Overview
Double Bay's growing reputation as one of Sydney's most dynamic dining destinations is in no small part thanks to Neil Perry. Since opening his comeback solo venture Margaret in 2021, the legendary chef, who was officially declared a culinary icon earlier this year, has been slowly expanding his Bay Street empire. In 2022, Perry partnered with Melbourne bakery Baker Bleu, establishing its first Sydney outpost next door to Margaret. Perry's third Double Bay venue, Song Bird, is now set to open its doors on Friday, August 30.
Spread over three levels of the heritage-listed Gaden House, this 230-seat up-market Cantonese diner will showcase Perry's long-held affection for Asian cuisine. Seafood will feature heavily, with Perry drawing on the same local fishermen and producers who supply Margaret. Seasonality will also be a big influence, with the menu shifting depending on the best available produce.
A render of Song Bird's exterior
Throughout his career, Perry has explored Asian flavours through a personal lens, reimagining classic dishes with modern Australian twists. Perry and his team have been hard at work refining a menu for Song Bird that offers familiar favourites like dumplings, pipis in XO sauce, kung pao chicken and Peking duck, elevated through a suite of complex techniques.
For example, Wollemi ducks, sourced from Copper Tree Farms, have the main cavity sealed after air is pumped under the skin. The bird is then blanched in boiling water before receiving a seasoning bath of maltose, vinegar and soy. Finally, the meat is aged for between three and seven days, until the colour, skin texture and tenderness are just right. Once it reaches this peak, the duck is roasted, ready for the table.
Image: Petrina Tinslay
Another new Double Bay venue from Perry will also welcome its first guests in the coming months. Bobbie's will be an underground speakeasy-style cocktail lounge, located on — you guessed it — Bay Street, not far from Margaret. Perry's longtime collaborator Linden Pride, who also launched award-winning New York bar Dante, will oversee the new drinking den, which is named in tribute to Pride's grandfather, the famed Australian broadcaster and disc jockey Bob Rogers OAM who died in May, 2024 aged 97.
Perry is not the only restaurateur to see the potential of Double Bay. Recently opened ventures including Asian-fusion diner Bartiga and modern Mexican Gitano have revitalised the suburb, attracting Sydneysiders from all corners of the city in search of a delicious feed.
Find Song Bird at 24 Bay Street, Double Bay. Head to the venue's website to make a reservation.