Hello, Sarah Doyle

First published on 29 Jul 2011. Updated on 3 Aug 2011.

They also own Bodega – the tapas bar where the only thing louder than the punters packed in like sardines is the rock’n’roll. So how did all of this come from one tiny tapas bar in a Surry Hills back street? It all started with an anonymous benefactor taking a punt on a couple of crazy kids who wanted to start their own restaurant. “No one would give Ben and Elvis a chance,” says Doyle. “I remember on Elvis’s birthday we went for a property interview down in Rushcutters Bay. It was an American lady and we were talking about the space and what we’d like to do and she said, ‘You’re not turning my hard work into some psychedelic rock’n’roll café.’ And Elvis just got up and kicked the chair and said, ‘Yeah, good luck, lady. You don’t want anyone in here.’ The site where Bodega is now was the first place they looked at, and they were unsure. But they went back. And the man who owned it said ‘yeah, I’ll take a chance on you.’ This guy was the only one who gave them a look-in.” 

Bodega was an immediate hit. Sydney couldn’t get enough of it, despite the fact that it’s small, tight, loud and hard to get into.  “It sounds like hell. But it works,” says Doyle. So the benefactor (let’s just call him Daddy Warbucks) offered the crew several other properties, which they refused. They had their eye on a dilapidated building on Cleveland Street – the once-popular, now-legendary Greek restaurant Dimitri’s. They wouldn’t say why or what they want to do with it. But Warbucks bought them the building anyway. Once again, the gamble paid off – they’re beating hungry punters off with a stick at Porteño. It’s not a very sharp stick, though. “We treat our restaurant like our home. A big part of it is just making people feel welcome and part of the family.” Porteño really is a different kind of restaurant. “You’re getting a really high level of service – the care and professionalism without all the crap that goes with it... it’s our job to make sure people have a good time.” And there’s no denying it’s a venture with style. “We never had a mould. We kind of pave our own path everywhere we go. If you had asked us ten years ago if we’d be able to meet some of the people we meet, let alone serve them or get to go to their concerts or have Justin Townes Earle play at the restaurant!... We never, ever imagined that would be in our life. It’s amazing.”