KOI dessert bar to open at Parramatta as council supports more 24-hour trading
A lauded dessert bar run by MasterChef alumni is slated to add a sweet burst to a corporate corner of Parramatta’s CBD, where new rules around 24-hour trading are helping it become a global city.
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Lauded KOI Dessert Bar – run by a MasterChef alumni Reynold Poernomo – is slated to add a sweet burst of flavour to a corporate corner of Parramatta’s CBD.
Tucked around Market Lane between Parramatta Square and the Town Hall, it is due to open alongside Ippudo – a Japanese ramen restaurant – in Holdmark’s Quad retail development.
Koi is famous for its lavish, iridescent creations including the strawberry pillow, rose lychee and milky way.
The Parramatta addition will be the third in Sydney after Ryde and Chippendale but Poernomo won’t reveal a date for its debut just yet, as he focuses on opening his first KOI in Melbourne this month.
Joining KOI around the corner at Parramatta Square is Henrietta Chicken, run by ESCA hospitality group co-founder Ibby Moubadder.
Moubadder hopes to have better luck with Henrietta than Italian restaurant CicciaBella did when it operated on the same site up until last March.
He said council setbacks had delayed Henrietta’s May foray in Sydney’s west but the fit out was due to begin in three weeks and the 100-seat restaurant would open three months after that, during spring.
“We are excited to bring Henrietta to Parramatta,’’ he said.
“People in Parramatta love charcoal chicken and we are excited to bring something familiar to them. We’re very proud of what we do and we decided to share our passion with them.’’
ESCA already has a formidable presence in Parramatta with pan-Asian restaurant LilyMu, also in Parramatta Square.
“I think people already trust what we do and they’ve given us a lot over the last few years with visiting our venues and supporting our venues, and we’re excited to share with them,’’ Moubadder said.
By the time Henrietta opens circa October, trading hours could be around the clock.
Under new planning controls passed at Parramatta Council last week, CBD businesses will be able to apply to operate 24 hours a day under a push to become a global city with a thriving night-time economy.
The late night trading development controls were introduced to minimise the time taken to complete the approval process.
“We want Parramatta to be a place where, at any time of day and night, you can get a great meal, go dancing, enjoy arts and culture, grab a coffee and shop,’’ Parramatta Lord Mayor Pierre Esber said.
Parramatta Liquor Accord president Dan O’Hara said the new control plans would encourage more music and entertainment at venues, provide certainty to existing venues and attract new world-class operators to the CBD.
The council will also investigate a special entertainment precinct around Parramatta Square and Church St’s “eat street”
Moubadder welcomed constant trading.
“We’d like to see the whole of Sydney open 24 hours,’’ he said.
“If people want to trade a bit later, let them. It’s going to be better for the economy and residents who live in the area.’’
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Originally published as KOI dessert bar to open at Parramatta as council supports more 24-hour trading
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