patagonian Toothfish, we chose a variety of dishes. Here the service came into its own - we were skilfully guided through with understated expertise. Where a dish was not easily divisible by 3, an extra half portion was gently suggested - a delicate steer not a deliberate upsell. This was perfect for the lightly battered garfish, plated with the iconic duck wonton with mandarin. Who could go past duck on this menu? We ordered a whole roasted one which was executed perfectly - crisp skin, rendered fat and juicy meat. Less traditional are the lamb pockets (another extra half portion dish), but no less succulent, followed by sticky pork ribs and bokchoy in garlic. We then detoured past the yum cha and carbohydrates again - shu mai, prawn har gow and simple noodles. Sublime.
Asian desserts are less sweet than their Western counterparts. The mango pudding with seasonal fruit was spectacular, as were the toffee apple dumplings with the spun sugar swirled around hot at the table.
The wine list can be daunting but l was in luck as my dining companions have spent years fossicking around cellar doors. They chose a wonderful red as well as a couple of glasses of dessert wine which complemented the meal fabulously.
For four leisurely hours of exquisite food on a Saturday afternoon, the bill was $527 before tip. So it's definitely a special occasion venue for mere mortals like myself, but it is indeed special. And l really liked the old school orange payphone in the lobby!
Lovely service and meal at the flower drum , we had the 6 course banquet and enjoyed it all, faves were the crab entree and the seafood served on an oyster shell, great to enjoy a Melbourne tradition in Chinatown, well worth a visit
Visited Flower Drum the Thursday night before Good Friday as we'd heard so much about it (I'm from Sydney). Very upmarket Chinese very different to your typical Chinese restaurant, this place is fine dining all the way.
Ambience and dining room decor is top notch, the staff are very friendly, attentive without being too overbearing. Our dishes were all of the highest quality and very well presented. Very much different to what you'd expect from your usual Chinese restaurant.
The only negative would be that the dishes come out quite slowly: opposite to most Chinese restaurant. It felt like we were there for hours, saying that the dishes are presented beautifully and delicious. Our starters and mains were great can't say about dessert though.
Very much recommended for a romantic, fun night out or with a small group of friends.
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What a fantastic birthday meal! This was our first time to the Melbourne Mecca of Chinese food. I know this establishment has been around for many years and with a full dinning room and tables being turned on a Sunday night it should be around for many more years. And why not? Food is great, service is attentive (nearly hovering at times), and I know for myself, I could go back over and over again. The best prawn I've ever had in my life was consumed last night!!!! And as I discussed with my wife after the meal, (this may seem silly) we were super impressed that they actually serve real ice water. Being from North America I am always disappointed at the water service in Melbourne. It's actually AWFUL, even at high end restaurants. But this place actually has an ice machine and it is glorious. It's this little things in life that often times that create happiness! The fried rice was amazing and I could have eaten literally 40 of the Peking duck pancakes with the sweet plum(?) sauce. Prices are high, I added a $20 dumpling to our 6 course tasting menu, but it was filled with delectable scallop and crab. So genuinely, I feel you get what you pay for and its worth it!!! And what's with those almond shortbread cookies at the end?!?! The server asked if we wanted some more, LOL! Of course, send out all you have! So yummy!
Melbourne's renowned top Chinese Cantonese cuisine. Their grilled wagyu beef with fried rice, fried oysters, San Choi Bao, and Peking duck were super delicious and flawless. Though the restaurant is little old and need refurbishing... The food quality and service were impeccable..no wonder it is a forever hatted restaurant, and Neil Perry's favourite... And mine too!
For me, one of Australia's best restaurants and dining experience.
The service is impeccable, the food is done to perfection and it's really the only way to eat Chinese food in a fine dining setting.
Their spin on dessert is absolutely sensational
The World Loves Melbourne
+5
Flower Drum is one of the few Melbourne restaurants that can be spoken of as an icon over decades. This year Flower Drum, founded by Gilbert Lau, celebrates the fine achievement of 40 years as a world class restaurant (30th at current Market Lane address). We've had some icons come and go over the years, and only a few are at that level today. But 40 years and at the top!
What more can be said about the Flower Drum. Service is exceptional. The restaurant is divided into three sections and the tables are far apart so you feel like you are dining privately. I was taken there for lunch for my birthday and would definitely recommend Flower Drum as a special occasion restaurant destination. We ordered quite a number of small dishes. Stand outs were the scallop dumplings (absolutely exquisite, so sweet), siu mai (I'm ruined for all others now), the eggplant in spicy salt (divine) and salt and pepper calamari (so tender and delicious). We wanted to try the lamb pockets and the peking duck so the waiter made up a special dish for us so we could try both. Nothing is a problem. Maybe its glory years have gone but it's still a wonderful place to go. Highly recommended.
Only been once. Was kindly invited here. Probably too young to really enjoy it. This was a catalyst to me enjoying Chinese food. Awesome courses, great service. My first taste of Peking duck. Loved. Did not pay, however thoroughly enjoyed it
I'd heard mixed reviews about Flower Drum so was excited to finally experience it for myself! We went for lunch and the staff were extremely welcoming and attentive, seating us immediately without a booking.
The crispy skinned chicken, peking duck pancakes and wagyu fillet were all cooked perfectly! Although I personally thought the sauce for both the chicken and the steak were lacking considering the prestige of the restaurant. For dessert the deep fried icecream and toffee apple dessert were delicious, and I enjoyed how some dishes were creatively plated at the table. Overall an enjoyable experience, though I wonder if it was a two hatted one. Score: 7.5
Visited here for lunch and it was a splendid experience. The service and attention to details was the best that I have ever seen. The waiters noticed my friend remove his Shallots from his Pecking Duck Pancakes and they proceeded to the table without asking permission saying "Here is your pecking duck pancake without Shallots" - the food was amazing but this level of service truly left us with a story we will never forget.
Flower Drum...what better place to celebrate a loved one's birthday than Flower Drum! Entering the venue and then being escorted up in an elevator...it was like a scene from a movie! The ambience was authentically oriental and the all-male staff were quite respectful and friendly.
The parcel appetiser was the cream of the crop in terms of the dishes we ordered. It was succulent and melted away in our mouths. My wife was given a special dessert for her birthday and decorated to her liking. Overall a great experience with wonderful food. We almost felt we had escaped to another world of royalty!
Now this is a classy restaurant that impresses. The food is beautiful and is presented with precision. The waiting staff are friendly and extremely attentive. Prices are up there however it is warranted.
This place should get 5 stars for the service alone. Our party was treated like royalty. The food was incredible too. Definitely a special occasion venue.
Can I give 3.0 for their overly priced menu though?
Haha.
What can I say? Gourmet dim sum at its priciest figure.
I love the scallop Siew Mai. How it's so fresh, sweet and delicately decadent. 💕 it's prob the only real reason why I rated 4.0
Everything else? Was.. Alright.. The roasts and rice is subpar..
Hahappieats
My partner and I spent our 1 year anniversary here. We got the banquet which was $150 each and enjoyed the many dishes that came with it. Food was delicious and very well presented (portions were small though) Was expecting more food for $150 each but sadly my partner and I left the venue hungry.
