RESTAURANT NEWS
SYDNEY
After seducing Melbourne with their mouth-numbing Chongqing flavours, the team behind Dainty Sichuan, a restaurant celebrated internationally for the quality of its Sichuan food, is planting a flag north of the border. Chef Tina Li and her husband, Ye Shao, plan to open a branch of Dainty Sichuan Noodle Express at World Square in the CBD at the end of this month. Dainty fans can expect to see the celebrated bean noodles (above) as well as classic Chongqing noodles topped with stewed pork belly or spicy lamb ribs. Offal lovers will be in for a treat, too, with the likes of chilled pig’s ears in chilli oil and skewers of smoky beef tongue and tripe.
MELBOURNE
Paul Wilson is finally rolling out his Wilson & Market juggernaut at Prahran Market. Fronting onto the market square, the 40-seat
Mr Wilson’s Tuckshop is opening early March for breakfast and lunch with a menu of slow-cooked barbecue and rôtisserie meat sandwiches, Ottolenghi-inspired salads, and cold-pressed juices with native infusions inspired by Wilson’s trips to Latin American markets. “We wish to convey a sense of well-being without becoming a health retreat,” he says. May should see the opening of the Wilson & Market restaurant, designed by Kestie Lane Studio with a glasshouse façade fronting onto Commercial Road – Wilson’s fans hope it will reprise the Brit chef’s days at Botanical.
NEW YORK
A more laid-back version of Manhattan’s favourite modern-Mexican, Cosme, is set to open late this month. Atla, a 65-seater on Lafayette Street in NoHo, is the latest from Cosme chef Enrique Olvera and partner Santiago Gomez. The eatery will focus on casual “after-work” share plates and ice-cold micheladas. Punters have their fingers crossed for Olvera’s inspired tacos (al pastor with cobia and pineapple, say, or strip tartare with smoked beans). Atla’s opening comes at the same time as Olvera is overhauling the offering at Pujol, his Mexico City fine-diner which placed number 25 on last year’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
BRISBANE
Feeling hungry, Brisbane? Rockpool Dining Group, the entity formed last November following the merger of Urban Purveyor Group and Neil Perry’s Rockpool Group, has diners in the Queensland capital firmly in its sights. The state’s first Burger Project was due to spark up at South Bank’s new Southpoint precinct late February. Neil Perry, head of culinary at Rockpool Dining Group, says there’s plenty more in the pipeline – and not just the three or more additional Burger Projects already in the works for Queensland. Restaurant sites for Spice Temple and Rockpool Bar & Grill are close to being finalised. “We’re in negotiations on sites and expect in the next month or so we will have signed on those,” Perry says. “Rockpool Bar & Grill and Spice Temple are definitely heading up to Brisbane and should be there early next year.”
BALI
Bali’s latest Instagram lure, Bikini, takes its cues from Miami Beach and New York warehouse parties. The luxed-up 120-seat bar and eatery was opened by 8 Degree Projects Group in early February – the same team that brought Sisterfields, Boss Man and Expat.Roasters to Seminyak. Former Rockpool and Longrain chef Kevin Chung is in the kitchen prepping light, seasonal dishes for beachgoers such as venison tartare with ginger and chilli, and tuna and prawn aguachile, alongside sobrasada bruschetta with romesco and “mouthfuls” such as oyster crackers. Melbourne bartender Max Hart (Lui Bar, Vue de Monde) is on the drinks, which put fresh local produce to good use.