I Don't Eat, I Devour

When Loulou opened a couple of months ago, there was a real buzz about this chic French bistro and boulangerie that makes what I consider to be the best baguette in Sydney, surpassing even my old favourite, Azuki Bakery. So when an opportunity came up to try the cuisine, I was curious to see if it lives up to the hype.  Chicken liver parfait, $18 This unassuming-looking liver parfait is my favourite dish of the evening. Beautifully creamy and smooth, the flavours wonderfully balanced, and paired with a soft, buttery brioche from Loulou's esteemed bakery, this is a fine way to start a meal.  Pommes Dauphines, $12 Fluffy, smooth, creamy mashed potatoes encased in a light batter and gently fried, this is the comfort food of one's dreams. Absolutely gorgeous - highly recommended with a drink or two. Speaking of which, the cocktails at Loulou are classic and well-balanced. I particularly recommend the Vieux Carre.  John Dory, $48 If I were to recommend one main dish only, this...

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.  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.  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.  Saucisson Sec, $12 Saucisson sec always ...

If you were to ask me where is my favourite CBD happy place for a quick escape, Hubert would be my immediate response. When I push open these heavy, huge doors and descend the dimly lit staircase with walls of little alcohol bottles (as though one were descending into a wizard's den), I feel the rest of Sydney - work, stress, relationship drama, the endless to-do lists - fade away.  To me, Hubert is an escape. It's where I'm comfortable enough to order drinks off menu, watching the candles burn slowly, while listening to the house jazz band play. The conversation there are always in low murmurs - all that is to say, Hubert is one of those places where escapism is easy.   Having introduced my happy place to my brother, he was appropriately excited when I suggested that I took the family there for his birthday. Half dozen oysters, $36 As one would expect, the oysters supplied to Hubert is fresh and plump. The real winner and that which makes enjoying oysters at Hubert mor...

One of my most anticipated new openings in the past couple of months, Loluk boasts authentic Southern French cuisine. Nestled in an extremely French-style terrace, the scene is perfect for some provincial food. On Sundays, Loluk puts on a two-course brunch with rose for $49. The entree choices are as follows. Gazpacho Personally, I have never understood the charm of gazpacho - if I want soup, I want it hot and comforting. Gazpacho is, however, perfect for a summer's day. The gazpacho at Loluk is well balance in flavour and served with crusty baguette. Goat cheese salad The goat cheese comes in the form of cheese croquettes. It is hearty, heavy and creamy, paring perfectly with a light salad with a simple vinaigrette dressing. Tuna tartare My choice of entree is the tuna tartare, and it is my favourite out of the entree choices. Though called tartare, the tuna is actually slightly cooked - or more accurately, cured in lemon juice a la ceviche. There were onl...

Folonomo claims to be Sydney's first "for purpose" restaurant. Folonomo stands for 'for love, not money', and the profits earned by the restaurant goes towards charitable ends. If that doesn't make you feel good about splashing out on lovely food, I don't know what will. I am an absolute fan of tasting menus, because they generally showcase the best of the restaurant, and you get an opportunity to sample a wide variety of 'signature dishes' by getting a little bit of many things. That way, you know exactly what to, and what not to, order a la carte the next time you visit. The banquet menu at Folonomo is exactly that - little bites of items which are on the menu, and thus can be ordered individually if desired. For everything reviewed below, unless stated otherwise, the dish is shared between four people. Bread and Olives Despite not being the most exciting part of the meal, I often find that the quality of the bread and butter served is ...

Le Bouchon is a rustic, authentic French eatery in Crows Nest. An unassuming-looking place, but the food really is very, very French. It's not the fine-dining kind of French cuisine, it's hearty, filling and country. Twice baked blue cheese and spinach souffle  As a dessert, souffles do nothing for me. As an entree, however, I absolutely love it.  Light and airy, the souffle pairs perfectly with the thick, salty blue cheese sauce. Ham Cock & Speck Terrine The cornichons (pickles) are cheek-puckeringly tart, which is just as well, as it balances the rather bland flavour of the terrine itself. Quite a heavy dish because the terrine tastes so fatty, I would not recommend it for one person.  Plat du jour  The daily special on the particular day we visisted is a lamb shoulder. This is one hearty dish that is not overly-sauced so that the natural flavours of the lamb still shines through. Sauteed calves liver  The liver is beautifully mediu...