Hamish Ingham and Rebecca Lines will open Redbird restaurant in Redfern on Sunday, November 27.
And Redbird strictly follows the Chinese restaurant launch model by the book, with its opening date one of several suggested by a feng shui expert.
Ingham, the former head chef at Billy Kwong (he also had a spell as GM at Lotus Dining Group), says the feng shui advisor also influenced the colour choice and some minor architectural considerations.
The rest was the work of design outfit Luchetti Krelle. There’s plenty of exposed brick, designer lighting and slick cabinetry.
The chef promised that Redbird’s food pitch would be modern rather than kitsch Chinese retro, and has delivered.
He billed it as a local Chinese restaurant, but a look at a few of the dishes on the opening menu suggest he’ll overdeliver on that brief.
Red braised chicken, pork and scallop wontons, Sichuan potato salad and fresh oysters all make the cut.
Ingham and Lines, who owned Bar H before opening Banksii and then Tequila Daisy at Barangaroo, are seasoned Sydney restaurateurs who first met at Billy Kwong.
Lines has curated the wine list at Redbird, which slides into the former home of Isaac Restaurant, on Redfern Street.
It is a restaurant born from the best possible reason: necessity.
As newish locals, and fans of venues including Bart Jr, Ingham and Lines were in search of a local Chinese venue where they could eat as a family.
With Redbird, they have it. Even if they had to build it themselves.
Open Wed-Sat dinner, Fri-Sun lunch.
99 Redfern Street, Redfern, redbirdchinese.com.au
