Hartsyard, Dear Sainte Eloise are staging huge pop up feasts in Surry Hills this month

Surry Hills profit-for-purpose eatery Folonomo has made the big decision to close up their restaurant and transform the venue into an events space for parties and pop ups from some of Sydney’s top chefs. In doing so, it’s become the latest in a handful of Sydney venues able to host some exclusive takeovers, with legends Hartsyard and Dear Sainte Eloise first up to bat.

Hartsyard will pop-up first, bringing a seven-course vegetarian dinner and a Peruvian feast to the space, intended to support and raise funds for muscular dystrophy and mental health. Chef Jarrod Walsh and his partner, chef Dorothy Lee, will stage to one-night-only event, taking over the Folonomo kitchen with dishes like their infamous fried cheese with hot mustard and pepper berry, next to six new creations like smoked celeriac with sake butter and fried bread.

Tickets will include Walsh’s signature whisky, black tea and grapefruit cocktail on arrival.

Two weeks later, it’ll be Dear Sainte Eloise taking the reigns with chef Hugh Piper putting together a nine-course Peruvian feast, serving up twists on dishes he learned during recent stints at World Top 50 Restaurant Astrid y Gastón in Lima, Peru. Proceeds will go to Beyond Blue.

Anyone heading to that particular dinner can expect dishes like ocean trout ceviche dressed with soy, dashi and Peruvian chilli, Pacific Reef Cobia topped with mandarin vinegar leche de tigre, and a typical Peruvian street food favourite of pumpkin doughnuts covered in a fig leaf syrup.

Guests will also get Pisco Sours on arrival and the option to pair dishes with South American wines made at altitude from Jed Merchants.

Hartsyard x Folonomo
Thursday 15 August 2019. Tickets $95 – seven courses + cocktail. More information here.

Dear Saint Eloise x Folonomo
Thursday 29 August 2019. Tickets $95 – nine courses + cocktail. More information here.

Folonmo is located at 370 Bourke St, Surry Hills NSW 2010.

Photo: Hartsyard / Steven Woodburn.

Chris Singh

Chris Singh is an Editor-At-Large at the AU review, loves writing about travel and hospitality, and is partial to a perfectly textured octopus. You can reach him on Instagram: @chrisdsingh.