Pearl, the latest venue from Sydney’s Lotus Dining Group, opens on Tuesday, September 26, at Quay Quarter Tower, with a Cantonese-leaning menu that references native ingredients and local produce.

Executive chef Steve Wu will mix a traditional Chinese dish of roasted pork belly with native riberries, and he has made some adjustments to the traditional way of making Peking duck. “In China, the ducks have a thicker skin and thinner meat,” he says. “The Australian ducks are very good. We cook them twice. I think what ends up on the plate is better. You get a better balance of meat and skin.”

The menu is a collaboration between Wu and Lotus director of culinary Cheung Shui Yip. Wu says: “We have a tank. You’ll be able to order lobster, mud crab, abalone and fish. The seafood sauces are a little more traditional.” Pearl will also serve pipis in XO sauce. And there’s a large dumpling section to the menu.

“Making dumplings is a labour of love for the whole team. I hope guests enjoy the steamed mud crab xiao long bao. We peel it all by hand and mix it with house-made pork skin jelly before rolling them into perfect parcels,” Wu says.

Designed by Darren Kong Architects, the indoor-outdoor restaurant has views of the Harbour Bridge from Pearl’s 30-seat balcony.

The Lotus Dining Group has a number of restaurants and dumpling bars across Sydney under the Lotus banner. The chef says the 108-seat Pearl is its most upmarket offering to date.

Lotus founder and chairman Michael Jiang says Pearl is something different for the Sydney dining scene: “We hope to deliver a fun and light-hearted experience, where diners can perch up at the bar for some after-work drinks, or settle in for a meal in our main dining room with those expansive Harbour Bridge views.”

Open lunch Tue-Fri; dinner Tue-Sat.

Shop R1013, Level 1, Quay Quarter Tower, 50 Bridge Street, Sydney, pearldining.com.au