Two neighbouring shopfronts at 277 and 279 Rundle Street, in the heart of Adelaide’s East End, are about to fill up with very different kitchens. One will serve Filipino food, the other French. CityMag, the InDaily food section, reported that Mutya’s and Le Mistral are opening side by side.
Le Mistral gets there first. The French wine bar and bistro is due to open in July, and co-founder Matthieu Mioche has plenty of Provence in his own history. He was born in Guadeloupe and grew up in Aix-en-Provence, then spent years working in hospitality in Brisbane, Darwin and Adelaide. His business partner, Christopher Richards, was a colleague at Luciano’s on the Marina in Glenelg.
“What began as a professional relationship quickly evolved into a strong friendship,” Mioche said. The pair wanted to open the kind of place they had always wanted to eat in.
The name comes from the mistral, the strong wind that blows through southern France. Mioche said it stands for freshness, energy and the Mediterranean way of living. Inside, the plan is a neighbourhood bistro with warm lighting, natural textures and a welcoming bar. Seasonal dishes, French and Australian wines, classic cocktails and house-made pastries will be on offer. A French head chef, Enzo, and a pastry chef, Camille, will cook with South Australian produce.
Mutya’s, named for a mother
Next door, the team behind the Filipino restaurant 118 Kovenant is aiming higher. Co-founder Cris Joshua Cruz said the first restaurant opened four years ago, and diners’ interest in Filipino cooking has grown since. “We wanted to showcase the depth, diversity and sophistication of Filipino cuisine through a more elevated and contemporary dining experience,” he said.
The restaurant carries the nickname of his mother, Luzviminda, known as Mutya. She started out selling food in the Philippines and later built a catering business in Adelaide. Cruz said her hard work and resilience drive what the family does. In Filipino the word means a precious pearl, a nod to the Philippines’ nickname, the Pearl of the Orient.
The menu reworks traditional dishes while keeping their flavours, built on the balance of sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami that Cruz says defines the cuisine. Cocktails will use Filipino ingredients and tropical fruit, and the fit-out is meant to feel modern without losing the warmth of Filipino hospitality.
Both teams chose the East End because it is already one of the city’s best-known dining strips. Cruz sees a wider appetite behind that: “Today’s diners want more than just great food. They want authentic experiences and a connection to culture and stories behind the dishes.”
