Restaurant review: PARC brasserie in Pullman Hotel

This divine French restaurant found in the entryway of an Adelaide CBD hotel gets a visit from SA Weekend’s food reviewer. Here’s Simon Wilkinson’s verdict.

Some of the food on offer at PARC brassiere. Picture: Jon Wah

The last time crepes suzette featured in this column the experience didn’t end well.

It was back in the early ’90s, at the Brougham Hotel in North Adelaide.

A nervous waitress leant too close when igniting the liquor and frizzled her fringe.

For this equally inexperienced reviewer, the smell of singed hair was not easily forgotten.

Fast forward more than 30 years and another young waiter is about to have a crack.

It is an appropriately nostalgic finale to dinner at a French-accented restaurant that seems comfortable not paying too much heed to current culinary fashions.

Not that you would pick that on first impressions of PARC brasserie, just inside the entrance to the Pullman Hotel in the northeast corner of Hindmarsh Square.

The large expanse of ground-floor space has been given an impressive makeover, creating a long, dark and handsome dining room.

The mood is enhanced by the skilful placement and control of lights, right down to the little brass lamps glowing on each table.

Less glamorous are the waiting team’s bottle green jackets (with name badges, naturally) that make them look like porters about to pick up your luggage. Judging by some of their routine – resting the bottle on a forearm when pouring wine, for instance – they are not long out of hotel school and, while friendly and efficient, they need a little extra real-life training.

The Pullman Hotel in Hindmarsh Square recently launched a new five-star French restaurant called PARC Brasserie. Picture: Jon Wah

That should start with regular tastings of the food that is mostly inspired by the French background of executive chef Francis Luzinier. Born and raised in Bergerac, not far from Bordeaux, Luzinier has worked in hotel kitchens around the world and in most states of Australia. He joined the Pullman not long after it took control of the Adelaide property seven years ago and was in charge of Salt, the previous concept in this venue.

Not surprisingly he is relishing the chance to find inspiration from some of the flavours and techniques of his formative years. That translates into a menu where some of the current kitchen buzzwords – local, seasonal, fresh – aren’t regarded as gospel.

Asparagus and tomatoes (in a caprese salad) have played a role right through winter. Butter, puff pastry and other ingredients are imported.

Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. Despite some grit in one of them, French tinned snails do a sterling job in a feuillete (think of a small pie) with braised leeks and fennel. The secret, Luzinier says, is flambeeing them with Armagnac for flavour. As for the pastry, it is OK, though not as good as one made from scratch or even the product from Barossa-based company Careme.

Elsewhere, some local hero produce does find a home. Small, sweet South Australian calamari are the star of an appetiser in which they are given the quickest of flashes on the grill, before tossing with chipotle mayonnaise and serving with a haphazard pile of rocket.

The bar was inspired by Melbourne's Gimlet. Picture: Jon Wah

Main courses have a strong emphasis on grilled meats and sauces. Other choices include a “traditional poulet basquaise”, usually a hearty braise of chook pieces and mixed peppers, that is described by the waiter as a chicken breast in Moroccan-style spices. Mmmm.

Instead, we opt for a thick puck of kingfish that has become a little overdone towards the outside in cooking through to the middle. It is surrounded by a runny orange sauce that has used fresh juice to cut a beurre blanc, a single asparagus spear and a bland savoury pear muffin that has risen at an odd angle. At $52, the plate might require a major rethink.

A trio of neatly trimmed lamb cutlets need minimal intervention, the flavour of Fleurieu Peninsula pasture-raised meat singing loud and true after being grilled to order and properly seasoned. To the side, a jug of well-made jus has been imbued with a subtle note of mint.

A trolley rolls out with all the crepes suzette components and our amiable waiter confesses he has only done this once before. Gulp. We watch as the ready-made crepes are tossed with a butter and orange juice syrup, followed by a decent slug of Grand Marnier and the big moment as a gas lighter comes out. “Whoosh”. The liquor fumes are ignited with an impressive – and well controlled – fireball. No injuries to report and the sauce is delicious.

The big question, however, is whether this blend of traditional and more contemporary French cooking will be enough to draw people into a hotel, given the level of competition nearby. As we leave, a cheerful call of “bonsoir” draws our attention to a lively little bistro mere metres from the door. No flames, no name badges, but it looks a lot of fun.

Pullman Adelaide,
16 Hindmarsh
Square, city

8206 8888

pullmanadelaide.com.au

Main courses

$38-$55

Open

Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily

Must try

Feuillete d’escargot; crepes suzette

Verdict

Food 12.5/20

Ambience 14/20

Service 13/20

Value 12/20

Overall 13/20

As a guide, scores indicate:

1-9 Fail; 10-11 Satisfactory;
12-14 Recommended; 15-16 Very Good; 17-18 Outstanding;
19-20 World Class

delicious.com.au/eatout