The service was fantastic, we ordered the slow roasted garlic pork rib, shang hai pork dumplings, peking duck, also a beef dish with oyster sauce. The only reason I can mark it down was the beef dish, it felt it was rushed and nothing special, every other dish was amazing. Its the second time I have been here and its a must if you are visiting Melbourne, it will beat Silks at Crown no problems and is the nest Chinese restaurant in Melbourne
There is a sense of splendour and occasion at Flower Drum, reflected in the menu which focuses on high quality, local ingredients and traditional Cantonese food. Most items are priced per piece or per serve, with prices at the higher end of the spectrum, and there’s nothing we read that doesn’t immediately set out mouths watering. Pearls of Jade Tiger Abalone are succulent and meaty, sliced to a delicate shell-shape alongside crystal noodles made from mung bean starch. Freshly made pancakes wait in a bamboo steaming basket over a flame while our waiter prepares peking duck.
Wow, attended the Master & Apprentice lunch which was a cook off between old and new Chinese chefs from Flower Drum and Victor Liong from Lee Ho Fook. We were treated to an afternoon of amazing food with courses alternating between the two chefs. Who was the winner? Who cares it was one of the best meals we have been privileged to eat. The service at Flower Drum was exceptional and some really interesting wines on the list. We will return again and again.
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After hearing about the amazing food at Flower Drum for the past 20 years, I decided to give it a shot. Our family went for my sisters birthday, and we ordered one of the two five plus course banquets on the menu. At $110 per head, we were expecting the best of the best. We had a variety of traditional Chinese dishes which were all outstanding. The service was fabulous and so was the food, although the ambiance felt a bit cold. It isn't the most cosy Chinese restaurant in Melbourne! We sat down, and I looked at the table to see a set of beautiful Chinese plates which were hand painted, but as we got the menu, the waitress took the 'show' plates away, and brought back less extravagant plates for us to eat on. It feels very grand and you sit there thinking, is this a restaurant or a museum? That said, the food did not let us down. I would recommend getting a banquet the first time you go, as the menu can be overwhelming at expensive restaurants like this one. I recommend the San Choi Bao, one of the best I have had, as well as the mango crepes for dessert. And it is a formal dress code, so try and look your best. Be prepared to pay a lot of money, but a beautiful meal as well.
Super high quality Chinese food, with a price to match. Certainly a reasonable choice for a special occasion, although there are alternatives with similar quality food for far cheaper. Does silver service exceptionally well, with very professional and friendly wait staff. This being said it has failed to keep up with the times, and for the price Melbourne has many other fine dining venues that are more exciting and more innovative.
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Finally I make it to Flower Drum! Uber Uber Exquisite! This place is class all the way! Service was just amazing, the waiter even fetched an extra chair just for my handbag! Happy handbag! Food was absolutely beautiful. Standouts for me were just about everything! Duck tangerine dumplings in broth was just divine, every flavour I hoped to find in a good duck stock, was there. The Pearl meat dish was luxurious and reminded me of maybe a combination of scallop and abalone, delicious. I loved the truffled fried rice, I did wonder how this combination would work, but it certainly did. The Barramundi noodles are a must try! This is a texture sensation and quite a clever little dish. Ribs great, seafood dumpling great. The Flower Drum is a little on the pricey side, but absolutely worth it. Luckily we all had hangovers from the night before, so when we went for lunch on the Saturday no one could face any more wine! Wow, you do forget how much this keeps the cost down! So we thought the price was great! Well done Flower Drum. Consistency and attention to detail is the key and you guys just keep on turning it! Thank you for a memorable experience.
I can't fault this place. It's the most perfect Cantonese food with 6 star service. Yes it's pricey but it's totally worth it for the experience.
Fine dining with excellent service and very nice wine too. We had the 2014 D’sas Pinot Gris. The Peking duck was amazing as so many people have told me. Barramundi with rice and vegetables for main. Delicious barra, melts in your mouth! And to finish fried ice cream of course! Great place to take clients to for lunch.
This would have to be Chinese food at its very best. And a wine list to match. A great night out. All the food that came out was so fresh and delicate.
The service is second to none. The waiters know the exact moment that you are ready to order and when to bring out your food and wine.
I don't have any favourites on the menu - everything is fresh and of the highest quality. I recommend to try as many bite sized dishes as you can and end the meal with the toffee apples and cinnamon ice cream.
Wow! The Flower Drum exceeded my high expectations.. Our waiter was exceptional particularly when he took the time to give one of our guests a chopstick lesson.. The buffet is a must! My partner who is a very picky eater did not leave a crum on any of the 9 dishes.
If you live in Melbourne and haven't been to the Flower Drum, what are you waiting for!
I was taken to the Flower Drum for my birthday dinner. Not being overly familiar with Chinese cousine and after being told it was holding a reputation of an institution in Melbourne I went there with great expectation. The venue itself is kept in very traditional style. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. We chose the banquet menu with paired wines. Everything was very tasty especially the Szechuan beef and the mud crab dish. I loved the presentation of each course. It was one fantastic dinner to remember
What a great dining treat! Yes it's a bit old school but that's part of the charm :) What's the most important is the food and the food was fabulous! Best Peking Duck pancake - so moist and crisp, best Szechwan pork with tofu and pinenuts, TRUFFLE Fried Rice (need I say more!) and the toffee apple dessert made at our table was too cute. Great meal!
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We arrived at Flower Drum last night (Sunday) with no reservation, about 9.20pm. We were told by the man at the entrance downstairs that the kitchen closed in 30 minutes, but we were welcome to go up.
We had heard about Flower Drum before and I always thought it was just another China Town restaurant. However, like other reviewers before me, it really is a step back in time - and is just like the good restaurants in China. The staff were so friendly and didn't rush us at all to make our minds up for dinner. Seriously, the staff were so attentive, it was a little too much... I felt like we were being watched (by friendly people) the entire time we were there.
Sharing the steamed scallops; pork chop; lamb spring rolls; fried rice and Peking duck - it was a tame dinner, but it was late so we didn't want to go too crazy.
We had a great time here and were appreciative of the advice when ordering, the attentiveness and friendliness of the staff. Left a good tip and were happy to do so. Will definitely return when back in Melbourne :0
Yes you still need to book 6 months in advance. Yes this place hasn't been renovated in a while. Yes it's expensive.
However, they are very friendly. Moreover their passion is definitely served on your plate. Chinese is a difficult one to turn into fine dinning. It doesn't always look glamorous and or pretty. Whilst I have seen better plating in other fine dinning, given the cuisine they do a good job.
This may no longer be rated Australia's best restaurant, yet it doesn't mean it's no longer worth while going to.
I don't go often due to the expense & having to book so far in advance. But the food is truly incredible. It's traditional Chinese no fusion here. So just enjoy Peking duck at its best, fish so soft that it literally melts in the mouth, and much more.
Always a joy to return to this award winning Chinese diner. Well crafted menus, brilliantly cooked meals and skilled wait staff who'd warn you to stop ordering because there was too much food ordered already ... And possibly the smartest takeaway parcels in town. Absolute old favourite.
Amazing experience. Great atmosphere, service was impeccable and excellent food. We has an excellent evening and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We will return.
Iconic. All too true, and is proven from its old school approach on literally everything. Decor is true to this living legend and the service I can only compare to one other restaurant; Attica.
