Victor Liong has had a busy year. In August, he opened Brazilian-inspired sushi train Bossa Nova with Con Christopoulos, and this week he soft-launched Silk Spoon , a casual new concept at 500 Bourke Street – also home to Rosa’s Canteen and MoVida Aqui . This is all while continuing to helm two-hatted Lee Ho Fook , where he’s been chef and co-owner for more than a decade.
While Lee Ho Fook champions what Liong calls modern Chinese food, Silk Spoon casts a wider net, exploring China’s culinary influence via the Silk Road. “The food that I enjoy is more diverse than just East Asian,” says Liong. “Instead of fusing flavours or ingredients together, I felt that it was a natural progression to explore similarities in [East Asian food and other] cuisines.
” The menu caters to a corporate crowd with grab-and-go options and mains between $14 and $18. “I wanted to offer healthy, flavourful food at a price point that was approachable,” says Liong. He’s adopted a self-service model where diners order via QR code and grab their own cutlery, reducing staffing needs and keeping prices low without sacrificing quality.
One lunchtime hero is the $18 lamb plate. Shoulder meat is brined, seasoned with cumin, Sichuan peppercorns and fennel, then braised overnight. It’s served with spiced bulgur (a cracked wheat common in the Middle East), pickled red cabbage and flatbread.
Alternatively, bulgur and lamb can be subbed for chickpea salad and Liong’s take on duck confit. Th.