Those expecting a pot of gold or two at Double Rainbow, in the rebirthed Rechabite Hall, will be disappointed. While we find promise and dishes that could deserve a return visit, the experience and execution are lacking.

With some serious names attached, inexperience is no excuse. Developer Adrian Fini notably had a hand in the State Buildings where Perth first met Jesse Blake. As opening chef at the trinity of Petition venues Blake blazed a trail across the Perth dining scene; the young Kiwi came via Melbourne and time as sous-chef at Cumulus Inc. Now based in Dubai, he’s billed as executive chef at Double Rainbow, with head chef Jeremy Bleszynski charged with the daily task of keeping this mod-Asian kitchen ticking over.

The Rechabite, as the building is now named, is a grand addition to lower William Street, with its rooftop bar and performance space. With late-night opening, moody lighting, communal tables and de rigueur open kitchen, Double Rainbow is squarely pitched at the Northbridge night-time scene.

While competition, you’d think, would be the likes of neo-tropical Panama Social, with a similar eclectic interpretation on a continent’s cuisine, it also comes from the stalwarts of Chinatown. The likes of Billy Lee’s, spring to mind.

I’m fine with the ‘take a pencil and tick a box’ approach to ordering, but it should translate to quicker, slicker service. It doesn’t. There’s a real sense that front of house just doesn’t have its bearings – lots of darting around but no one eyeing the room. Trying to attract a server, in a near-empty restaurant, becomes a sport. We eventually fall back on waving.

Prawn dumplings are plump and perfectly fine, but this is Northbridge and they’re not in short supply.

There are dishes that show Blake’s flair and an understanding of the late-night palate. A smoked ox tongue with scallion-ginger sauce under the wood charcoal section is bold and one to return for. From the wok there’s ‘OG sweet ’n’ sour tripe’, a rendition of a dish found on many a suburban Chinese menu. With its hefty, sweet pineapple chunks, cashew and gelatinous tripe (offal that I think can be glorious when well handled) it could be a nostalgic winner. Could.

The Independent Order of Rechabites who gave their name to the building back in the 1920s promoted abstinence from the demon drink. We perhaps need a new order – for the moderation of salt. Both the ox tongue and the tripe are layered with it beyond any reasonable attempt at seasoning. I’m not blind to the fact that salty dishes have their place (I favour a hefty hit myself), especially balanced with an excuse for another drink. But this is well beyond that line.

Red curry of kangaroo tail is a saviour of sorts: fragrant, easy on the salt, and paired with a serviceable, though late to the table, roti. A shredded banana flower salad with coconut, cucumber and kaffir lime is a must. It’s balanced and textural and offers fresh relief from the heavier parts of the menu. It’s the sort of more nuanced fare I’d expect when Blake’s name is attached; he’s a chef I’ve always rated for having an innate handle on what makes casual dining sing.

Battered Snickers with miso and butter caramel has all the hallmarks of a late-night signature: rich, sweet and umami-laden. But ultimately it’s poorly executed: slopped into a plastic bowl, unidentified crumbs in the base, the texture of coffee grounds.

Whether Blake’s dishes are lost in translation or it’s a kitchen that hasn’t quite hit its straps isn’t yet clear. You’d hope that front-of-house staff could shore things up. They don’t. A lack of attention to detail pervades. Double Rainbow, second thoughts.