Some say it's just really good Chinese food. But is that not the beauty of this place? Where can we really say you can get all the trimmings that this place offers. The food and wine selection is so well suited to the atmosphere. And forty years of awards and business that has not changed over time. We all may be moving towards Asian fusion these days but this oldie trumps the ages.
Old-school service of classic Cantonese food. Such a great space to have a meal and be able to talk privately. The service was exceptional and attentive. Funny as it sounds, i love iced water and it was so nice to have my glass maintained the entire evening - i never reached the bottom; that's service :)
My parents used to run a restaurant opposite Flower Drum. Growing up as a kid, I would always wonder what was behind the heavy red door across the road, guarded by the friendly man (pretty sure my parents went without me). Now I know. After 15 years, I finally got to see what was on the other side. And it was an elevator with a flight of stairs hidden around the corner. The restaurant is actually upstairs. Who knew? I think I was too surprised to take photos. But trust me, the inside is certainly very grand looking (but if you are an untrusting person, Google it).
Came here for my birthday and had a wonderful time. Service is on another level and the food is delicious. Highlight was the sawtooth fish which I had never had before and I also enjoyed marvelling at the dexterity of the waiters wrapping the duck pancakes. I left full to the brim. It is expensive but it is worth it for that level of experience.
Nice and spacious without the hustle of the latest fad places. Super quality food, let the waiter just arrange a suitable banquet to fulfil your hunger taste and what budget you're on (I had to ask him just in case). Ten courses later had great experience with well blended traditional Chinese cuisine.
Outstanding food and fabulous services. Only in Melbourne for a couple days and decided to try the lunch banquet, really tasty quality food. It is expensive but the banquet was the best option! Definitely recommend the crispy chicken, it was delicious!
Outstanding service and attention to detail, a really wonderful experience, many other reviews say it's too pricey but it is a special restaurant for special occasions, we had the 4 course banquet (actually 5 with desert) and loved every course and were very full by the end.
I was excited to try Australia's best Chinese restaurant but was a little sceptical on how good Chinese food could actually be. Our waiter was very nice and he chat to us a lot, he got bonus points because he noticed my gains. My glory was short-lived as he told me his son was a body builder too (one that I have been following for some time and was in much better shape than I was). The food was quite nice but I wouldn't call it the best Chinese in the country. Some of my meals at silks at Crown Perth have been more impressive. I didn't really have a favourite dish, they were all just good but nothing special. I got the 5 course banquet for $140.
When you think Chinese restaurant, your first thought would be non-existent service, cheap decor and bargain food. WARNING: Flower Drum will blow this stereotype out of the water. As we entered the building, we found ourselves in what seemed like your stereotypical Chinatown eatery in Melbourne. The room was plain and unrefined, however we were swiftly greeted by a young man ( looking completely out of place in his smart attire) who guided us to a dreary looking, underwhelming lift. We were feeling quite unsure by this point, considering Flower Drum is regarded as the best Chinese restaurant in Melbourne… But alas, these doubts did not last long at all! It was as if we had taken an elevator all the way to China! As the lift doors opened, we were in awe of the intricate Chinese decor – deep red carpets and walls lined with oriental paintings; smar
We approached the little red door in Market Street that signified we'd arrived. I didn't really know what to expect, but as we walked up to the door, it was opened for us by a smiling doorman who ushered us into the worlds slowest lift to rise one floor to the main dining area. Stepping out of the lift was like stepping into a time vortex, it looked like an 80's movie set and sure did remind me of my visits to Hong Kong in the 80's with my family
Epicurean Of Southbank
+4.5
I began to frequent Flower Drum in the evenings on Saturday of all times with very little notice because like Tom Cruise's star, the hype and awards waned and availability of a table was assumed. For me though the quality of the produce and ultimately the product that was served remained consistently top notch
Fresh and moist, the cod was silky, slippery and velvety. Enhanced only by the spring onions, coriander and aromatic seasoned soy.
Flower Drum is a successful establishment that has weathered through decades of competitions. Many travel magazines and bloggers around the world have given high regards for FD. It is one restaurant not to be missed, so I heard. With my parents’s visit, I finally got the chance to engage myself in this fanfare. From the outside, FD looked quiet and uninteresting. Once you stepped inside, it felt as if you have been transported into another era! The decor was traditional with a deep red hue. The waiter was courteous and immediately showed us to the lift where it would bring us to the restaurant level above.
Flower Drum, if it were a band people would be inclined to say it peaked some time ago, released some forgettable records for a good decade and in more recent years has regained it's mojo and while not as influential at the peak of its power is still loved nonetheless as an elder statesmen.
My first impression said I was going to love Flower Drum. As soon as we arrived at Flower Drum, we were greeted by their pleasant staff at the entrance, directed upstairs and to the reserved table. Then, I noticed that unlike
I Eat Therefore I Am
+4.5
It was reported in the papers that due to the financial crisis, stockbrokers were cutting back their expenses and not taking their clients to Flower Drum for lunches. Business at Flower Drum has since dropped dramatically. I guess that was either good for
Get lots of good wine, get lots of good food and enjoy the place and the awesome service.
Everyone knows the Flower Drum song. No, I'm not referring to the Rodgers and Hammerstein version; I'm talking about the one that stormed up the Melbourne restaurant charts in the 80s to the tune of 'Greed Is Good' and 'Lunch ain't for wimps.' Unlike Bananarama and Toni Basil, however, this Flower Drum song was not content to remain a one hit wonder. No way. As Australia battled through shoulder pads, a Keating government and a Kiwi invasion by the name of OMC, Flower Drum continued to churn out good ol' Chinese favourites such as Peking duck and A Really Good sweet and sour pork. But then it all changed. Like a teenager outgrowing the Hanson boys, so did Melburnians. They were sick of the tired bling bling decor that once upon a time impressed 80s diners, they were sick of unimaginative (albeit good quality) food and finally, they were sick of traveling up an elevator that took a century to take them
Just the best. Back to the flower drum tonight after some years. Just the 2 of us so could not really try too many dishes .
After all these years this would have to be the best restaurant in Australia . A bit like coming home . Nothing has changed. Lovely airy ambience fantastic food and faultless service. Worth coming to Melbourne just to have a meal Here. We won't come back to Melbourne without revisiting this gem. Rgds Peter Hugall.
Delicious, yet expensive. Amazing food but out of the price range for most people. You can find heaps of great Asian food in Melbourne for a fraction of the price. But for an occasional treat, the food is divine and was served in a timely fashion by pleasant staff.
Quality food and service...but you pay for it!. I had high expectations given the status that flower drum has. Our meals were of a high quality and the service was attentive. Great place to celebrate a special occasion with a group.
Great food but over-attentive service. Wonderful location - large dining room and tables set well apart allowing for privacy and ambience. The summer testing menu was excellent value - scallops, Peking duck, wok stirred fish and pork were wonderful. Desserts of fried icecream and toffee apple rather old fashioned and too rich. But, overall - an excellent experience. There seemed to be far too many waiters in attendance and this was a bit disconcerting. Will certainly go back for lunch.
I liked it, heard so much about this place.. Thought it would be a little better all in all a group of 5... Pretty $$ but good food and service...
Well worth it. Excellent food and service. Duck and crab were top notch. Some say it's a bit too expensive but for a special occasion I recommend a banquet over a few hours with drinks. It's well worth it.
