Salon de The

So here's the thing. This second and third-floor new restaurant and bar isn't a pop-up, or even a walk-up. It's a collective, put together by a group of well-connected arts, entertainment, fashion, design and hospitality folk, inspired by an alliance with a premium (ultra-premium, no less) French vodka brand.

Former Ksubi fashion label players George Gorrow, Dan Single, Paul Wilson and Michael Nolan, along with Icebergs' Maurice Terzini, make up the ''Ciroc Collective'' behind the new Salon de The. If that sounds a bit like a new business model too far, think of it as a co-op of like-mindeds, as much a creative hub as a place to eat and drink.

The location is suitably gritty, next to the Darlinghurst Fire Station on Victoria Street and directly above Infinity Sourdough. Like, way, way, above - up 52 steps of a narrow stairway to heaven.

At the top is Bar de The, a slinky-smooth martini bar tunnelled out of concrete and marble by architect Tomek Archer, with almost formally dressed young staff delivering high-detail cocktail work and (Ciroc and other) martinis. Number Five Bebe signature martini ($18) is a pink little Turkish delight of a drink - all floral rosewater, gin, Campari and dry vermouth in a sweet stemmed glass. Then it's back down a level to the Salon, a simple, monochrome theatre scene of candlelit tables and wall of vodka bottles, ending in an open balcony.

The menu promises French-Vietnamese food, something that could go either way - Frenchified Vietnamese food or Vietnamesed French food. As it happens, this is carefully curated Vietnamese food cooked by a French-born chef from Melbourne named Julien Perraudin, who charts his own course in a charming way.

His ''petit pho'' ($12) is a fragrant bowl of star anise broth, slippery rice noodles and tender folds of wagyu, with a generous showing of rau ram (Vietnamese mint), Thai basil, bean sprouts, chilli and lemon by the side. It's the perfect size for one. Coconut pancakes ($28 for two) are better to share, crunchily wrapping their way around sticky caramelised pork and cool prawn slaw, with plenty of herbs and leaves to play with. They call for a fresh, crisp 2013 Bernard Ott ''Am Berg'' gruner veltliner ($16/$65) from the edgy, don't-take-me-for-granted wine list.

Hanoi chicken ($24) is a hack of Singapore's Hainan chicken, a simple, modest dish of steamed, velvet-skinned, blonde meat teamed with terrifically nutty red rice. A special of oxtail spring rolls ($12) filled with overly sweet braised meats a la Mr Wong makes me long instead for the tight, little-finger-sized rolls of Ho Chi Minh City.

''Vietnamese steak frites'' (this is the sort of food that calls for lots of quote marks) is a Western plating of grilled steak sliced tagliata-style ($29), served with a swipe of miso and a pile of big crunchy fried rice ''frites''. A gone-troppo coconut granita with lime sorbet and ginger-infused Ciroc vodka ($14) is a genius cocktail dessert and saves me going back upstairs to the bar.

Constant supplies of green tea with native lemon myrtle are complimentary; a nice touch.

Salon de The is insufferably tribal, with its designer dudes, It girls of the day, and eaty/drinky music curated by Montreal record label Multi Culti. But the service is deliciously solicitous, and the luxe street food light, fresh, leafy and almost healthy. All this, and a new business model to ponder, too.

THE LOW-DOWN
Best thing: Bespoke green tea is complimentary
Worst thing: Aircon blows hot and cold
Go-to dish: Coconut pancakes, sticky pork, mandarins and prawn slaw $28