Pinbone is opening a new Sydney restaurant

Pinbone is back, Sydney, and it’s Chinese. Chefs Jemma Whiteman and Mike Eggert are embracing their Billy Kwong training with their new venture, opening for nine months under the name Good Luck Pinbone on Anzac Parade, Kensington, on Thursday 10 November – pushed back a week from its original opening date.

There’s no brunch offer on the cards yet, but a version of the prawn and eggwhite omelette from the celebrated Sunday morning menus is in the offing, and we also can expect the modern-leaning likes of fermented duck and pork terrine, a rice and blood cake, and a Chinese take on the Pinbone fried chicken burger. The plan is to use only woks, a steamer and hibachi grills. “It’s great to have Jemma back on the woks,” says Eggert. “She’s a beast.”

Pinbone closed the doors on its Paddington residency in August 2015, following it with a four-month stint at 10 William St earlier this year. Eggert and Whiteman have since been keeping busy with casual work at the likes of Acme, LP’s Quality Meats and Automata, while Berri Eggert, Pinbone’s front-of-house dynamo, has been at 10 William, Automata and Moon Park.

The team looked hard at taking over Silvereye’s vacant space at The Old Clare Hotel in Chippendale, but it didn’t quite pan out, so they’re taking a new direction.

“We’re going to lean heavily on what we learned at 10 William from Gio [Paradiso], Marco [Ambrosino] and Enrico [Paradiso] with regards to how the menu is put together,” says Eggert. “Snacks and small plates make for a fun time.”

And why Kensington? It’s a great little food strip, Eggert says. “We found a fun ex-Japanese restaurant with really great rent and it matched up with one of our ideas perfectly so we thought let’s give it a go.”

Good Luck Pinbone will be BYO-only when it opens – no licence, no phone, no bookings. How will the business make money without liquor sales? Eggert laughs off the question. “This one is totally for our enjoyment and for the people.” Good luck, Pinbone.

Good Luck Pinbone, 121 Anzac Pde, Kensington, NSW, pinbone.com.au. Open 6pm-11pm Thu-Sat, noon-6pm Sun.

Pat Nourse