By Sacha Delfosse
Sydney bar Madame Fling Flong, which closed following the tragic death of its owner last year, relaunches today following refurbishments by the venue’s new owners.
Located in Newtown, the upstairs bar opened as part of Soni’s restaurant in 2004, and under the guiding hand of its charismatic owner, Sonia Marra, became well-known for its cocktails, movie nights and great atmosphere.
Following Marra’s tragic death in a helicopter accident in New York last year, the venue changed hands. The new proprietors, Matt Kennedy and Chris Bell, retained the name but introduced a brand new tapas-style restaurant and front bar renovation.
"Whilst we're very excited to be introducing a completely new look and feel to the place, including a renovation and a revamped menu, we hope to retain a lot of the warmth and hospitality that Soni's was renowned for,” Kennedy said.
The new food menu features dishes derived from the tapas and pinxos bars of Spain and the Basque region, matched with wines by the glass.
“The idea behind this is to encourage people to try something different, to go past the standard Marlborough SSB and try something a little more exotic and more suited to the cuisine," Kennedy said.
The cocktail list has also been refreshed, offering patrons 20 martini-styled cocktails including the Bloody Mary Martini, which is infused with tomato essence, black pepper chilli vodka and horseradish.
Madame Fling Flong is located at 169 King Street, Newtown.