Ever since The Palomar landed in London in 2014, it’s been tough getting a seat at the Levantine restaurant. So, you can imagine the excitement when owner-siblings Layo and Zoe Paskin, of Studio Paskin, announced a Sydney outpost inside the 25 Hours Hotel The Olympia  just over a decade later.

The excitement intensified when former Kiln head chef Mitch Orr was announced as culinary director of the Paddington sequel. He’s joined by head chef Luke Davenport, who began his career at The Palomar in London before stints at Noma, The Ledbury, Alo and Franca.

Two-bite chicken schnitzels, crisp cucumbers with green tahini, and a pistachio ice-cream baklava sandwich have made the trip from Soho. Otherwise, local producers including Appellation Oysters and Coppertree Farms give the menu a Sydney edge.

Paddington also has size on its side – it's footprint is double that of the Soho original. It's also primed with some of that restaurant's “non-negotiables”: an open-plan kitchen with a woodfired grill; a wraparound pink quartzite bar; and knowledgeable but unpretentious service.