Wait, wasn’t there a lively tapas bar here just a minute ago? There was, but following a summer makeover, the restaurant formerly known as Pata Negra now goes by the name Fuyu, an elegant black and white eating house celebrating the pleasure and diversity of Asian food. David Coomer has been right at home working with Eastern flavours from his Star Anise days, and here he doesn’t drop a beat, whether it’s lifting crisp and juicy quail with black vinegar and Sichuan pepper or using betel leaves and salted duck egg to put a Vietnamese spin on steak tartare. While a more responsible publication might try to dissuade readers from loading up on little bánh mì and other snack items, we can’t resist the golden, blistered pumpkin and lentil butter curry puffs and savoury char siu bao. The concise, West-centric wine and beer list is another plus and further proof of the good that happens when East meets West.
Fuyu, 26 Stirling Hwy, Nedlands, WA, (08) 9389 5517. Open Tue-Thu & Sat 6pm-12am, Fri 4pm-12am.
