Don't mention the F-word to French chef Julien Perraudin. Fusion has too many negative connotations, so he prefers to describe his new menu as "French technique with normal Asian".
There's nothing pedestrian or middle of the road at Salon De The, the new Victoria Road, Darlinghurst venue designed by Tomek Archer and backed by the high-profile Ciroc Collective, which counts restaurateur Maurice Terzini among its members.
Even when Perraudin turns from Indochina to French classics, he turns them on their heads.
Steak frites, for example, use jasmine rice as the central ingredient for the frites. "I pack the rice flat on a tray, press it overnight then slice them thin and roll them in flour," the chef says.
If that sounds a lot of work, Perraudin has gone all-out for healthy options at the pint-sized sibling to Bar De The.
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