Darling Square has grown into a social-gathering hub filled with all manner of eateries, most of which are rocking in their own way.

Hello Auntie, the new, grown-up sibling to the popular Vietnamese restaurant in Marrickville of the same name, is at the front of that queue. Owned by chef Cuong Nguyen, Hello Auntie occupies a smart space.

Inside, grey concrete arches frame a room dotted with dark-brown furniture and anchored by a slender cocktail bar, while an alfresco area overlooks the green-grassed promenade outside.

Those familiar with the Marrickville incarnation will find something familiar in the omnipresent staff with big smiles, but the booze offering here is far superior – a thoughtful, affordable mix of local and international wines  and sakes alongside fun cocktails.

It’s like Marrickville turned up to 11 on the Marshall stack – and the food is pretty electric, too.

By day, the go-to green papaya salad is a hit – a twangy medley of pickled mango, green papaya, carrot, peanut, basil and strips of cured beef. Even better is a coconut-turmeric crêpe filled with chicken, onion, sprouts and jicama – a crisp, fresh affair partnered with herbs and a splash of the house sweet chilli.

At night, chef Nguyen rolls the dice a little more. Beef tartare comes in a tumble of chives, shallots, capers, cornichons and sesame with a side of potato crisps. Duck and porcini gyoza are reminiscent of filled pasta in a charred miso buerre noisette, while translucent prawns and scallops sit like jewels on a spinach-laden fried rice laced with XO sauce and peppered with salted egg yolk.

There’s much to like about Hello Auntie’s bold new vision and it stands out as the main act in the bustling Darling Square precinct.