Banging flavour. That’s what Flyover Fritterie & Chai Bar should be known as. This Redfern venue is bringing Indian street food to Sydney with sophistication, a vegan flair and a significantly gluten free menu. Designed in honor of the overpass vendors seen throughout India, Flyover Fritterie brings together street food and home style recipes to create a hearty and mouth-watering menu.
Walking into the venue we were immediately swept away by a multitude of incredible smells emanating from the kitchen. Immediately like Pavlovian puppies, we began to salivate. We knew it would be good – but were honestly surprised at how impressive the quality of the food is at such affordable prices and Flyover Fritterie really delivers flavour and value. Boom.
It’d be remiss for a place with Chai Bar in their name to not have some of the best Chai in town. There is really nothing more soul – and hand warming – than a big cup of Chai. Flyover has both hot and iced versions, but for winter, we chose the hot one which is perfectly packed full of flavour and traditionally brewed with cardamom and ginger. So rich is the flavour and beneficial the spices, you’ll actually feel better for having it. The Thandaii, a drink made with almond milk, cardamom, pepper, fennel, poppy seeds, watermelon seeds, chia seeds, saffron & rose is also a favourite – it’s a drink and dessert and salve to the well combined spice we were enjoying.
We started with the Aloo Tikki (Tikki means small croquette) a crispy potato fritter stuffed with spicy chana daal. Topped with yoghurt, and a home made tamarind and mint chutney, pomegranate, ginger and beetroot. This is both vegetarian and gluten free. The dish arrives and the potato fritter is about 5cms high, it looks like a spicy cinnamon bun – but better yet made of deliciously dreamy curried potato and daal. If we could eat this every day we’d be pretty happy with life. Oh and if the translation of small croquette makes you reconsider for a lunch – don’t – Flyover Fritterie has created these to be the opposite of small.
The Mushroom Momos, inspired by a Nepalise recipe are hand rolled dumplings stuffed with shiitake mushrooms, steamed and served with a sesame chutney and chili oil. These are stuffed to the brim with mushrooms and transported to another realm with the sesame chutney and chili oil.
Next we devoured the Buttery Black Daal Khichri – with a smoky, creamy stew of urad daal, basmati rice, quinoa served with gluten free fritters, cauliflower and carrot pickle. So much flavour packed into this dish and such a variety of textures. The dish reminded us of a risotto but with a solid spice flair, and greater interest and variety with the crunch of fritters.
The Dosa Potato Jaffle – is literally a toastie with peanut chutney, dosa potatoes, coconut crunch and cashews. Also served with seasonal fritters and a mint and tamarind chutney. Who doesn’t love the idea of dosa potatoes stuffed to the edges of a toasted sandwich? My dining partner fell in love with this dish, regularly dipping the hot, carb-on-carb goodness into the house made mint and tamarind chutney, not pausing to speak – just nodding in happiness.
The dessert pick, though, is the Rose Cardamom Kheer. Rice pudding is not something we’ve seen done well in Australia and yet the best ones we’ve seen so far have been in Indian restaurants. We loved every single morsel. Perfectly sweet and balanced with spice the rice pudding is beautifully topped with almonds and rose petals. Do yourself a big favour and order it.
Flyover Fritterie is close to the Redfern train station and in the heart of the suburb. Perhaps it’s a place the locals would prefer to keep secret to pop in with friends, solo or get a take away, but the food within these walls is worthy of a drive or time on the train from anywhere across the city, and we’re adding it to a list of places to take interstate and international visitors such is the food – you won’t be able to get enough of Flyover Fritterie.
Flyover Fritterie & Chai Bar
80-88 Regent Street, Sydney
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Friday & Saturday 12:00 pm – 9:30 pm