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FL gem among Chinese restaurants in Australia. I feel compelled to write this review after I read some critics of 'Over rated' on this restaurant. Flower Drum is one of my a must visit restaurant whenever I was travelling to Melbourne. She gave me a very impressive and satisfied dining experience whenever I dined in. Food, service and dining environment are superb. Setting of tables provides the privacy for all the diners. Wait staff are friendly, attentive and sincere. Food qualities are fresh and full of passion. I have been dining in a lot of Chinese restaurants, indeed, I had over 10 years working experience in Chinese restaurant and even owned Chinese restaurant before. Comments of over-rated are definitely not fair to the only three chef hatted Chinese restaurant like Flower Drum. Try to think about how much do you pay to dine in Vue De Monte, Cutler's & Co. or even Rockpool, I don't think what they served me was worse than the food I had in those restaurants, not to mention the services.
Excellent, as always. This is our go-to "Special Occasion" restaurant. This occasion was our 30th Wedding Anniversary. Superb service, plush interior, amazing food, good wine list.........need I go on?
Christina Triantafyllou
+4.5
Loved it!!. Went for a Friday night dinner and from the moment we stepped into the restaurant the service was warm, friendly and very efficient. We had the Chef's signature banquet which comprised of 6 courses and then a selection from the dessert menu. The food was amazing and I could not fault any of it. We had the baked crab, fried whiting fillet, spicy salted quality, mixed seafood platter, Peking duck, the wagyu fillet steak and fried ice cream for dessert. Every single course was exceptional. Flower Drum is one of the best dining experiences I have had to date.
Loved it! Especially when my brother paid! Good food and service.
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Impeccable Service, great Sommelier. First time patron to the Flower Drum and all i can say is that i felt compelled to write a review, which i've never done before.
From the moment we walked in the staff treated us like royalty. Friendly, old-world charm waiters that made us feel comfortable. I have never seen such a high "waiter-to-patron" ratio as the Flower Drum.
The sommelier was on the money in recommending a fantastic chardonnay for entree and a pinot for mains. I told him i was from Perth and used to big cabernet's but would like to expand my horizons with a pinot, yet one that doesn't taste like nothing! Out came a pinot from the Central Otago region and bang - spot on.
Food was full of flavour and presented well. My partner is Sri Lankan and the maître d' picked up on the fact she loves chilli, bringing out a range of chilli's to complement the meal.
Whilst the flower drum may not be as trendy as some of the newer restaurants going round, it is worth the visit for the nostalgic and theatrical service alone.
The best. Can't believe people can knock this establishment. Been here a few times - usually for special occasions and always walk away thinking that each dish was the best i had ever eaten and the service remarkable. Would love to come here more often but the prices are quite expensive which one would expect given the experience.
Love this place!. Can only afford it once a year, but it always gets better!
People! All I am reading is "value for money" or "for the price" forget that, if you want value for money by a pre packed luv a duck from Coles and put it in the oven at home!. Truth be told ( and taking value for money away from this review) this is a quality restaurant, great service and even better food, as good a Peking duck as you will find in the world ( I have tried alot) and the dishes like eye fillet, and noddle with cray fish are divine, finished off with signature desserts, this is a world class Michelin awarded establishment, hence the cost. Great restaurant have been going for years and still has all the class as it did in the early 90's
EXACTLY WHAT WE EXPECTED. We celebrated My Mum's Birthday here, and were not wanting for anything. Food (We ordered the banquet and one meal off the a la carte menu), delicious, service spot on, and most importantly Mum loved it!!
Yes its not cheap, but I was expecting to pay more and walked away "full as an egg" (Probably should not have had the extra course!) and very happy. Will come back again
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Best Chinese Restaurant. We went to The Flower Drum for our anniversary, and decided to go with the 6 course tasting menu with matching wines. All in all, great, without being exceptional, and somewhere I would come to with a larger group. Having never had abalone before, that was a lovely experience, and the highlight was the crayfish with ginger noodles - a very generous serve, and delicious!!! One of my favourite dishes in the world is Peking Duck, and I was looking forward to that during our experience - and the sauce was amazing! Rich, intense, deep flavour that I continue to dream about...the duck was a lovely flavour, but there was a touch too much meat, and not enough skin, for such a fine establishment. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious, but not perfect. We were VERY full after dinner, and could have easily had half the quantity and still been satisfied - that's how generous the servings are!! Finally, just to mention all the staff - so friendly, funny, helpful, who made us feel immensely comfortable, that I needed to be reminded by my husband that we were in a fine restaurant and not at home, and no matter how comfortable I was, I still needed to show some manners!!
Loved it. Fabulous service, including geuridon. Food was lovely, glad I had this dining experience..
Was a fantastic night! Great restaurant, great service, extremely attentive staff without being pushy! Food was delicious!
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I wasn't blown away by most of the food. The service was excellent except for the older waiter. He seemed to have a bit of an elitist attitude and I didn't like it. We had lunch and decided on the spring tasting banquet. We had the Peking duck and quail San choi bow for entree. Duck was cooked brilliantly and while this was tasty I was disappointed with the overbearing hoisin sauce flavour. San choi bow was messy but tasty. Mains we had eye fillet with pepper sauce and crispy skin chicken with lemon sauce and spicy salt. The eye fillet was cooked perfectly but was cold when served. The pepper sauce had no flavour and was a big let down. The crispy skinned chicken was the dish of the day. Yum. Fried rice was decent and the stir fried vegetables well prepared and crunchy. Cocktails were a bit disappointing. My Tom Collins was served in a boring glass and had a cheap straw. The lychee martini was nice and served in a martini glass but had a cheap blue sword toothpick in the lychee. I have some of those at home that I got from a $2 shop. I found it a bit unimpressive. The decor is tired and I think they're stuck in the 80's and need refreshing desperately. Overall the food ranged from bland to amazing. We probably wouldn't go back unless we hear they've updated.
Great for special occasions. We've been going there about once a year for the past five years. I am always impressed by the food and the service. I like how the table spacing means you get lots of room, you don't feel cramped or rushed.
Excellent service and food. We had the 5 course banquet and all the food was exceptional and well presented. Could not fault anything. The Grain Fed Eye Fillet with Szechuan Sauce was probably the highlight, it was perfectly cooked and tender. My partner especially enjoyed the fresh mango crepes as well, and the peking duck is always a must! The service there is unmatched, as soon as we came in we were given some hot towels because they could see we had been caught in the rain.
Incredible fine dining. The food is exceptional although fractionally larger portions would make it so much better. Service is second to none. Be prepared to pay but it is the type of dining experience you'd expect for this price... just...
What a fantastic night From.... What a fantastic night
From the moment you walk into the door it is perfect service and magnificent food.
Could not fault anything, was a wonderful special night.
Will be back again, thank you
Food fantastic of course although unfortunately sexism at an all time high. Only male employees serving the tables while the women clean up and it's hard to ignore the fact that every waiter automatically addresses only the man whenever serving the table. Needs a bit of cultural shake up.
Cantonese Fine Dining. This place has a reputation and, for better or worse, it's certainly well earned. It's certainly not cheap, but then again, fine dining Cantonese cuisine is pretty hard to find outside of Hong Kong Island.
One can easily see the British influence has had on certain aspects of Hong Kong's culture and the Flower Drum is a perfect example of that.
