Sydney Eat Street: Celebrate Bastille Day with amazing food
There is no better way to commemorate France’s national day and the French Revolution than by tucking into some beautiful food and wine.
There is no better way to commemorate France’s national day, Bastille Day, than by tucking into some beautiful food and wine around Sydney, including our very own Bastille Festival around Circular Quay and The Rocks.
Take a tour of the area’s best eateries right here with The Sunday Telegraph’s Eat Street. Are you hungry for more inspiration? Follow us on Instagram. #SydneyEatStreet
BASTILLE FESTIVAL
There’ll be a sea of berets and striped Breton sailor shirts as Francophiles and foodies alike converge on Circular Quay and The Rocks for four days of French food, wine and entertainment.
At this annual event, you’ll be spoiled for choice with more than 100 food stalls suited to every taste.
“A love for food is universal,” event director Vincent Hernandez says, adding that people will find plenty of it at the five different precincts.
Head to Customs House for The Parisian Foodie Village where you’ll spot some French favourites including Saucisson (dry sausages), Raclette (melted Alpine cheese) and the famous Maille mustard, which is fascinatingly dispensed “on tap”.
For those after a tipple, pick-up a French Wine Passport and branded tasting-glass and embark on the Wine Walk for samples of regional offerings at the seven different “Bar a Vins” (Four for $27, or eight for $47).
At First Fleet Park you’ll be delighted with premium offerings such as a Champagne and Oyster bar, as well as chefs from some of Sydney’s renowned restaurants including MODE, Masala Kitchen and Passiontree Velvet chefs who have taken their signature dishes and given them a French twist.
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Closer to the Opera House, it’ll be a day of sand and sunnies as the eastern side of Circular Quay is transformed into an island paradise with tropical foods and drinks inspired by the French Territory of New Caledonia.
In the evening, stroll over to The Rocks where the laneways have been converted into a French-style Christmas Village complete with authentic chalets, winter decoration and warming foods.
There’s plenty more gastronomic offerings and experiences to be had so plan on a full day of unique and exciting eats, Hernandez says.
“Even if you’re not a huge part of the French culture, you can still be a big fan of good food and wine.”
So take some advice from the French and “Eat well, laugh often, love abundantly”.
The festival runs from July 11-14.
— Circular Quay and The Rocks; bastillefestival.com.au
BIBO WINE BAR
Chefs are braving the winter cold and preparing dishes which embrace seasonal ingredients, none more so than Bibo Wine Bar’s French head chef Leonard Michaud.
Bringing his experience in Michelin-starred restaurants, he, along with co-owner Jose Silva (former head chef at three-hatted Guillaume at Bennelong) have set aside their renowned Portuguese-inspired fare for a Bastille Day menu featuring re-invented French classics.
Think seared scallops atop pureed Jerusalem artichokes then crowned with slices of Manjimup truffles, and duck al’Orange made with poultry direct from the Southern Highlands, finishing up with a pear tart tatin made featuring the Australian native Corella pear.
“It’s a chance to replicate French winter,” Michaud says.
Though it may be brisk outside, you’ll be nice and cosy in this tres chic restaurant with its rich dark wood and even richer wine selection lining the wall.
It’s all overseen by the gregarious French co-owner, Jonathan Mallet (ex-Guillaume) who has honed his skills as an attentive and gracious host with years spent in some of the world’s most respected restaurants.
So while some Sydneysiders have fled overseas for a European summer, head to Double Bay on Bastille Day for your gastronomic Parisian experience.
The Bastille Day menu is available for lunch and dinner on Sunday, July 14; $110 per person with Champagne on arrival.
— 7 Bay St, Double Bay; bibowinebar.com.au
SOFITEL DARLING HARBOUR
The height of fashion will be overlooking Darling Harbour with the Sofitel’s decadent high-tea experience inspired by Australian fashion illustrator Megan Hess’ acclaimed children’s book character, Claris, the Chicest Mouse in Paris.
Launching, appropriately enough on July 13, over the French National Day weekend, guests will be tickled pink with the delightful array of sweet and savoury nibbles alongside adorable plates adorned with the stylish mouse herself.
Imagine dainty and delicious rose-coloured macarons and Florentines along with quiches and tiny sandwiches. For added indulgence, there is a chocolate fountain plus free-fling tea and coffee; pink lemonade and every young guest will receive a Claris the Mouse gift bag.
