Executive Chef Lucas Doan brings a refined dining experience to the Inner West with the D’s Bar & Dining.
What better way to ease into the weekend than with dinner and a live jazz band on a Friday and Saturday evening whilst dining on the culinary creations of Executive Chef Lucas Doan at Marrickville’s The D’s Bar & Dining?
After almost 20 years honing his culinary skills in Sydney’s most exclusive restaurants, Executive Chef Lucas Doan has brought to life his childhood dream of opening his first restaurant, The D’s Bar & Dining, in Marrickville, where he and his family first migrated to in Australia.
Most recently head chef at upmarket Luna Lu, on Sydney Harbour, and before that at Merivale’s iconic Mr Wong, Doan’s inspiration for The D’s Bar & Dining stems from his family’s long history in hospitality in their native Saigon, where they had a strong presence in restaurants, bars and cafes.
Doan was just 15 years old when he realised his passion for bringing people together through the craftsmanship of beautiful food, deciding at a young age to be a chef instead of a film director for which he’d been studying in Beijing!
Having worked in various kitchens across Asia, as well as his more recent stints at some of Sydney’s high-end restaurants, Doan has drawn on his varied experiences to create The D’s Bar & Dining menu.
He counts international heavyweights Wolfgang Puck, David Chang, Martin Yan as well as local chefs Dan Hong, Takahiro Teramoto and Clare Smyth, as his culinary inspirations. And while the style of cuisine differs, Doan would love the same atmosphere, energy and personality of Restaurant Hubert for his own establishment, The D’s Bar & Dining.
“I love the atmosphere, service and food there (at Restaurant Hubert), no matter what day or time you go in, it is always full of life and personality,” he says.
At The D’s Bar & Dining, Doan has created a contemporary Asian menu reflecting his dual Vietnamese/Cantonese heritage, and catering to an eclectic demographic of cultures for which Marrickville and the Inner West is known.
The menu which is regularly updated with innovative new dishes includes Beef Pho Tartar, Lobster Noodles and the famous The D’s Spring Roll.
“We love to get inspiration from other cultures,” he says. “We always encourage our guests to embrace the customary approach of sharing dishes as our menu takes on familiar staples infused with traditional and modern techniques dedicated to preserving the freshness and nuances of our local produce.”
By opening in Marrickville, fast becoming a go-to for multicultural dining, Doan hopes to give local diners a more accessible option than having to travel into the bustling CBD.
“We want to target those who want a little bit of a more refined feeling in the Inner West, where you don’t need to travel all the way to the city to have a different experience.”
To make a reservation: P: (02) 9171 5787. E: Bookings@theds.com.au