Bistrot 916
The last time I had a booking at Bistrot 916 was the day before going on an interstate holiday just before the most recent Sydney lockdown - and out of an abundance of caution, I had given up the booking (which was no easy feat to get and took months of waiting) to my friends. Since then, I have desperately wanted to try it and finally my time came.
Chic and darkly romantic, this beautiful bistro serves traditional French fare, which is rich, salty, covered in butter and oh-so-delicious.
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| Baguette with bottarga butter, $7 |
Of course, we had to commence the meal with that most typical of French bread. The creamy butter is made gently salty by shaved bottarga - one of life's simple pleasures amped up slightly.
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| Tuna Tartare, $27 |
The surprise that came with the tuna tartare (which is fresh, gorgeously flavoured with pickles and egg yolk) is the fried pastry with a smattering of Maldon salt - crunchy, sinful, but delicious.
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| Saucisson Sec, $12 |
Saucisson sec always reminds me of that few months I spent living with a French family outside Paris - and how they would go to the markets and taste the various offerings, before picking up a few sticks. Perfect to snack on with a martini in hand.
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| Parfait, $21 |
Liver parfait is one of my favourite things - silky, salty, ever so slightly iron-y, it is glorious smeared generously on the baguette.
A good steak frites is a truly glorious thing. Cooked to perfection, drenched in a rich mushroom sauce and served with perfectly cooked fries, it is somehow elegant and casual at the same time. There are a couple of steak frites in Sydney I like, and this certainly is among the top contenders.
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| Steak frites, $59 |
A good steak frites is a truly glorious thing. Cooked to perfection, drenched in a rich mushroom sauce and served with perfectly cooked fries, it is somehow elegant and casual at the same time. There are a couple of steak frites in Sydney I like, and this certainly is among the top contenders.
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| Mushroom frites, $36 |
Who would have thought that mushroom could taste so meaty and satisfying? The trick, of course, is layers of cream and sauce. The mushroom is cooked beautifully so that it retains its plump and juicy fleshiness.
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| Potato Grenobloise, $13 |
This, my friends, is a must-order. I didn't really know what to expect but it certainly exceeded all my expectations. Rich, creamy, melty and packed with flavour, the richness of the butter and cream balanced by the sharp, tart capers.
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| Desserts, $10 - $18 |
From the top and going clockwise, we have an apple sorbet, a quart de chaume custard and a chocolate mousse. My favourite of the lot is the chocolate mousse. Absolutely fluffy and light, the mousse is folded with fresh berries and topped with sugar shards, making it a texturally interesting dessert that is not overwhelmingly sweet. The sorbet is refreshing, but on the sweet side for me. The quart de chaume custard is a very "adult" dessert in that it's a little burnt-bitter.
Score: 4/5
Cost: approx $85-$100pp
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