It delivers accurate Cantonese food with impeccable table service and if that's what you're looking for then the Flower Drum is probably the only place in Australia to go.
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Excellent Services. Live in Melbourne for many years and finally decided to try Flower Drum.. It was a Saturday lunch, food overall is good but a bit salty for me. To be honest, average to worst customer services is a norm for Chinese restaurants, and that’s why I don’t normally dine in at Chinese Restaurant, but this place is different, the services is excellent and excellent. Are they overpriced? May be, but the services you have at this place well worth it. I like to eat good food, but services is also important to me, I don’t mind paying a bit more to have a quiet and enjoyable meal.
After the Saturday lunch, I went back today and order takeaway lunch, only a $13.5 stir fried noodles, but this is what I have got: - not only a stir fried noodles, but also a pack of chilli and 2 different types of dipping sauces. The manager even open the door for me to walk in and out, and keep saying thank you with smile many times till I lost count, please tell me where I can get this types of food and services in a Chinese Restaurant in Melbourne? Definitely I will be back
Very nice Asian fine dining experience staff were extra friendly and always attentive. Food was incredible obviously you can find cheaper Asian cuisine elsewhere but you would goto this establishment if you are looking for a dining experience in one of Melbourne's iconic resturaunt. Would highly recommend for those who can appreciate good food.
Two things - everything old is new again and everything you remember is somehow better now. There are many restaurants in Melbourne where you could spend this sort of money but very few where you can walk out as happy with the food and dining experience.
This place deservedly belong in the top 50 restaurants in the world. The service tonight was topnotch, and not just because our orders were nearly perfect, but also because every time we needed anything, they were there right away! Our roast duck was impeccable and the vegetable pocket was a delight. Their facilities were very clean and the ambience took me to China. I will want to go back to try the suckling and the nest soup. And nary a sight of shark fin soup - very good!
As always fabulous. Thank you.
Went here on Sunday night. Nice place. Excellent, friendly service and staff were very attentive. Food was nice, serves were quite small for the price. It was a pleasant experience but not somewhere I would rave about.
The Best!. Have been dining at Flower Drum for many years now and it is always a pleasure.
Perfectly executed food showcasing the highest quality ingredients, exemplary service from knowledgeable and charming waiters and a comfortable and clubby restaurant atmosphere.
Still the best in Melbourne (by a long shot) and one of the best in the world. Hope to have the pleasure of dining here for many years to come.
OMG!!! The best chinese ever, the service and all staff fantastic, worth every cent.
Nothing to fault. Best chinese food i've ever had, best service i've ever had. Was really good value for money too ... thought the serves were very generous. Yum!
Best service in Melbourne, terrific food. What can I say? It is simply a fantastic dining experience for a special occasion.
Marianna Di Gregorio
+4.5
Amazing way to finish off our weekend in Melbourne. The shark fin soup was amazing. Actually all the food, was to die for.service was great, atmosphere was nice. Thanku for an amazing experience
Loved this place. Had the 6 course banquet paired with wine. Great service, wonderful night
Fantastic service and food! Have dined at the flower drum twice now and it is amazing. The staff happily cater for me, being a vegetarian and even make the banquet cheaper for me as it didn't contain meat. It is the perfect place for a special meal as you do need to book in a couple of months ahead for dinner. Will go back again and again!
Standard maintained and still being followed. Didn't feel comfortable at first with their over the top service, but get used to it very soon. Their dishes were as good as before (few years back). Their peaking duck, their steak, baked crab shell, and even the dessert were great. I noticed many other Melbourne Chinese restaurants are having their menu and servicing model similar to flower drum, but they aren't as good. Yes, flower drum is a bit pricey, but it s not the most expensive.
Soft Shell Crab. Always great - i could literally live entirely off the soft shell crab and Tsingtao. Service is legendary.
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$40 for 2 Course Lunch - YUM!. Yes, you can enjoy the Flower Drum for only $40 for a 2 course lunch or $55 for 3 courses.
There are 3 entrees to choose from including their famous Peking Duck and a lamb jiaozi (dumpling) The Peking duck was excellent but the lamb dumpling was wrong because dumplings don't come with lamb in them - it's just not right.
For mains, the black Angus eye fillet beef was outstanding and melted in our mouths. The barramundi fillet was nice and light but it would have been better if they had kept to the original Cantonese style of cooking (i.e. not battered)
The mains came with a bowl of tasty fried rice (complete with thinly chopped asparagus) and another rice bowl of lightly stir fried fresh greens (snow peas and Chinese broccoli - cooked to perfection) Plus we were given little almond biscuits for sweets.
I think that this restaurant is trying to hard to modernise their dishes but this means compromising on the correct way of cooking which thereby affects the taste.
Overall all, it was a lovely dining experience with excellent and attentive service throughout and good food all round. For $40, I would highly recommend the experience!
Yep still the best cantonese in australia
Chinatown. Had dinner here on thursday night, the food and service are amazing. Best peking duck and chicken sweet corn soup. Fried ice cream is to die for
All class. The Flower Drum is classic, old school fine dining and is the perfect place for a BIG event meal. Yes, there are trendier, hipper restaurants in Melbourne but if you are looking for exemplary service, excellent and delicate Cantonese food and a memorable meal then this is the place. My husband and I had the 6 course chef's menu but made some substitutions based on some of the maitre d's suggestions. We had the most amazing meal of baked crab shell, amazingly fresh garfish and a modern dessert tasting plate including a lychee sorbet encased in white chocolate and a mini chestnut pie. For those who say there are cheaper Chinese meals to be had in Melbourne, it is a bit like saying you can get Italian food at La Porchetta. The Flower Drum is not cheap, it is refined, classic Cantonese food for a very special occasion.
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Old school chinese experience. I flew over from adelaide for the day to shop and lunch. when i arrived at flower drum i was pleasantly surprised from the word go. the door was opened for me upon arriving and then i was escorted into the lift...hoo ha! walked into the foyer and greeted again by big smiles and helpful staff . i was then escorted to a corner table at the far end of the restaurant. i sat down and was amusingly surprised by the dark, seedy, yet glamorous old school chinese gangster vibe of the place. i loved it! the money you spend at FD is in the service, ambience and wine list. the duck wontons for entree were perfection, but i was a little disappointed in the main - pork stir fry - given the price i paid, i found it of average value, but fresh. the fried ice cream for dessert is an oldie but a goldie from my childhood, very special. all in all it was a delightful experience and i was shown nothing more than the best, friendliest and attentive service. one fine day i will return and i will be trying the roast duck with tangy plum sauce - no doubt a 10/10 dish!
Crazy not to enjoy. Words can not describe how much I enjoyed this place, from the service to the food it was all outstanding. If you plan on going don't forget to get a bank loan before hand.
Amazing! 5 stars for their service, it was like we were the only people in the restaurant. Food was full of flavour and the toffee bananas for dessert was the perfect way to end the meal. Defiantly going back again.
I have never had a Chinese experience quite like Flower Drum. Everything from the service to the food was quite literally perfect. No complaints from me. 10/10
Lovely. We popped down for a la carte lunch today at the Flower Drum and ordered various dishes, all to which were artistically presented and full of flavour. The peking duck was just beautiful and the king prawns enormous. The red roast pork was tender and the crayfish omelette was subtle yet rich in flavour. Staff were more than attentive, and we left feeling very satisfied. A pleasure to dine.
