China Doll crew and Steve Manfredi join $140-million development in Rooty Hill

Rooty Hill doesn't make too many "hot food precinct of 2019" lists, but postcode 2766 is quietly lining itself up as the suburb to watch after snaring venues from China Doll founder Steve Anastasiou and veteran Italian chef Stefano Manfredi.

The China Doll crew generally shop for prized waterfront or Sydney CBD property, so the planned opening of Chu by China Doll in September is a coup for Rooty Hill.

"We've also signed Stefano Manfredi, who'll open Pizzaperta here in June, and we're talking with a celebrity chef about doing something else," says Richard Errington, chief executive of West HQ, the mega-centre in which they'll be housed.

Errington has overseen a $140-million development that will eventually include the state-of-the-art Sydney Coliseum Theatre and food and bar venues with about 1150 seats.

Anastasiou says the 200-seat Chu restaurant isn't a token offering to the west. It will feature an interior with a price tag tipping $4 million and taps 1940s Shanghai for inspiration.

Former China Lane head chef Ben Haywood will run the kitchen with input from Frank Shek (China Doll) and Kristian Vale (China Lane).

Anastasiou says the menu will echo the pan-Asian flavours of sister restaurants China Doll and China Lane, while "introducing some unique dishes created especially for the west".