Juni. Melbourne
- Felix Marrow
- Jun 5
- 2 min read
The man who helped define the city’s dining scene in the 2000s, gave it edge with The Smith, and heat with Lucy Liu has returned after a few quiet years up north, and he’s not here to warm the bench.
If you ever wondered what happens when a maverick, one of Melbourne’s culinary royalty reenters the ring with fire in his belly and sambal in his veins then Juni is your answer. Nestled into an old Officeworks building in Exhibition Street in the CBD, this 140 seater is the newest lovechild of Michael Lambie who formerly helmed Taxi back in the early days, opened Lucy Liu as a new style of dining in Melbourne, reinvented The Smith and has done so much more and Hendri Budiman formerly of Coda, and it feels like a seasoned comeback album that’s actually better than the original.
Named after Lambie’s mother, Juni is both a tribute and a bold flex. The room is luxe but warm with soft curves, golden glow, timber, loads of bright vermillion or Chinese Red, and the quiet hum of a kitchen that knows exactly what it's doing. Is it Lucy Liu 2.0? Maybe but who cares? You’re here for high voltage pan Asian plates that go big on umami and bigger on flair.
It is tough to choose standouts when we could have eaten everything on the menu. The char siu toothfish is glazed to glossy perfection, fatty and rich, served with green apple and pickled daikon. The duck breast, dry-aged and crisp-skinned, lands in a fragrant puddle of tamarind jus with roasted shallots that demand applause. Even the humble steamed barramundi turns heads, riding in on a black bean salsa like it owns the place.
We asked Michael to feed us, and that he did. Betel leaf Miang Kham with pomelo and hot mint, kingfish crudo with coconut foam and chili, burrata with youtiao and chilli oil, sticky pok belly, barramundi. It was a feast and we had to ask them to stop.
You can pair it all with a clarified yuzu martini or a lemongrass highball, and you’ve got the city’s most exciting new spot for bold dates, serious food lovers, or anyone who wants to eat something wildly good while pretending they still have restraint. Or delve into an exciting wine list of classics, new ideas and some seriously good food wines.
Juni may draw comparisons to the early days of Lucy Liu but as they evolve, each brings something important and clever to the ever evolving culinary tapestry of Melbourne. And we are very glad for its presence.
Come hungry. Leave satisfied. Juni is that good.
Juni is at 136 Exhibition St, Melbourne
Open 12 noon - late, 7 days
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