Page 28 - foodservice news magazine Nov-Dec 2018
P. 28

28
DINING
A. Sisig bao slider, braised and chopped pork belly with smoky chilli adobar aoili. B. Wine adorning the walls at Rey’s Place. C. A nook withing the Rey’s Place dining space. D. Rey’s Place owner, Jonathan Bayad.
C.
B.
A.
“It’s not like a whisky bar or Japanese izakaya, which are tried and tested concepts. It’s an unknown quantity and people don’t really know what the cuisine is. On the flipside, you’re the only one and that can mean a lot of attention.”
Bayad recalls, “By that point, I was already emotionally invested, so they came at it with a much more critical eye.”
It does all beg the question: why aren’t there more Filipino restaurants while Thai and Vietnamese are widespread? A predominantly white collar, professional migrant base is attributed as one factor, both in Australia and in the U.S. For Bayad, the cuisine’s lack of presence was both a potential boon and a liability. “It’s not like a whisky bar or Japanese izakaya, which are tried and tested concepts. It’s an unknown quantity and people don’t really know what the cuisine is. On the flipside, you’re the only one and that can mean a lot of attention.”
So Bayad takes the plunge, finds an intimate, atmospheric place on the East Sydney side of Crown Street, and opens
Rey’s Place. It’s December 2017. It’s a quiet time generally and Bayad, like most operators, was keen to open the doors after a several-month fitout, decking the two-level terrace with a cool, colonial feel.


































































































   26   27   28   29   30