Lichi Unveils Fresh New Flavours & New Head Chef at the Helm
One of our favourite restaurants to burst onto the Port Douglas dining scene in 2024, Lichi has just celebrated its one-year anniversary of serving up mouth-watering fusion cuisine. Now with the announcement of a new Head Chef manning the kitchen, it’s clear we’re in for even tastier things to come.
And let us tell you, reading Chef Carfun’s credentials, you can definitely count us “IN” for anything he is dishing up.
Introducing Lichi’s new Head Chef, Brett Carfun
If there’s one thing new Head Chef Brett Carfun specialises in, it’s creating culinary magic that excites the senses – enough to delight even the toughest of critics. His impressive career has seen him cook for NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark, celebs such as the honeymooning Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston (RIP the ultimate Hollywood ‘It’ couple), and Queen Oprah Winfrey herself.
Born in Mauritius with a love for food in his veins and the smell of delicious cooking in the air, Brett was influenced early on by his mother, a qualified chef, and his grandmother who was a baker.
Since moving to Australia, Brett has worked in some of the country’s most acclaimed restaurants, including Jamie Oliver’s Italian Restaurant in Sydney, Melbourne’s fine-dining institution Vue de Monde, and the multi-award winning Attica Restaurant which has been voted best restaurant in Australia and ranked in the top 20 restaurants in the world.
So, yeah, it’s fair to say this guy has got some skills in the kitchen.
Top chef trades city life for the tropics
The allure of Port Douglas is hard for most to resist, and Brett wasn’t immune to its tropical charm.
“Brett was excited to move to Port Douglas to undertake a new challenge and, especially, to be able to work with the vast array of amazing local produce,” said Lichi co-owner Hayley Sharpe.
Add to this Brett’s love for fishing and it’s clear that the decision to move to Port Douglas was a no-brainer.
Crispy Fried Whole Barramundi with XO sauce. A showstopper of a dish featuring fresh local seafood.
Irresistible Port Douglas charm brings irresistible dishes to Wharf St
Buzzing to hear about the new changes at Lichi, we were not disappointed. Ms Sharpe told us, “Brett has completely transformed the menu and features innovative dishes, predominantly with an asian fusion concept, that showcase some amazing local produce.”
Fellow carb-lovers (Let me see your hands!) will drool upon hearing that everything is cooked from scratch, including handmade pasta and freshly baked breads. With Brett’s baking lineage, we can only imagine the level of deliciousness.
“Brett’s cooking style can be described as creative, technical and always evolving. He likes to think out of the box when it comes to his food and doesn’t commit to one style.”
Dishes presented with finesse. Creative, innovative and – above all else – delicious.
Looking at the menu, we’re immediately drawn to the Bahn Mi Bug Roll – a lush Moreton Bay Bug with Vietnamese mayo on a freshly baked baguette, made from scratch in-house. This is a tantalising example of fusion cuisine, blending ingredients and flavours from different cultures to create a unique and exciting dish that we, honestly, cannot wait to sink our teeth into.
Tablelands Beef Eye Fillet w Leek Ash, Fermented Beetroot, King Oyster Mushroom and Abalone Jus
Want more? Set your taste buds to ‘yum’ as you explore an innovative menu packed with fresh local produce and bursting with flavour. Start with a zingy Reef Fish Crudo with local citrus, coconut curd and olive oil jam, or Korean-style Yukhoe Beef, green mango, chilli and crispy shallots on a betel leaf.
For the best of the FNQ region, it’s hard to say no to Lichi’s take on Reef & Beef, featuring a succulent Tablelands Beef Eye Fillet topped with some of the best locally-caught seafood and a white wine, garlic cream reduction.
But we’d be tempted to pass it up for a one kilogram Crispy Fried Whole Barrumundi with a delicious XO sauce, truffle aioli and Vietnamese slaw.
Dig in to House Made Pasta with Local Seafood, Chilli, Garlic, EVOO & Garden Herbs
Somehow, you’ll have to save room for dessert because there’s a White Chocolate & Lime Crème Brûlée with your name all over it.
Prefer your sweets on the intoxicating side? Check out the drinks list and order yourself a Mango Weis dessert cocktail – the luscious combo of mango liqueur, Malibu, mango puree and coconut cream will have you dreaming of Aussie summers eating ice cream by the beach.
The Trifecta: food, cocktails, atmosphere
Did you say cocktails? Yes indeed. More than just your purveyor of delicious eats, Lichi will be your new cocktail obsession, with first rate sips and atmosphere to match.
Located on Wharf St in the buzzing heart of Port Douglas, Lichi looks out over Market Park towards the iconic Sugar Wharf, St Mary’s By The Sea and the stunning Coral Sea.
Take a seat streetside or pull up a chair inside the intimate (and, we must say, beautifully decorated) space where their experienced mixologists get to work crafting classic cocktails with a contemporary twist.
Recommendations? Order up a Lychee Martini or Lichi’s Long Island Iced Tea, guaranteed to have you slipping deep into holiday mode before you can say, “Another one, please!”
Sophisticated menu, chilled vibes and good times at Lichi. We’ll cheers to that!
Lichi Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday 3pm until late. Saturday & Sunday 11.30am until late.
Location: 7/18-20 Wharf St, Port Douglas
For more info & reservations: visit www.lichi.com.au
