Images: Duy Dash (first image of owners Karl Tang and Ben Liew)
What better way to enjoy the dropping temperatures in South Australia, than in a cosy wine bar in the heart of the CBD? You can do just that at the new Makan Southeast Asian inspired wine bar on Flinders Street which officially opens its doors on Friday 25th of April.
Meaning ‘to eat’ in Malaysian/Indonesian, Makan is the brainchild of Ben Liew and Karl Tang, both affiliated with East End’s Southeast Asian fusion restaurant, Paper Tiger.
With a dedication to introducing Adelaide to the richness of natural Asian wine varieties, Karl Tang, Co-Founder of Makan, the new bar will have a large focus on natural Asian wine varieties which is a point of difference for the venue.
“Makan will be a place where people can expect the unexpected when tasting wines, and food for that matter,” Karl says.
“Our wine list will have 50-60 varieties, and while we will have a range of great local small batch labels, we’re really concentrating on flavours that people may not be familiar with, such as those natural Japanese wines and some international labels too,” Karl says.
“We’ll also be offering customers a range of Sake and Umeshu from Japan, as well as Chardonnay from China…We’re delivering a wine portfolio that is different and unlike anything else in South Australia which I’m very excited about,” Karl says.
Complementing the diverse wine selection, Makan’s menu draws inspiration from a spectrum of Southeast Asian cuisines, including Indonesian, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Malaysian influences.
Curated by Ben Liew, the menu boasts twelve small plates, five larger dishes, and a selection of desserts, all crafted for communal enjoyment and exploration of flavours.
“At Makan, I aim to unleash my creativity, experimenting with an array of ingredients to offer patrons an innovative dining experience,” Ben remarked. “It’s a playground for culinary exploration.”
There will be a focus on smaller plates which includes prawn doughnut, crispy capelin and
Szechuan grill eggplant, along with some bigger plates that will feature sesame tantanmen, a
spicy pork mince, smoked cauliflower and a 60 day dry aged scotch fillet that will be part of an
evolving dry aged menu focusing on some interesting flavours such as honey and chocolate.
Leading the execution of Makan’s menu is Head Chef Yung-Xun Wu, whose food journey includes stints at renowned establishments such as Chinatown’s Japanese BBQ joint, Kyoku Yakiniku, Minimono Noodle Bar on Rundle Street, and most recently, Paper Tiger.
With hues of greens and black accentuated by warm yellow LED lighting, Makan’s loft-style ambiance promises a relaxed yet energetic atmosphere across its 60-seat capacity. Guests can anticipate live music performances and an inviting balcony space, accessed through a distinctive ship-style cargo door.
“We’re very excited to open the doors to Makan and welcome people to try the food and wine
that we are passionate about,” Ben says.
Makan
Where: LV1 116 Flinders St
When: Tuesday-Thursday, 4pm-late
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 12pm- late
More info: Click here
Instagram: @makan_winebar
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