Fantastic dinner we had the 6 course menu , everything was perfect , amazing service the place was very busy as it was oaks day . I will def be going again . yum
In the know. Best way to experience Flower Drum is to get to know a waiter - eg: Barney - we never see the menu, he suggests, (we always have the baked crab in shell - to die for) and we are yet to be disappointed. You don't go there for atmosphere but if you want GREAT Chinese and a top end wine list then there's none better
Peking duck to die for, exceptional, attentive service, fabulous menu, worth every additional sent!
The service here is the best I've ever seen, and the Peking duck was to die for. Highly recommend
Some of the best service I've ever experienced and the food was great. Waiters were so attentive and had exactly the right balance
Enjoyable Chinese but can be found elsewhere. The dishes didn't stand out for us, which we were expecting.. But they were still good and we left full. Pricier than most chinese restaurants in the city but the service here is SO much more professional and friendly than the other cheap places nearby.
We had the Grain Fed Eye Fillet and Peking Duck which were great. Desserts were okay, enjoyed the mango crepe. Again not very original..
Things done right.. Have been there for lunch a few times and its been consistently good.
Nice decor and very attentive service without being pretentious.
Plenty of veg options and all tasty. Singapore noodle dish is a must to try, stuffed eggplant not too bad either,so delicate.
They don't mind you sharing, which I thought such places would. Having filled up on food once, we didn't have enough room for desert so just ordered one. They confirmed if its to share and split it in the kitchen in two plates with separate garnishing etc. Very nice of them.
One of the best dining experiences ever. Amazing, fresh, interesting food..... Fantastic service, we had great wines matched for us...... Certainly not in the cheap eats catagorey, but recommend- do it! Book!
Best Chinese restaurant in Australia.. To people who don't like this restaurant what's wrong with you? I have been going for close to ten years.. And I have never had a bad meal never. Yes it expensive but your getting something you can't get anywhere else.. For goodness sake they put quail meat inside a spring roll (could you imagine how pain stakeing that would be) best thing to eat Peking duck.10/10
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Great service, lovely food, painful on the wallet. My boyfriend and I had planned to go to Hauf Brau Haus (sp?) in China Town but when we got there the main restaurant was closed and we didn't think the bar next door was the experience we wanted. So we decided to splurge on Flower Drum across the road, as I had never been before and he said it was great. I had the 4 dish set menu for around $100 and it was all absolutely superb. He had a slow cooked lamb dish that he wasn't crazy about, as it was a just a tiny bit grisly. The wine was amazing - a Harvey Mountain californian zinfandel red (or something like that), we loved it so much we had a few glasses, despite it being around $20 a glass! The silver service was really lovely - my boyfriend said that's what makes it worth the money, although personally I must admit that although it was amazing, I found it a little disconcerting too because I 'm not used to that sort of thing (I'm just a pleb really). I was struck by how there were so few people dressed up given the prices, it's a shame that people don't go in for that sort of thing anymore. There was even a girl there wearing ugg boots?? Anyway, we don't eat out much so I am willing to believe that Flower Drum has been superseded by better places, but we loved it. Expect to pay a fortune and to feel that you somewhat got your money's worth in fine service and lovely food.
Mixed Bag. OK, after many visits to Flower Drum. I've decided to say something. Most of the food is still sensational, the service is outstanding, but it's beginning to feel a little overpriced compared to some other Chinese restaurants. I still recommend it if you are dating a mainland Chinese girl, as it still impresses, but obviously not for a first date (too expensive for that).
Service is impeccable! The food delicious, everything was spot on. However, really your paying for the service. The only dish that really stood out was the Peking duck. Everything else you could get from other high quality Chinese restaurants for a fraction of te price, to the same great tasting quality. This was nice for an experience, I highly enjoyed it but won't come rushing back. Nice place for a celebration.
Speechless. Was phenominal!!
Service matched the food.
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Fine night out with the family. It was my mother-in-law's 80th birthday on the weekend, and we'd planned well in advance to go to Flower Drum with the whole family. The food was mostly beautiful, although there were a few items which were just nice. The service was, as usual, exceptional. There were nine of us there altogether and it cost us $925 including just two bottles of wine, but for such a special occasion it was worth it. On the other hand when we got home my husband immediately ate some fruit, so it wasn't really filling. A few of the dishes were a little small, such as the drunken squab (which I later found out is pigeon, so it's not surprising it's small). For entree I had a crab mornay dish which is normally a part of one of the banquets, and it was divine. We had their signature dish Peking duck, which was up to its usual delicious standard. One of the main meals we had was a beef steak dish, and after the first plate of it we ordered two more, it was so good. On the more ordinary side, for dessert I had the deep-fried ice cream, but it came out cold (I'm used to the crust being hot), and it was just nice, not fabulous. Their coffee is excellent. Oh, and by the way, their wine list is really remarkable.
Flower Drum, worth it. Had seafood and peking Duck, delicious. Staff excellent.
Saturday lunch is the go. If you want to avoid:
- A second mortgage
- Lots of snobby w**kers
- Being seen in a future series of Underbelly
- Busy busy busy
I really enjoy this fine dining icon when it's a relaxed Saturday lunch. The place is not too full and the set menu options were great.
Will always have a soft spot for this place. Food is spectacular and the spacious interior takes me back to when I was a child and thought that place was paradise. Never dissapointed, just glad I'm not paying the bill.
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Timed to Dine. Recently whilst working in Melbourne, four colleagues and I were left to last after a hectic week. Someone suggested a quick lunch at the 'Drum rather than a stale cracker in the Qantas lounge, so we thought we'd give it a spin with no booking and about an hour an a half to get in and out.
We arrived before 12 (their scheduled opening time) and within 10 minutes we were in with the whole 1st Floor to ourselves with the exception of the plethora of waiting staff (for which they are renowned) and what appeared to be relatives left over from breakfast.
We gave precise instructions to the principal waiter assigned to us (there were three or four others to assist him) to ensure that one of our number (me) could escape by 1 pm to catch my flight. That gave me just on 1 hour and the timing was spot on. In these unusal circumstances, we threw the choice of menu over to our hosts.
They determined on a slight variance to one of their luncheon selections, but I don't think we suffered from the change.
We statrted with 4 dumplings. Very fresh dough and herbs wich brought out the different flavours of the scallop, the prawn, the dim sim, etcetera. Then we moved to a traditional Seng Choi Bao. I thought this need a bit of spicing-up, but others weren't fussed, so I put it down to my palette. I thought a bit of soy sparked it up. This was followed by a pallette clenser before moving to what I thought to be the highlight of the meal, battered barramundi. It sounds plain, however it was anything but. The batter was very light, not at all oily, the fish was perfectly cooked. Each bite was like taking a snap out of a perfectly cooked chip; there was a literal crunch and the the softness and taste of the fish really hit you like the moist centre of a chip. It was all about the taste and the texture. Finally we had a Grain Fed Eye Fillet with Black Pepper Sauce. Again, perfectly cooked to my taste (on the rare side) with delicate, not over-powering pepper flavours. It was served with an excellent fried rice.
Each person received individual serves and each was delivered by an human assembly line of demure, but pleasant staff under the obvious lead of our host.
We washed the meal down with a few bottles of mineral water and a bottle of Shaw & Smith Sav' Blanc (c.$48).
