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Dixson & Sons and Henry's Bread and Wine open in Sydney CBD mega venue Porter House

Scott Bolles
Scott Bolles

Dixson & Sons' spin on beef Wellington includes wasabi, mushroom duxelles, nori and a sour cream pastry.
Dixson & Sons' spin on beef Wellington includes wasabi, mushroom duxelles, nori and a sour cream pastry.Steven Woodburn

Sydney's latest mega food venue opens its doors on Castlereagh Street next week, with Porter House sliding into a sprawling Victorian building that has sat unused for decades.

Former Fish Butchery head chef Emrys Jones will oversee Porter House as executive chef, including Dixson & Sons. The restaurant is named after the merchant family who worked from the building. Henry's Bread and Wine will open on the ground floor.

Despite his Welsh name, Jones says there will be "no Welsh rarebit on the menu". But there will be plenty of local NSW produce.

Dixson & Sons features a six-metre veined marble bar.
Dixson & Sons features a six-metre veined marble bar.Steven Woodburn
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While Dixson & Sons will be grounded in French technique, there will also be a few Asian touches. The chef will dress steak tartare with a smoked soy dressing and cured yolk, while beef fillet will be brushed with wasabi before being enveloped in duxelles, nori and a sour cream pastry, served with creamy Paris mash and eggplant miso puree, their spin on beef Wellington.

Dixson & Sons, which features a six-metre veined marble bar, brass details and tan leather upholstered furnishings, will also supply much of Henry's all-day menu.

"We'll make all the sandwiches upstairs," the chef says of the Henry's menu, which will also include a milk bun stuffed with poached prawns, fennel and cocktail sauce.

Porter House opens in a sprawling Victorian property that has sat unused for decades.
Porter House opens in a sprawling Victorian property that has sat unused for decades.Steven Woodburn

Sustainability will get plenty of airplay at Porter House. Asparagus trim will be juiced and fermented, leftover orange peel will be made into syrups, the outer leaves of roasted cabbage at Dixson & Sons will be used to make sauerkraut for sandwiches at Henry's Bread and Wine. Jones says the plan is to break down whole animals.

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With two floors of private dining rooms and function spaces, Porter House is like a TARDIS – bigger inside than it looks.

As well as being connected to neighbouring venue Porter House Hotel Sydney, Dixson & Sons and Henry's Bread and Wine will be joined later in the year by Spice Trader Bar on its top floor.

Henry's Bread and Wine open Mon-Fri 6am-8pm; Sat-Sun 7am-8pm. (Opens Wednesday, September 14.)

Dixson & Sons open breakfast daily, Thu-Fri 5pm-9.30pm, Sat 5pm-9.30pm. (Opens Thursday, September 15.)

203 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, 02 8236 8888, theporterhouse.com.au

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

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