La Brasserie...a little bit of Paris in Sydney

DISCLAIMER: Citrus and Candy will apologise but will not accept any responsibility for any sickness induced due to the shocking quality of the photos (taken with ye olde point-and-shoot Canon Ixus 70).


A fortnight ago it was Mr S’s birthday and for something different I wanted him to experience a bit of French comfort. One place came to mind, selected based on word of mouth and their claim of being the most authentic Parisian dining in Sydney. On pure looks, La Brasserie may be right, down to the quaint red and white chequered tablecloths that adorned their alfresco tables.

The interior was all Parisian chic – timber flooring and bar, dark brown leather booths, heavy maroon drapes, crisp white linen and French poster art in the style of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Tres sophistiqué! It exudes a kind of warmth and casual elegance that immediately puts you at ease as soon as you stepped inside.

Having our table towards the rear of the restaurant meant we were constantly teased with the emanating smell of home cooking from the kitchen. The sensory seduction continued with smoky Parisian jazz gracing the airwaves before moving on to a more progressive jazz à la St. Germain. La Brasserie certainly knew how to romance a Francophile like myself!


Service here is professional and oh so attentive as you would expect from the French. However they’re also unpretentious and unobtrusive. Here the wait staff are warm, friendly, and sporting gorgeous Gallic accents. Our water glasses were constantly topped up, and they would happily offer to replenish the complementary pain brie (‘crushed’ bread from Normandy) throughout the dinner. I’m not usually fussed about the ins and outs of good service but when it does happen, it’s always a nice bonus.

The dessert wine list written on the mirror. Tres charmant!

Friday night traffic always makes for a hungry girl and I was famished by the time we arrived. Fortunately the wait time for our meals was minimal and timed to perfection like a French symphony. I hate to gush but this girl can be easily spoilt by one of the more impeccable and nicest dinner services experienced in Sydney.

Great service and interiors aside, we came here for one reason only – to experience French food. And it does not disappoint. The menu was a simple selection of classic Gallic dishes. All written in French of course for us to silently recite in our best Catherine Deneuve voice.

The hors d’oeuvres featured such French favourites like Pissaladière, Foie Gras, Pâté and Soufflé au Fromage – the temptation to order them all and to hell with the mains was dangerously large. As I feared, Mr S. chose the Escargots à la Bourguignonne ($11). Snails. Six of them. In garlic butter no less but still…snails.


My impression of these creatures relate to the slimy specimens in my garden so imagine my horror when Mr S. waves an impaled snail in my face ordering me to try it. Monsieur snail and I faced off for a couple of minutes before I finished him off. It was pleasant enough, a bit rubbery but Mr S. thoroughly enjoys it. Any hopes of a Pretty Woman debacle of flying snails ("slippery little suckers") were dashed, as Mr S. proved adept at wielding le snail tong.


My entrée was the much prettier Tartare au Saumon ($15) – crab dumpling on a bed of New Zealand sugar-cured salmon, crème frâiche and littered with citrus passionfruit. The multi-coloured citrus segments were mouth puckering but when combined with the salty deep fried dumpling, salmon and the crème frâiche – it’s remarkable.



It was a suitable prelude to my seafood main of Bouillabaisse ($30) – a Provençal fish stew that originated from Marseille. Here it consists of Roast Jewfish, Spring Bay mussels, clams, leeks and topped with rouille (French aioli). The mussels weren’t as fresh as I hoped but I love my seafood and it wasn’t long before I was mopping up every drop of juice with the side of bread.


Mr S. goes all out with a plate of Lapin aux Pruneaux ($35) – a truffled roasted rabbit stuffed with prunes and mustard on a bed of potatos and served with sweet baby carrots – which he paired with a glass of Tardieu-Laurent ‘Les Becs Fins’, Cotes du Rhône Villages Grenache-Shiraz (Rhône, France). Not being much for the French wines, he was surprised and impressed by this medium-bodied red.



This was the first time I tasted rabbit and after one bite, all thoughts about cute hoppity bunnies and Peter Rabbit were instantly forgotten and I wished I ordered it myself! It was tender, juicy and brilliantly combined with truffle and the sweetness of prunes and carrots.


French desserts are always the main event and we knew what we wanted. Mr S. would dance for a crème brulée and La Brasserie boasts one that’s scented with Caramelised Orange Blossom and served with an Apricot Entremet ($15). While the entremet (essentially a cake) was great enough, the brulée is the star attraction – rich, creamy and with a sweet toffee crunch – the way it should be. We’re not sure where the orange blossom featured, as we couldn’t taste it but with a brulée this good how can we complain?


If crème brulée is Mr S’s Achilles Heel then Fondant au Chocolat is mine ($16). A freshly baked, oozy chocolate pudding (served in a steaming hot coffee mug) topped with coffee foam and served with a coconut macaroon sandwiched with Nutella ice cream – pure genius.

The coffee foam (best enjoyed with the fondant) was a winner with Mr S. but then again, anything with coffee is. The macaroon laced with a tinge of roasted coconut is deliciously crunchy but it’s better consumed deconstructed from the ice cream unless soggy biscuits are your taste du jour. The ice cream needed a stronger flavour of the chocolate hazelnut spread but that was just needless foreplay to the fondant.


I love my chocolate desserts warm and this fondant came out freshly baked and ready to tease. Having to sit and wait for over five minutes for it to cool down absolutely redefined the term torture. But once I started, there was no turning back. Ooh there must be a catch or something, as a dessert this divine is just too good to be true. Without being overtly sweet or sickly rich it seduces with a raw dark chocolate passion and it’s everything a dessert should be. Better than sex? Oh god yes.


A couple of satisfied sighs and we were already mentally planning our return trip to Sydney’s own Parisian gem. I think that says it all really - tres magnifique!

La Brasserie Bar & Restaurant
Shop 28, 118-126 Crown Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
(02) 9358 1222

Email: info [at] labrasserie [dot] com [dot] au

Off street parking at Secure Parking (70 Riley Street)

Trading Hours
Lunch: Tues-Fri 12pm-3pm
Dinner: 7 days a week 6pm-10pm


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