I had to leave, but I'm told that the food stopped with my departure and, for my part, am happy to say that I had more than enough in good company and not once did I feel rushed or anxious that I would miss my flight (until I got onto the freeway).
I have to say that I have a sopt spot for theDrum, but I have lately avoided it because of all the hype about bookings, cost and the like. However, our meal was beautifully paced and controlled by the staff who hovered without getting in the way of our conversation, making it a memorable meal amidst a memorable week.
All up the damage (including the wine) was $440, so say $80 a head plus the wine. Some may say thats's steep for Chinese, but (soy apart) it was pretty faultless.
The
Faultless. My companion had flown in from Canberra the night before, spotting a review of a Flower Drum dish in the in-flight magazine. Mud crabs with ginger and shallots, on a bed of noodles. I was prepared to have to break the disappointing news that getting a table at Flower Drum was not possible, but Melbourne's summer languidness worked in our favour and we were greeted with smiles and hands at the ready to relieve us of bags of bargains.
It's like stepping into another age. How can a roomful of bustling waiters possibly generate a tranquil atmosphere?
Our menu did not feature the desired dish. My companion whipped out the page she had ripped from the magazine, two waiters conferred with the maitre'd, a message was relayed to the kitchen, a message returned and a young apprentice was set to work on a whole mud crab.
Half an hour later, one of the most extraordinary taste sensations I have experienced.
Oustanding.
Very good food, but not the finesse & wow factor I was expecting. Hard to see value for money. Also hard to see how they get two hats. Impeccable service.
So brilliant, what a night! Lovely service and yummy food. Well worth it
Not if I'm paying. Great spacing of tables. Some of the dishes world class, like the abalone. BUT it is tired and a parody of classy chinese restaurant. It is for 1980's business people to impress their golfing partners. I am not saying don't go there, but make sure someone else pays and tick it off your bucket list.
Flower drum was yum yum yum!!! Went there for special occasion and it just added to our amazing evening! Fong our waiter was so sweet and was very conscientious about giving us our privacy- yes meals are on the pricey end but quality is wonderful and I left stuffed!!!
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Have been visiting FD for the past ten years and have always been happy with the exceptional service from the tentative staff and the amazing food with good sized portions. We have vehemently defended the FD to critics and naysayers alike for a while now. However, on this last occasion we left feeling disappointed and defeated. The service had dropped considerably. There seemed to be lots of wait staff but no one actually waiting on us. Our teacups remained empty, as well as our glasses and our hot towels arrived with hair entwined in them. The portion sizes had shrunk and the biggest disappointment came when we ordered the crispy skinned chicken. It arrived crispy skinned but still red in a lot of parts, not pink, but red as in raw which is just not acceptable in ANY restaurant.
Not only is the decor in need of a re vamp, i think the whole place needs to go on a holiday and come back refreshed and excited to be doing what they do. At this point I could not honestly recommend this place to anyone for that special occasion as i once did. They have been riding the wave of their previous glory for too long and been allowed to slip into this mediocre existence because they are THE Flower Drum.
Shame Shame Shame
The BEST customer service I have ever experienced. Oh and the foods mighty good too.
Highlights? The service, the pace and of course, the food. Steak to die for, Peking Duck that was just mmmm! Moment to treasure: they overheard my companion say he didn't like seafood and didn't even give him prawn crackers with his Crispy Chicken like the rest of us.
Outstanding appetisers - Delightful calamari with spicy salt, good duck wontons, and great Szechuan eggplant. Then the wheels came off with the mains - no free range pig used, worst Singapore noodles (tasteless vermicelli, overcooked) and frozen king prawns used in the chilli prawn stir fry. Decor is tired. Waitstaff very attentive, but no real atmosphere. For dessert, awesome mango crepes, and lovely Peking apple toffee, compiled at the table. Just missed the mark, which might explain how we were able to obtain a Friday lunch booking, at short notice, in a mostly empty restaurant. Time to rebuild - your competition has caught up, and surpassed you in what was your halcyon era.
Amazing service and amazing food, went for my birthday dinner with my boyfriend and our waiter made my night even more delightful, peaking duck is unbelievable!!
Good food but over priced. Enjoyed the food but I wouldn't go if I was paying.
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Expensive but a must try (for a very special occasion). Flower Drum is most definitely fine dining - both in terms of price and service. Their service was very attentive and polite, after each round of dishes they would replace dishes and cutlery and also give hot towels. According to a friend they also had a very reasonably priced wine list (im not a big drinker).
I was not much of a fan of their yum cha which seemed to have a slight twist from the regular run of the mill yum cha dishes, but the other dishes are amazing.
What I had (highlights):
> Lobster noodles - not too oily, great flavour, lobster meat all shelled for you - including the little parts of the legs!
> Peking duck - reputation for great Peking duck - wrapped warm next to your table - crispy skin and tender meat, not too much fat
> Drunken Chicken - great balance of flavours, the right amount of subtleness (though you must like the slight alcohol taste to appreciate it)
Its worth a visit at least as an experience, just take a look at their menu to gauge how much you will be forking out so there are no unwanted surprises.
Great service great food a great business still going strong
Anniversary. Thanks to my partner for a great 1st anniversary. It was off to a slow start as the service wasn't that quick, but once we had ordered the service seemed to be more attentive and the meal was paced just right. Great to go to a Melbourne icon.
Gracefully Grazing...
+4.5
As time goes by..... Been going for a long time...never disappoints.....the pearl meat is always a winner for me.
But I can see in today's market and the level of decor and theatre that we have come to expect that the Flower Drum does not standout as it once did.
But a Melbourne institution it is and worth a least one dinning experience there.
Set menu sets my canto instincts on edge but the drum pulls it off. However going phantom menu is the best way to order. Service consistent. For some reason dinner service on certain weekdays far outstrips the rest ?chef utilization in the kitchen
Peaking duck!. Yes its pricey - but it is easily the best chinese in Melbourne if not Australia.
You will not find better staff anywhere in Australia.
And you have to order the peaking duck. Its a must have!
Great food & service. well worth the experience.
Just outstanding. Having been going to the Flower Drum since I was young, it just never disappoints.
The service - it just doesnt get any better. Unobtrusive but extremely efficient. I have had many instances where an empty glass dissappeared while I was at a table for two and I didnt even notice!
The food is simply sublime. Many simply dont get it. The simplicity, honesty and detail in the food, the texture, the quality of ingredients, even the temperature of individual components of a dish is what its all about.
At the Flower Drum nothing is left to chance. Its all by design. If you thought it wasnt impressive, chances are you just dont understand what they were trying to achieve.
One of the few chinese restaurant you get good service
Simply the best restaurant service I've ever experienced.
Amazing. This is a beautiful restaurant with the most amazing service I have experienced. I enjoyed the pearl, dim sum and peking duck. Beautiful food, the whole experience is something I will never forget. Highly recommend Flower Drum, it is relatively expensive but it is worth it.
Exceptional....... You have'nt had a great meal with great service until you have been to the "Flower Drum"........ I can't say much more except try it........ Exceptional value and the most mouth watering menu that will not dissapoint!!!!!!!
Always a great meal, go the duck!
