A Look Inside Chin Chin's Highly Anticipated New Sydney Restaurant
It's got a 160-seat restaurant filled with natural light, a bar stacked with 450 spirits and a basement for private events.
By now, most Melbourne (or Melbourne-visiting) food lovers have visited Chin Chin. And ever since we announced that the Flinders Lane Thai restaurant was coming to Sydney (way back in May 2015, by the way), Sydneysiders have been anticipating its arrival in the ground floor of Surry Hills' 100-year-old Griffiths Teas building. And now, two years on, we finally have an opening date: Monday, October 2.
Yes, that's this coming Monday — the Labour Day public holiday. So, first things first: make a booking. Now, here's what to expect.
Chin Chin Sydney is the first offshoot of the original, which opened in Melbourne's CBD back in 2011. While number two looks entirely different to its sister restaurant, it has employed many of the tried-and-tested formulas that has made it one of Melbourne's best. In addition to the 160-seat restaurant, Chin Chin Sydney will have its own GoGo Bar. Here, you'll be able to grab a drink while you wait for a table (and you will have to wait). In Melbourne, you can also order food off the extensive bar menu, so here's hoping this is carried through here.
So what's on the menu? Well, if you've dined at Chin Chin in Melbourne you'll find many of Executive Chef Benjamin Cooper's familiar dishes here — like the pork roll-ups and the crispy barramundi and pork salad — with the addition of a few new ones courtesy of a custom-built charcoal pit and rotisserie. Expect some barbecued cauliflower with curry-spiced coconut cream and a rotisserie pork belly with fennel and some hot chilli sauce. Cocktails come from Michael Chiem (of PS40) and wine has been selected by an all-female wine team led by Jacqueline Turner. The team has also created a custom 4 Pines chilli lager for the restaurant.
The whole thing has been put together by designer George Livissianis, who is responsible for the interiors of The Dolphin, The Paddington Inn and countless other Sydney venues. He's gone for a much softer look with blonde wood and duck feather-topped seats for the Sydney restaurant, which gets a lot of natural light. The signature Chin Chin neon rabbit ears have still found a place in the design though.
The basement will house events space Chii Town. A new concept for Chin Chin, this area has three bookable spaces (for 12, 25 and 80 people) for special occasions. There's also the option to book the chef's table if you have a group of ten to 16 mates.
For week one the restaurant will be open for dinner only, with lunch service starting the following week, on Monday, October 9. From there on in, it will be open from 11am till late, seven days a week.
Chin Chin Sydney will open at 69 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills on Monday, October 2. To make a booking, visit chinchinrestaurant.com.au.
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