Overview
Market City is adding a new food hub to its offering, launching eight Asian eateries as part of the new 1909 Dining Precinct on its third floor.
The precinct will open in stages, beginning with the unveiling of Australia's second Mr Meng Chongqing Gourmet outpost today, Thursday, March 8. Cheeky If You Are The One host Meng Fei is swiftly expanding his noodle franchise since opening in Melbourne in mid-2017. Sydney patrons can expect the chongqing spicy noodles and signature deep fried spring rolls on offer. This might seem a little weird, but Grandpa Meng is actually a Kim K-level celeb in China thanks to his shenanigans on the cult dating show and already has a string of noodles shops to his name.
The remaining seven restaurants will all be open by mid-2018. They'll range from casual takeaway joints to full-on dining rooms, like the 200-seater that will house the first Australian site for Macau's popular hot pot chain, Dolar Shop. The other eateries will be Kogi, a Korean barbecue restaurant specialising in soju-marinated meats; YAYOI Japanese Teishoku, offering up set meals like wagyu beef hot pots and grilled eel on rice; Chinese eatery Beijing Impressions; and sushi train Fugetsu. Two additional restaurants are yet to be announced.
The precinct's design is focused around a communal lounge area, with each restaurant boasting a custom fit-out. Jin Wu Koon, a Sydney-based dragon and lion dance team, will perform an official blessing ritual in the space today, which is meant to bring luck, fortune and prosperity.
"We are excited to be evolving our offer to deliver an elevated day-to-night food experience, heralding a new era of dining at Market City and something we believe will further underscore our position as one of the city's most authentic and vibrant Asian food destinations," says Market City manager David Yam.
The opening coincides with Market City's 21st anniversary and the dining hall's name reflects the year the building was constructed — then housing Sydney's first fruit and veg market. The precinct's launch marks the second stage of renovations, with the first floor food court revamped last year.
1909 Dining Precinct opens Thursday, March 8 on level three of Market City , 9–13 Hay Street, Haymarket. It will be open seven days a week until late. We'll keep you updated and you can check marketcity.com.au for more information.