Best service in the world.. After a bit of saving I took my partner to the FD for the banquet. Whilst the food was great and the 'cheesy crab' will go down in our gastronomic folklore, what really set this apart was the service. It was seamless. The tea was hot and constantly replenished, the courses flowed around us. Whilst I have had food that good for half the price the service made you feel like royalty and I would happily hand over my wad of cash again for that kind of service.
How do you say perfect in cantonese?. FINALLY i got to try the ever so famous Flower Drum thanks to my beautiful boyfriend.
We did the $165 banquet and upgraded the beef to wagu for an extra $20 or so....let me tell you, i was not disappointed!
Every single dish that came out was perfect....we sat there and raved about each element of every single dish and could not fault one thing. Service was impeccable....ambiance of the resteraunt was bustling....there was not one empty table on this tuesday night.
Its not often that i dont find something wrong....but i cant say one bad word about this place. They even kept refilling my fresh chilli without me having to ask >.<
To all those wishing to try it out...DO IT! Your tastebuds will love you for it!
Excellent food, superior service. Nuff said!
A real flower .... We were treated to a degustation menu by the chef at his pleasure and consequently ours as every item was a taste sensation! Often we were almost hesitant to get started on a dish because they way it was presented looked like a piece of art. The service was warm and professional and we ended up having a close to 3-hours culinary safari of epic proportions ...
Friendly service. Flower Drum's lost its lustre recently with the entry of new pretenders into Melbourne's dining scene. The food on its menu can be had elsewhere at much cheaper prices, bigger proportions, and may I say, better quality? However what still sets it apart, and why I think every last cent you pay is worth it, is the fantastic service that is attentive but does not overwhelm, from suggestions on what and how much to order (i do tend to overorder), and from the fact that they're JUST THERE when you need them. Unlike its other Cantonese counterparts your querying gaze doesn't have to turn into and evil stare before you get any attention. And mind you, they're not just hanging about waiting for you to get on with your meal and pay the bill. Wine glasses get filled, condiments get replaced, empty plates get replenished without one asking. Excellent service - best in melbourne.
Yes it is stuffy, yes it is expensive, but the food is delicious. Do not eat shark fin soup as it is a barbaric practice. Tell everyone.
Our first visit to Flower Drum in the "post-Lau" era. We went because our 9 year old has become something of a Peking Duck tragic. So, we went really only to sample the legendary Peking Duck. What of it? "completely perfect" was our 9 year old's assessment. He was right. Light, delicious pancakes with beautiful duck and delightful sauce, all served with perfect precision. Worth the visit on its own. However, we did eat other things too: prawns, scallops etc. All light, fresh and flavoursome. Of course, great wine too (though not for our 9 year old - he prefers apple juice). Oh, the Flower Drum. Mustn't wait so long til next time. Melbourne SO needs you. Well done.
Just go.... ...and don't order from the menu. The waiter will tailor the banquet to your palate. Best enjoyed with a group of friends, a wad of cash and not a care in the world. This is the place to take visitors to Melbourne!
Amazing. Not cheap but brilliant food and service. The banquet is awesome
Fantastic.... Try the Chef's Tasting Special. Authentic food, different from the run of the mill Chinese.
The Duck is awesome.
Big deal!. Probably is the best but for me it felt pretentious and I did not feel relaxed because the wait staff made me feel this way. So when you dine you must feel satisfied not only through the taste but from the feeling in the air. Thanks for letting me in, I appreciate them wanting my business. Next time I will go to Jackie's Restaurant in Essendon and get the same quality and feel like a king! (Tope)
I have long been a fan and used to believe the food here was better than eating on Hong Kong where we lived for 5 years. But last time, I felt it had slipped a notch, although still very good. Seemed an expensive meal for what we had and I missed the old Lobster potstickers. But subsequently, I have had overseas visitors rave over their meals there
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I have always heard of this place as being highly rated for excellent Chinese food however never managed to pay a visit until we received a gift to dine here, and wow am I kicking myself for never trying this sooner!
As soon as you step into the premises, the staff are all so welcoming and attentive. I can only echo what other reviewers have said and agree the service is second to none. I don't think I've ever been to a restaurant where I haven't had to get the attention of staff.
And the food, wow! Everything was beautiful, we had the summer tasting banquet and we cannot fault any of the dishes. The coral trout was cooked to perfection, eye fillet was so tender and the veg was so simple yet wonderfully complimented the special fried rice and eye fillet.
Dessert could be selected from a wide range from crepe to ice cream to something more traditional like milk pudding. We were spoilt for choice! We went with the almond pudding and the baked chestnut crumble. The custard pudding in the bake was really nice and not too sweet.
Overall it was a wonderful night out, we will definitely be back and telling family and friends about this place.
The annual award winning 15 chefs hat restaurant lives up to its reputation. Fabulous environment for vivacious celebrations, superb food and friendly talented staff. Amazing crab, scallop and shrimp dumplings, stuffs crab shell, Jade tiger abalone and pepper eye fillet. Yummy.
Amazing atmosphere, the customer service was immaculate. We came as a group of four, when we ordered the mains they served it all to us all equally instead of just picking at the dish. Our favourite was definitely the Peking Duck! Definitely would recommend going back and trying out more of there dishes 🙌🏼 The drinks were also amazing, a restaurant always worth visiting.
So far this is one of the best Chinese restaurant with five star service. I can feel the warm welcome from the supervisor, it was very sincerely and the dedicated waiter was following the service procedures. Given i worked in five star restaurant many years ago, I can feel its very professional. The only suggestion I could give is when introducing the wine, normally the person who tasted the wine needs to wait to be the last pouring glass, but that’s just a minor thing. Also I can feel serving waiter doesn’t take customer orders, needs to wait for the supervisor, but it could be better if the serving waiter could acknowledge that client wants to make additional order and inform the supervisor. Overall the place deserve a five star, food is top quality, nice environment and good service. Definitely recommend friends and family members to visit and try out more often.
Ordered the Chef's Signature Banquet (6 courses) with the matching wine menu. The courses were all prepared well and the wine went really nicely with each. The selection was well balanced with both sea food and steak being offered, topped with a fresh desert. I would say Flower Drum is erring on the side of being slightly too expensive for the offering, but is still an excellent dining experience. The atmosphere and staff were very hospitable.
We had another wonderful dinner at our favourite restaurant in Melbourne.
The flower Drum is one of Melbourne icon restaurants we have dined here on numerous occasions & have always loved it. The restaurant is located at 17 Market Lane.
The Flower Drum offers fabulous fine dining Cantonese cuisine however it's not cheap but is certainly worth the fine dining experience as the staff, food & atmosphere are absolutely outstanding.
Amazing quality food & friendly staff. My husband has been celebrating his big birthdays here from 18th, 21st, 30th to 4oth and every time the quality of food never fails us. We also go for our wedding anniversary aswell.
Came here with a group of 11 for lunch. Although almost of the dishes were cooked well, I highly recommend the Seafood Soup Dumpling, Crispy Skin Chicken 🐔 Peking Duck 🦆and Lotus Leaf Fried rice 🍚. The steamed milk and ginger was okay, but inconsistent between each bowl (some had more ginger flavours than others). The broth in the soup dumpling was so clear yet intense chicken flavour, the skin on the poultry was crispy with tender meat and the fried rice was full of aromatic smell of the lotus leaves. Definitely true to its Cantonese roots. 👍🏼😋😋
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