Silver lining on the cards

THE Silver Dollar Restaurant has a new owner this week and will reopen later this month with an eye on moving into a more upmarket position in the sector.

New owner Chris Thomas is seeking to put together a structure that will deliver the dining public the quality he believes went missing from the Northbridge stalwart in recent times.

Joe Celeghin owned the restaurant for many years and retired after selling it about 12 months ago.

It’s understood the business did not fare so well under the most recent owners.

However, Mr Thomas believes the past success of his Sydney restaurant, Zampattis, gives good reason for confidence.

‘I ran a successful fine dining restaurant in Sydney that existed for eight years,” he said. “I was looking to buy a restaurant in Perth and thought this was ideal.”

The restaurant will seat 100 people and will have a focus on quality.

“I want people to be able to say it was fabulous, the quality of service, the presentation, I want it to be a total package,” Mr Thomas said.

And helping him to accomplish that are head chef Alex Fairbairn and restaurant manager William Barry.

Mr Fairbairn has spent a large part of his cooking career with the Sheraton Hotel group in his home country, Scotland, and more recently the Sheraton Perth, but found it was not what he wanted to be doing.

“What I love doing is fine dining and creating better food expectations,” Mr Fairbairn said.

With time running out, Mr Fairbairn has been contacting sup-pliers to secure produce arrangements, while Mr Thomas has focussed on alcohol and furnishings, as well as appointing new staff ahead of the restaurant’s opening on April 21.

Mr Barry said the restaurant would cater to the corporate market.

“We will be open for lunch and dinner Monday to Friday and dinner on Saturday and Sunday,” he said.

Mr Thomas said he would be maximising the bar area at the front of the restaurant.

“We will function as a wine bar from 4pm to 6pm Monday to Friday,” he said.