Song Bird, Neil Perry’s latest and said to be his last restaurant, is now open in Double Bay. The 240-seat, three-storey restaurant is housed within the mid-century, heritage-listed Gaden House, and is an ode to Perry’s lifelong love for Cantonese cuisine. Perry, who won the Icon Award at this year’s World's 50 Best Restaurants ceremony, says to think of it like a Chinese version of Margaret, his nearby flagship fine diner. Smart cocktail bar Bobbie’s – a collaboration with Neil and Samantha Perry’s long-time friends, Linden Pride and Nathalie Hudson (of Dante fame, in New York City and Los Angeles) – is also now open in the basement of Song Bird. Your pre- and post-dinner drinks are sorted.
View this post on Instagram
You’ll find Perry’s greatest hits in Song Bird’s menu, which features more than 70 dishes. To execute this, Perry has brought over Mark Lee from Margaret to help run the kitchen. Menu highlights include plump Spencer Gulf king prawn dumplings with black vinegar and chilli; steamed coral trout with ginger and shallot; Peking duck with hoisin sauce, condiments and mandarin pancakes; and crisp fried whole Sun Farm chicken with Sichuan salt, pepper and lemon. Like all Perry’s restaurants, quality produce is key at Song Bird.
The 250-strong wine list heroes Aussie drops, with a strong focus on chardonnay and pinot noir, as well as bigger names from Europe alongside smaller producers. Perry says there are a bunch of bottles around the $70 mark, and if you want a magnum of Bollinger for your Thursday lunch, you can get that too.
The space, the second collaboration between ACME and Caon Design Office, features subtle green marble and gold tones, with the original spiral staircase being a key feature. Another standout: the lazy Susans. The top levels of the restaurant overlook the leafy treetops, which inspired Perry to choose the name.
“Song Bird combines great dining, the best produce the country has to offer, great craft in cooking, drink making, wine and food service, and a sophisticated but relaxed dining room,” said Perry.
Fly on over and check it out for yourself.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.