Part relaxed noodle bar, part funky eating house, and 100 per cent a good time, Island Radio – a high-energy Southeast Asian eatery with flavour-packed plates – is now open in Redfern’s Wunderlich Lane. Fun and a little bit fruity, Island Radio is by Sydney’s House Made Hospitality – they’re the hospo group behind pasta haven Grana, underground Sicilian-inspired cocktail bar Apollonia, fresh French spot Martinez, and the brand-new, Tilda, Bar Tilda, Delta Rue and Wentworth Bar at Sofitel Sydney Wentworth (which you can read about over here).
There’s a lot to like in the two-pronged diner, beginning with the noodle bar’s affordable offerings, inspired by Southeast Asia’s street markets. Like the $15 bowl of egg noodles with ginger shallot and sambal, and the $19 bowl of char kway teow with lap cheong, shallot and crisp garlic. Slurp it down with a side of duck spring rolls and crunchy fried chicken with a chilled Tiger for a yum mid-week feed.
RELATED READ: These are the cheap eats in Sydney right now.
Feel like a cocktail? Try the Poolside in Langkawi made with pandan, white rum, passionfruit and a ‘Frosty Fruit’ foam, or the Junglebird, a blend of spiced rums, tamarind, pineapple, lime and Campari.
Move along and you'll step into the eating house, decked out with communal tables, bright orange banquettes, deep blue floors and illuminated pendants that dangle from the ceiling – evoking a tropical island-meets-city vibe. Executive chef Andrianto ‘Andy’ Wirya (ex-Queen Chow, Mr. Wong; and currently heading the kitchen at Easy Tiger Bondi Beach) is behind the menu, which is made up of noodles and skewers, small plates, larger plates and curries, featuring the flavours found in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.
Menu highlights include toasted rice bread with whipped sambal butter; beef noodle soup with Wagyu, master stock, thick rice noodle and mustard greens; yellow rock flathead curry with baby corn, crisp shallot and basil; and the Island Radio salad with curried crisp rice, peanut satay vinaigrette, cucumber and enoki.
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There’s a three-course lunch offering for $39 per person, and the set menu start at $44.50. Coming with a big group? Be sure to order the Balinese-style roast suckling pig that’s brined for 48 hours and dry-roasted with aromatic spices and served with fresh sides.
Plus, upstairs you’ll find a karaoke lounge which fits 12 guests. Hello, birthday parties and late-night fun. So: what’s your go-to? (Mine’s anything by Shania Twain.)
“Island Radio is a departure from what we’ve done before,” says Justin Newton, director of House Made Hospitality.
“We wanted to bring a big dose of energy - through the visuals, the music, and, of course, in the food and drinks. We always aim for our venues to feel approachable and warm, and while Island Radio has that, it’s also our most playful restaurant yet, Newton added.
Housed in the heritage-listed former Bank of NSW building, Island Radio is part of Sydney’s epic new dining and lifestyle precinct, Wunderlich Lane, located on the border of Redfern and Surry Hills. Cocktail bar Baptist Street Rec. Club is opening early 2025, as well as Bar Julius by the Liquid & Larder crew, lush hotel The Eve, with more to be announced.
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