Bar H sold to new owners

Barangaroo newcomer Banksii will embrace its first Vivid Festival by blowing fairy floss onto glow sticks, while behind closed doors its owners have done a deal to sell their Surry Hills restaurant, Bar H. Rebecca Lines confirmed she and partner Hamish Ingham have sold Bar H to brothers Anthony and Julian Izzillo, the former shareholders in Wildfire Restaurant and current owners of de Vine Food and Wine in the Sydney CBD.

Lines says the chef and staff will stay on at Bar H. "They [the new owners] were interested in expanding and we're keen to concentrate on Banksii. We might even get a holiday in," Lines tells Good Food.

Ingham is working on a suitable exotic flavour for Banksii's Vivid inspired fairy floss run. Not only will it provide a quick takeaway option for diners during Vivid, it'll be a quick sugary hit during the festival.

CULT CAFE CUCKOO CALLAY IN FLIGHT

Newtown's Cuckoo Callay is headed to the hills, opening a branch in Surry Hills. The cafe with cult dish hits, including blue swimmer crab cakes and smashed avocado with shanklish and basil pesto, will open next month, says owner Ibrahim Moubadder.

"It's directly opposite the Clock Hotel on Crown Street. It'll have the Cuckoo Callay name, but it's bigger and we'll do a few nights, which we've never done in Newtown," he says.

He's also keen to capture Surry Hills four-legged customers, who'll be able to snack outside on maple bacon dog treats and a goats milk Pupachino.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

With chef Mark Knox on the hop from Public Dining Room to open District Brasserie in the CBD, the Balmoral restaurant has been quick to fill his kitchen clogs. Ex-Quay restaurant senior sous chef Daniel Rudolph, who has worked in the brigades of several hatted Sydney restaurants, is the new head chef on the Balmoral waterfront at Public Dining.