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 ...