It’s 6 kilometres from the nearest beach. Yet Chinatown boasts not one, not two but three dedicated oyster bars within a two block radius. Pearl Diver was first to enter the scene in 2021, specialising in oysters and cocktails of all varieties. The similarly named Pearl Chablis and Oyster Bar was next, offering an impressive raw bar and French wine. Then finally came Muli Express, the smaller and more casual outpost of Rathdowne Street live seafood restaurant, Muli.
Overkill it is not. Muli Express offers a unique offering to its predecessors with a brisk but friendly, standing-only service style that sets it apart from the crowd. We visit late on a Tuesday afternoon yet we’re put on standby as the place is completely full. And at roughly 18 square feet, it’s easy to see why.
The pint-sized venue does not have a liquor license – there’s just a small fridge full of soft drinks and Heaps Normal – so we duck around the corner for a beer. By the time we circle back, we’re able to snag a spot “at the bar”, peering over dozens of live oysters with owner Van Tran as our guide.
Her eagerness to offer assistance is much appreciated. There are roughly twenty oysters on offer at any given time with nicknames like “Rock Hard”, “Angel’s Happy Tears” and “Tarzan”. While they’re labelled by provenance and sorted by price, it’s still tricky to gauge what’s what by name alone. The best approach is to let Tran take her pick.
In our case, she curated a selection progressing from mild-flavoured and petite to rich and meaty based upon our preferred style and how many oysters we wanted to eat. Alternatively, there’s a $38 tasting menu featuring a mixed half-dozen that spans style and region.
It’s not fair to say that the supersized “Big Boy Sam” from Port Douglas is any better than the “Morning Glory” from Coffin Bay, even if that was our preference. Regardless of personal taste, every pick of the bunch was objectively great – mostly because you can taste that they were shucked just seconds before.
That’s why Tran will likely steer you away from the condiment station. While Tabasco, wasabi and soy sauce are on offer, she mostly suggested a light spritz of lemon to let the shellfish shine. As they deserve to. All the oysters are sourced fresh from farmers that the team work with directly. (They previously ran Footscray’s D&K Live Seafood.)
Eating there is similar to visiting the fresh seafood stalls at Queen Victoria or South Melbourne market, where diners can perch at a butcher’s block with their catch of the day. They’re both a tight squeeze, but that’s all part of the fun. And at Muli Express, at least you’re in a dedicated space designed just for that purpose.
The shop isn’t trying to compete with its neighbours with a fancy fitout or excessive menu. Instead, it thrives on simplicity, focusing on what the team does best: top-tier, freshly shucked oysters and a welcoming, fuss-free atmosphere. For those who appreciate a hands-on, personal approach to their seafood, this standing-room-only spot offers an experience that’s hard to forget.