Rainford Street Social in Surry Hills closes

Crown Street, Surry Hills, is one of Sydney's most stable eat-streets, yet the site where Bird Cow Fish formerly traded is quickly earning a reputation as a dining flat spot.

Rainford Street Social, the restaurant that followed Bird Cow Fish, has also shut its doors lasting just 20 months. It was originally billed as an offshoot of the Toko restaurant group.

Toko owner Matt Yazbek says Rainford Street was his sister's project and she decided to close it while he was overseas working on the launch of Toko in Dubai.

Amanda Yazbek couldn't be reached, but her brother says the feedback was ''everyone wanted a more casual approach''. It is hardly out of step with the rest of Sydney food, which is ravenous for the mid-market.

Yazbek says his sister is opening a new venture at the site, ''a little bit like the fish place [The Fish Shop] at Potts Point''. Crown Street Fish Shop opens next month, mixing eat-in and takeaway trade.