Sydney Dining Melbourne Style

This month there's been an explosion of natural energy on the Sydney dining scene.

An energy generated by the creative and commercial geniuses of some of Melbourne's most successful restaurateurs, Simon Goh of the Chinta Ria group, Paul Mathis (Automatic, Blue Train) Tim Connell (Great Aussie Fish Caf) and Frank Wilden (The Duck). They now all have restaurants in the billion dollar three level entertainment and restaurant precinct at Cockle Bay Wharf, Darling Harbour/Park.

What made so many Melburnians (and not forgetting ex Melburnian Tony Bilson who has spearheaded the restaurant charge here with his brilliant Ampersand restaurant) direct their talents and capital up north? The knowledge of the success of Melbourne's Southbank, confidence from running successful businesses and the challenge and the excitement of being part of creating Sydney's first major restaurant precinct, are part of the reasons.

"I feel there's a calling for me to do it," says Simon Goh about the Temple of Love which opened officially yesterday. For Simon, it's about being able to use the passion and synergy of his Melbourne restaurants in a different way in Sydney. "Melburnians have been spoilt by a lot of good restaurants for a long time ... now it's time to put the Chinta Ria heart, soul and passion into Sydney."

For Lend Lease Development Manager, Felicity Mason, this was part of the reason for the company's drive to recruit Melbourne operators. "Melbourne places are more soulful, more atmospheric, coming from a European style there is more sense of tradition. Sydney places tend to be highly designed, Melbourne's approach is looser. They are intrinsically different."

Certainly Sydney has seen nothing before like the Temple of Love which oozes tradition. Diners will come through 250 year old Chinese temple doors to be greeted by a 3 metre high Buddha which has been sculpted by the Melbourne based Shangainese sculptor Ke Meng. For Goh, the Buddha is what it is all about, he grew up surrounded by temples in Malaysia and, whilst not claiming to be a complete Buddhist, he has always aimed for the peace and love, the meaning of the words, Chinta Ria. The statue kept him sane as difficulties in getting a precinct of this magnitude to happen grew and delays put the opening schedule further and further back. He waited until it was all in place before getting the 'Temple' blessed by monks from Nan Tien, the Buddhist Temple at Wollongong.

But make no mistake, spiritual rewards aside, the 'Temple' offers food and music. Beyond the smiling Buddha there'll be jazz playing, woks tossing and food in evidence from floor to ceiling. All the Chinta Ria products will be displayed on shelves and, eventually, available for sale under that label. The menu is very similar to Chinta Blues, St Kilda, but with more seafood (the Sydney Fish Market is close by) and 'temple' food that is Chinese Malay vegetarian. To do all this, Goh has brought chef Alan, managers Flora and Felix, from his Chinta Ria 'family' and is planning a staff exchange program with Melbourne staff coming up for 'working holidays'.

Tim Connell and Frank Wilden see the 250 seat Coast, which also opened yesterday, as more an international than a Melbourne concept with five staff from London and a 'modern five star bistro menu'. Consulting chef is Gary Skelton of Season in Noosa and the head chef is Howard Morris (formerly Executive chef of Rockpool Catering). Front of house management will be by Terry Higgins who was with Neil Perry for five years at Rockpool assisted by Ruth Giffney who worked for the Last Aussie Fish Caf in Melbourne and has just returned from two years at Bluebird in London.

Connell had been looking for a restaurant opportunity in Melbourne but could not find a suitable site. He admits that the Cockle Bay development is a "big one to bite off, but it's very secure. We understand in Melbourne how these sites work. It's a question of critical mass, of making a venue which becomes irresistible for people interested in food, dining and socialising. I think, quite possibly that it will work in a similar way to Southbank."

Meanwhile, Paul Mathis and wife Joanne have left behind their Melbourne partners in Automatic and Blue Train to open the 340 seat Black Bird, "a people's cafe", at Cockle Bay on December 14. Though approached by the developers two years ago, it took a while for him to be persuaded to expand to Sydney. The enormous success of his Southbank and River promenade restaurants made the leasing agents determined to lure Mathis to Sydney. He loves the site, loves its proximity to the water and feels there "is a real synergy with Southbank but it is more designed and more quality detail in it with all the plants and landscaped gardens." Chef Peter Lumsden is coming from Melbourne to do a menu similar to that of Blue Train and, despite Sydney;'s higher costs (approx. 30% more), will still offer most dishes below $10. "The menu might be a bit different to suit Sydney climate but the 'attitude' will be Melbourne. It is just like doing a new Blue Train. They wanted us to bring it (Blue Train) to Sydney and to do it our way. So we'll stick with that."

Mathis is also bringing Sydney his 'clip chair' a steel chair which can be mounted onto tables for daily cleaning. It's a model which he has patented and which will be manufactured by SIT for the restaurant industry. Paul has spent years developing the chair and some can now be seen at Blue Train.

As well as bringing Melbourne food to Sydney these restaurateurs have also brought Melbourne designers. Wayne Finschi designed Chinta Blues (also Stokehouse, Il Fornaio, Lemongrass, Aquis); Peter Mathewson, Blue Train; Daryl Carnaghan, The Duck (also Brasserie, Walter's Wine Bar, Flower Drum).

Ampersand 02 9264 6666, Blackbird (opening 14/12) 02 9283 7385; Coast 02 9267 6700; Temple of Love 02 9264 3211.