RESTAURANT NEWS
SYDNEY
The recently opened 25 Martin Place precinct (previously best known as the MLC Centre) has welcomed a clutch of new restaurants, including Aalia. The sister restaurant to Surry Hills’ Nour will see Middle Eastern mezze and shared plates executed by chef Paul Farag. Hoping to hero lesser-known ingredients, each dish will represent a more specific area – perhaps spiced batarekh, a traditional Egyptian fish dish, which includes dry-aged salted roe; or hailing from the Maghreb region, Aleppo pepper tuna atop murri (fermented barley).
It arrives alongside the already opened Botswana Butchery, a threelevel restaurant with a focus on serving choice cuts of game meat and charcuterie.
In Waterloo Josh and Julie Niland have opened their second Fish Butchery location. Acting as a central processing kitchen (to service Charcoal Fish, Saint Peter and the original Paddington digs) it will serve Niland’s tuna cheeseburgers and golden fish and chips, while a Murray cod-stacked vertical kebab cooker will add souvlaki to Niland’s roster of fish-ified classics. The retail arm will stock fresh seafood, fish charcuterie and oysters, while a freezer will behold yellowfin tuna lasagne and smoked red gurnard pies. In the Northern Beaches, the second
St Alma has arrived in Freshwater. Following on from the Avalon venue, the modern Mexican eatery will focus on ceviche (including cured prawns and scallops with basil and coconut salsa verde) and tacos (think beer battered ling or pulled jackfruit), joined by natural wine and of course, Margaritas.
MELBOURNE
Scott Pickett’s newly opened Smith St Bistrot is bringing Parisienne flair, vol-au-vents, caviar service and soufflé framboise to Melbourne’s north. Joined by chef Daniel Southern (ex-Bar Margaux) expect moules aux safran (saffron mussels), fricassée de poulet à l’estragon (braised chicken, tarragon and carrots) and crème caramel. Said dishes will be served on hand-sourced antique crockery, alongside crystal coupes and paper doilies, with no single piece bought new. This eye for detail carries on to the preservation and restoration of the 1888 heritage building, replete with a spiral staircase, floor-toceiling antique mirrors, red leather scalloped banquettes and marbletopped tables.
In the CBD, the second Farmer’s Daughters is set to open in Federation Square this autumn. The new 180-seater restaurant will see executive chef Alejandro Saravia again, and much like the original location, hero produce from the regions, while also collaborating with well-known regional chefs to bring a taste of the country to the city centre.
Nearby, Chablis and oysters will be the focus of Pearl, a new venue from the team behind Pinchy’s Champagne and Lobster Bar. Set to open in late March, the Australian-meets-Parisian oyster bar will showcase bivalves from farmers all along the east coast, while the wine list will behold more than 250 types of Chablis.
Chef Ross Magnaye (ex-Rice Paper Scissors) will reimagine Filipino food with Australian produce at his new CBD restaurant Serai. Drawing upon the Philippines’ best-loved dishes – that interweave Malaysian, Chinese and Spanish influences – Serai will centre much of its menu around its wood-fired grill. Expect prawns with longganisa and ’nduja sauce; Gippsland lamb ribs with vinegar and soy sauce-rich adobo sauce; and dry-aged duck with pineapple ketchup and wood-roasted bone sauce. There will also be bites of Western Australian lobster with perilla leaf, soy and ginger; and fried potato with peanut sauce, snake beans and heirloom tomatoes (inspired by kare kare, a savoury peanut sauce-based stew), while the renowned dish Filipinostyle lechon (suckling pig) will also take a starring role.
Finally, Tokyo-based restaurant consultant Wa Creations has revealed its first restaurant outside of Asia, opening Warabi in collaboration with W Melbourne. The 37-seat omakase restaurant will employ the kappo cooking philosophy (translating to cut and cook) to deliver a nine course menu built around carefully sourced wagyu, uni, saltwater eel, truffles and foie gras.
QUEENSLAND
Clarence has arrived at Woolloongabba, headed up by Franklin Heaney (who’s managed the likes of Jacques Reymond’s restaurant in the ’90s and Má Pêche in New York) as front of house and young gun chef Ben McShane at the pass (ex-The Prince in St Kilda and Stokehouse Q). Expect a constantly changing tightly curated menu, with the pair hoping to create a neighbourhood restaurant that calls upon their respective fine-dining credentials, while remaining accessible.