Just Open: Silvereye, Chippendale

The second cab off the Old Clare rank is away.

The eagerly-anticipated Silvereye with British-born Sam Miller at the helm, is open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday on the second floor of Chippendale's hottest new 62-room boutique hotel. It joins Clayton Wells' Automata which opened its doors last week.

Miller (former No. 2 at Noma) has created two menus for the restaurant, both heavy on herbs, vegetables and flowers, and fermented, cured and pickled goodness.

The "short" 12-course menu ($140 with the option of a $70 add-on for matching wine) lists Jerusalem artichoke with wild garlic, leeks with pig feet and white beer and grilled prickly pear.

The "long" menu (which lists 20 separate creations and costs $175 with $95 booze option) features baked beetroot with rhubarb and lovage, skate and mushrooms with vinegar, and honeysuckle ice-cream.

"I'm excited to be opening my first restaurant in Australia," says Miller, sporting a healthy set of muttonchops. "For one thing, the weather is magic and during the past year I have spent living here I have been amazed by the different ingredients to what I've worked with in the past."

Another Noma alumni, James Audas, is on front-of-house and wine duties. The drinks list is all about sustainable viticulture and minimal intervention winemaking. Care has also been given to the non-alcoholic drinks with housemade juices and tea infusions such as a watermelon and bergamot soda aperitif.

Now we're only waiting for Jason Atherton to fire up the kitchen of Kensington Street Social in November and the Old Clare restaurant trifecta will be complete.

Open Tue-Sat 6.30pm-late, 20 Broadway, Chippendale (entrance via The Old Clare Hotel), 02 8277 8520, silvereye-restaurant.com.au