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A new Golden Age of film despite lost Quay

Scott Bolles
Scott Bolles

Gold homage to silver screen: Barrie Barton.
Gold homage to silver screen: Barrie Barton.Ben Rushton

The landmark Paramount Pictures building in Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, is set to be reinvigorated with Hollywood glamour through a rash of new food-and-drink signings. But the project could be short one of its star cast members: the planned upmarket rooftop restaurant from the Quay Group.

Quay's John Fink confirms the group has cooled on the idea of a penthouse restaurant at the site. ''It isn't rocket science - everyone knows fine dining is tough,'' he says. ''We're still in talks but we've done a wage costing and, at the moment, it doesn't stack up.''

Fortunately, the project has other up-and-coming stars on its roster. Booming Surry Hills cafe Reuben Hills will open a cafe there in July, and too-cool-for-traffic-school outfit Tokyo Bike is also signed up.

Melbourne-based food and publishing entrepreneur Barrie Barton has long lusted after a spot in the Paramount digs, but neighbours' concerns over his plans for a rooftop cinema-restaurant put them in a holding pattern. Barton has retreated indoors with his project: next month he'll open a bar, Golden Age, and operate a cinema from the building's theatrette, the space where locals caught their first glimpse of Sunset Boulevard and Paramount's 1949 version of The Great Gatsby.

''We'll serve food in there, but it won't be salted popcorn,'' Barton says. Cinemagoers will instead chow on cured meats and cheese plates.

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Scott BollesScott Bolles writes the weekly Short Black column in Good Food.

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