IN FOCUS: FIOR

Southern dreams

Meet Australian-Italian restaurant Fior.

WORDS Amy Northcott

REBECCA FANNING AND Tristan Rosier’s Jane and Arthur are staples in Sydney’s inner-city dining scene. But earlier in the year, the duo announced they would open a restaurant outside of Surry Hills for the first time. Gymea has recently welcomed many new venues to the area, with Fanning and Rosier long acknowledging the potential of the Shire. “We scouted a few different locations, but nothing was quite as enticing as the Shire, specifically Gymea because we see a huge demand for great dining in the area,” says Fanning.

The pair are also more than familiar with the Shire, with Rosier growing up in the area. “We have lots of family who are always heading to the CBD and surrounds to visit the newest restaurants, and we wanted to bring a taste of the CBD here,” says Fanning. “For Tristan, it’s a little bit like coming home. He used to walk past the site — little did he know he would have a restaurant here one day.”

Gymea is about a 40-minute drive from the Sydney CBD, which could be off-putting for some operators. “Once you’re there, you realise just how beautiful it is and [people] there love great food,” says Fanning. The restaurateur believes locals have been looking for fresh yet familiar dining experiences. “So many people are venturing [down south] because of the lifestyle it offers. Some may have previously lived closer to the CBD and had access to more variety, and now they want that at their doorsteps.”

Rosier and Head Chef Will Lawson are on the pans at Fior, serving up dishes Fanning describes as “Italian cool meets Aussie charm”. The menu features an 18-option antipasti section before moving into pastas, mains, and desserts. But Fanning says it’s best not to make assumptions about the Italian label. “[There’s] house-made pastas but the flavours are not what you expect from your run-of-the-mill Italian.”

Having a balance of familiar favourites and creative plates was a priority when designing the menu. “We’ve included some dishes we know everyone loves,” says Fanning. But unlike the Australian-only produce rule at Arthur and Jane, Fior “opens up the brief ever so slightly”, says Fanning. “You can’t do an Italian place and not include Italian producers, which is something that is totally off the table at our other restaurants. We’re still heroing Australian producers, but with an Italian twist to show that with every Italian producer, there is an Australian equivalent. We think Australian produce is some — if not the best — in the world.”

Nothing was quite as enticing as the Shire, specifically Gymea because we see a huge demand for great dining in the area.”

– Rebecca Fanning

Launch dishes include mafalde corte pasta with cavolo nero pesto and stracciatella; grilled Skull Island prawns with ’nduja butter; crumbed scallops with celeriac and green garlic; plus a prawn and chilli gnoccheti sardi. The restaurant has taken a more interactive route when it comes to a dessert option, with front of house wheeling around a gelato trolley to serve housemade flavours that will frequently change.

Fanning notes the important role the community plays within the Shire when it comes to running a restaurant. “The existing operators are loved by the locals, they appreciate what they do and most of them have been around for a long time,” she says. “The welcome [from the community] has been enormous and is beyond what we could have imagined — we’re so grateful for that.” Fior has been open for a few weeks now, with Fanning and Rosier wanting the restaurant to become a go-to dining spot for locals. “We hope everyone feels welcomed and that nothing is a bother,” says Fanning. “Our style of hospitality is genuine; we want to make sure guests have the best time and leave feeling like they’ve experienced something truly unique from people who love what they’re doing.”