The street that Wards them away

Is the restaurant site above the Kings Cross tunnel at 23 Ward Avenue Sydney’s toughest?

It has already claimed the scalps of Fred & Joe’s, Cafe Bondi, the Red Snail and Chimmichurri. When Gary Linz opened grill restaurant SGT Sam’s there three months ago, many thought it wouldn’t last. They were right.

SGT Sam’s has limped out of the building, bloodied and bruised, its owner citing parking and ‘‘people not knowing where we were’’ as the principal reasons for his retreat. The notice from council to remove its signage was the final straw, Linz says.

‘‘Turnover dropped by half,’’ he says.

The restaurateur, who has had success opening his Bondi Pizza and Li’l Darling venues in previously tricky sites, isn’t throwing in the towel, opening a new restaurant around the corner at the Concrete Blonde site on Bayswater Road, a location that has swallowed up a couple of venues of its own, had $4 million thrown at its design and redesign, and picked up the nickname Concrete Boots along the way. If that shift in venue sounds like someone in search of a long-term relationship swapping George Clooney for Jack Nicholson, Linz isn’t concerned.

He’ll open Buns and Balls, a burger and meatball venue in about a month, as well as using the kitchen to produce a home delivery version of the SGT Sam’s menu.

‘‘It’ll be casual, young and inexpensive, totally the opposite to what Concrete Blonde was ... If it doesn’t work, then good luck to the next guy,’’ he adds.