Hatted Melbourne restaurant French Saloon comes to Sydney for pop-up rooftop dinner
What you need to know about the one-off collaboration between the Melbourne critic’s pick and Sydney’s Martinez.
Hatted restaurant French Saloon is considered one of Melbourne’s best, and it’s coming to Sydney for a pop-up Parisienne dinner on the Martinez terrace on Saturday, February 24.
Good Food Events is hosting Riviera Rooftop presented by Quay Quarter: a one-off collaboration between French Saloon head chef Luke Fraser, Martinez chef Andrea Sonnate and Humble Bakery, serving up a multi-course meal overlooking the Sydney Harbour Bridge, with live Gallic music and bottomless French wine.
It will be the first time Sydney diners will have the opportunity to try Fraser’s French-leaning cuisine, with the chef known for yielding “stunning results” through his application of classical techniques to Australian ingredients.
In a recent Good Food review, chief restaurant critic for The Age, Besha Rodell, awarded French Saloon a hat and revealed “a long list of people” including former chief reviewer Gemima Cody considered French Saloon their favourite Melbourne restaurant.
“It’s easy to see why,” Rodell says, noting the ease and elegance the restaurant has developed since it first opened in 2016.
Hospitality group House Made Hospitality opened hatted French restaurant Martinez at Quay Quarter Towers in September, with its leafy rooftop terrace and maroon-hued interior. In November, it scored a hat from SMH Good Food Guide editor and Good Weekend restaurant critic Callan Boys.
Boys highlighted the depth of flavour in dishes such as the standout seafood bouillabaisse. That decadent dish, packed with bug meat, mussels and clams, is the first to be confirmed for the Riviera Rooftop menu, with dishes from French Saloon to be announced.
The signature seafood stew will be paired with French-inspired wine, and followed by a roving trolley of patisserie curated by Humble Bakery.
Riviera Rooftop is the fourth event held by Good Food Events, which relaunched in November. Their previous sold-out event, Italiano Lane presented by Quay Quarter Lanes, saw Melbourne chef Guy Grossi partner with Lana head chef and former Good Food Guide Chef of the Year finalist Alex Wong for a long-table Italian feast.
Riviera Rooftop, 6-9pm Saturday, February 24 at Garden Podium, Quay Quarter Tower, 50 Bridge Street, Sydney
Tickets are $225 per person, available via goodfoodevents.com.au
Bianca Hrovat – Bianca is Good Food's Sydney-based reporter.