WHAT AND WHERE

An oldie but a goodie, Bistro Thierry is not about surprises but that is hardly the point. A decade old, it is a nostalgic trip to Lyon or Paris dropped into the middle of Toorak's Hawksburn Village. It is a bistro so Gallic it could almost be parody were it not for proprietor Thierry Cornevin and his team of waistcoated, thickly French-accented waiters who keep the place and its reliable menu humming nicely.

WHERE TO SIT

Tradition reigns at Bistro Thierry, where the tables are double-clothed, the chairs are bentwood and retro posters and black-and-white photographs compete for attention on the burgundy-coloured walls. There is no escape from the noise of the full house every night but there are really no bad tables. A few street-side tables are available for warm weather and Gauloises.

WHEN TO GO

Bistro Thierry does lunch (noon-4pm) and dinner (6-10pm) seven days a week. The fixed-price lunch menu at $32 - two courses and a glass of De Bortoli wine - is good value.

DRINK

The wine list is long, pricey and, as to be expected, parochially French with some better-priced local drops mixed in. There is a mighty 22-strong selection by the glass and Sunday nights are BYO, with corkage $15 a bottle.

EAT

Let's start with the snails, which are, quite frankly, incredible: French comfort food personified, they are baked in their shells in a bubbling green parsley-accented ooze with a punishing amount of garlic. The entrees list is peppered with names so familiar you could recite them in your sleep: there is a charcuterie board with a country-style pork and pistachio terrine; fried calamari with sauce provencale; a deep tureen of onion soup with gruyere croutons. Mains? Steak frites, beef bourguignon, duck Magret. But for all the staid tradition, chef Frederic Naud is not afraid to recognise developments in French gastronomy post-1950. Go to the specials list for more adventurous developments - maybe an entree of smoked John Dory with marinated vegetables. If you can make it to dessert after all that rich food, there is a golden tarte tatin with caramel sauce and the classic chocolate souffle with a molten centre and vanilla ice-cream.

WHO'S THERE

Cornevin greets every second table like old friends, which is a testament to the rusted-on popularity of the place. The socialite set loves it; ditto any bloke trying to woo a date with good old-fashioned romance.

WHY BOTHER?

French classicism in a lively package.

Bistro Thierry, 511 Malvern Road, Toorak, phone 9824 0888.