The details
Ally Chow is the latest venture from renowned chef (and avid surfer) Trent Scarr and his partner Leisha Novy, who formerly owned Robina’s Honeyeater Kitchen. Those who were familiar with Trent’s culinary prowess will be glad to see him back on the tools heading the kitchen of the new 85-seat Ally Chow, which neighbours Sparrow Eating House. The edgy new space is all about modern Asian cuisines (more on that soon), serving share plates and banquets for both lunch and dinner, six days a week. Think baos and beers by day, and quail curries and cocktails by night.

The space
Ally Chow is unlike anything Nobby Beach has ever seen before. Bespoke work by local lad Owen Thompson (the man behind spaces like Etsu and Iku) has resulted in a moody feel and eclectic vibe, with around 80 seats that sprawl inside, out onto the street front and down the colourful hand-painted alleyway. The charcoal-black timber, wrought-iron finishes and darker aesthetic of the interior is met with plenty of live greenery and sunshine by day, before the pendant lights and candles kick in after sundown to create an alluring space that sits somewhere in between sophisticated and grungy.

The food
You’ll find elements of different Asian cuisines like Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese woven throughout the menu, which is designed to share. Now, there are two ways to go about downing this chow – order a banquet (for the indecisive folk) or explore the menu of land and sea-based eats for yourselves. Snack on smaller plates like the chicken bao with gochujang, the short-rib spring rolls, or keep it fresh with the hot and sour green mango salad. The wok-tossed prawns with a ginger, garlic and hot-bean sauce come unpeeled and with a friendly disclaimer that you’ll definitely get messy, or you can keep your hands clean with the sticky pork belly with crispy saddletail snapper and banana flower salad, the sous vide chicken breast with Szechuan jam, or the wok-tossed inside beef skirt with cheong fun (rice noodles) and gai lang (Chinese broccoli). The charred mango with tapioca, coconut sorbet and rock sugar caramel is a fresh finisher, or tuck into the banana and marshmallow spring rolls if you’ve got a sweet tooth to satisfy. Ally Chow boasts an extensive bar list, covering the best Asian beers from Bintangs to Singhas, as well as a vibrant spread of cocktails. Just so you know, we’ve got our eye on the Umeshu Sour (Hibiki whisky, umeshu, yuzu puree and egg white).

Time for chow? Head to our Stumble Guide for Ally Chow’s opening times and location.