Acclaimed Australian Chef Neil Perry Blends Cantonese Cuisine with Modern Australian Influences
November 25th, 2024
Following the outstanding success of Margaret, his first restaurant in Sydney’s fashionable Double Bay, Neil and Samantha Perry have expanded their hospitality footprint in Double Bay with the opening of their impressive iteration of upscale, sociable Chinese dining. Occupying the three-levels of Double Bay’s iconic mid-century Gaden House, Song Bird is complemented by new basement cocktail bar Bobbie’s, while the restaurant concept embodies Perry’s love for Asian cuisine – served within a meticulously reimagined interior that artfully respects the original design ethos with an interplay of contemporary themes and materials developed by the design team.
Song Bird offers an upscale culinary experience that blends the delicate flavours of Cantonese cuisine with Perry’s signature modern Australian influence. Song Bird’s expansive menu, overseen by Perry and Head Chef Mark Lee, features over 70 dishes. Designed for sharing, the menu celebrates Perry’s appreciation for Chinese culinary traditions and commitment to cooking with the freshest locally sourced premium-quality ingredients from the country’s best producers.
(L: Ben’s Coral Trout with Ginger and Shallot & R: Peking Duck with Hoisin Sauce,)
Menu highlights include plump Spencer Gulf king prawn dumplings with black vinegar and chilli; steamed coral trout with ginger and shallot (fillet, half or whole); Peking duck with hoisin sauce, condiments and mandarin pancakes (half or whole); and crisp fried whole Sun Farm chicken with Sichuan salt, pepper and lemon.
The drinks list at Song Bird features a solid selection of 250 wines spanning the wine world. There is a big focus on Australian wines – in particular Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – as well as some lesser-known grapes such as Assyrtiko, Furmint and Fiano to highlight the diversity of Australia’s current wine scene. There are also many classics from Europe alongside producers from South Africa and the Americas as well Champagnes from bigger, more well-known houses, as well as emerging smaller growers.
( L: The 1957 – Aperol, passionfruit, mango, prosecco. R: Yuzu Margarita – Don Julio Blanco, yuzu, bergamot, salted grapefruit, five spice agave)
Similarly, Song Bird’s cocktail menu is curated to offer an exceptional range of spirits and cocktails with a special focus on signature creations such as the eight ‘Lucky 8 Cocktails’. The carefully balanced drinks capture the essence of Song Bird’s bar philosophy—a blend of tradition and innovation, designed to complement the rich, diverse flavours found in the dishes.
Standouts include the “Martini No. 88” (Hendricks gin, elderflower, cucumber, lime, cucumber bitters and Perrier), “Warriors Tomb” (Ketel One, Sauternes, fresh peach, Kalangadoo, ginger soda, peach bitters), “Yuzu Margarita” (Don Julio Blanco, yuzu, bergamot, salted grapefruit, five spice agave) and “Han Old Fashioned” (Old Forester rye, Remy Martin, plum liqueur, clarified plum, plum bitters, 5 spice spray).
Song Bird is open for Dinner 7 nights a week and Lunch Thursday to Sunday.
(images credit Margaret Family)