This charming high-tea experience will continue every Saturday afternoon from 1-4pm until October in Sofitel Darling Harbour’s elegant Champagne Bar. ($69 per person, $35 for children aged 11 and under. For details, visit www.sofitelsydneydarlingharbour.com.au).
— 12 Darling Dr, Darling Harbour; sofitelsydneydarlingharbour.com.au
SILVESTER’S
With more than 1000 restaurants, the French city of Lyon has been called the “world capital of gastronomy” not so much for the number of eateries but for the influence of the foods from many of the adjacent regions.
For the week of July 8-14, Michelin-star trained Raphael Szurek, chef de cuisine at the hatted restaurant Silvester’s will be bringing guests the flavours of Lyonaisse cuisine with a special four-course tasting menu, but you can’t go wrong with the signature oysters Champagne mignonette tostar.
Follow that with braised beef cheek or Raphael’s Australian take on Bouillabaisse, with an assortment of seasonal fish and coastal greens.
For dessert, there is the clever Tête de Moine, shaved cheese whose shape resembles a carnation, along with honey and a pear chutney or the lychee and raspberry vacherin, a beautiful combination of flavours and texture with its white chocolate rocks, raspberry and yoghurt mousse with lychee sorbet. ($79 per person for four course; $139 per person for seven courses, plus a glass of French wine on arrival).
— Bulletin Pl, Sydney; silvesters.com.au
KOI AT THE ISLAND-KANAK BEACH VILLAGE
Inventive desserts are nothing new for the matriarch of KOI Dessert Bar, Ike Malada, and she’s done it again with a cake she created for the Kanak Beach Village pop-up destination at the Bastille Festival.
Channelling the tropical flavours of New Caledonia, a French Territory in the South Pacific, the “Island Cake” is pineapple cake with bits of roasted pineapple that serves as the base for a cleverly chocolate shell that resembles a coconut and which is filled with a coconut pandan mousse with passion caramel, caramelised pineapple with mango.
It’ll be available at the Kanak Beach Village during the festival as well as KOI’s Chippendale and Ryde shops.
— Kanak Beach Village, East Circular Quay; koidessertbar.com.au
MUST TRY
CHAMPAGNE AND OYSTERS
For the quintessential French experience, indulge in a glass of Didier Chopin Champagne and a plate oysters.
At the Bastille Festival, chef Raphael Szurek will be preparing Pacific and Rock oysters in five different ways:
— Champagne & Oyster Bar; First Fleet Park, The Rocks
BISTRO PAPILLON
For those looking to really celebrate Bastille Day, head out for this five-course meal with tasty and traditional dishes and plenty of French flair.
Cheeky waiters dressed the part, including drawn on pencil-thin moustaches, will serve up the likes of classic French onion soup, a Bouillabaisse-style mixed seafood stew with fennel and potatoes or confit of duck and pork cassoulet served with white beans followed by profiteroles and ice cream with hot chocolate. $110 per person.
— Bistro Papillon, 98 Clarence St, Sydney; bistropapillon.com.au
TARTE TROPEZIENNE
You can never go wrong with authentic home cooking, and at LoLuk Bistro, co-owner Luc La Joye has brought this cosy Surry Hills restaurant to Sydney’s French dining scene with much of the menu derived from his grandmother’s recipes.
For Bastille Day though, he’ll be looking to the French Riviera for dessert with La Tarte de Saint-Tropez, pastry cream between two round pieces of brioche and topped with pearl sugar.
($95 per person, $165 per person with matching wines).
— LoLuk Bistro; 2/411 Bourke St, Surry Hills; lolukbistro.com.au
LA BASTILLE TOUR CREPE
Crepes are always a delicious treat, particularly during July when this popular creperie celebrates Bastille Day with a limited-edition one, “La Bastille Tour”.
Starting off with a small crepe on the bottom, this sweet sensation is then topped with shortbread, caramel, mascarpone, almonds, crushed meringue, maple syrup, pecan and caramel ice cream and a macaron.
It is available throughout July.
— Creperie Suzette, 35 Harrington St, The Rocks; creperiesuzette.com.au
WHAT’S FRESH
CHUUKA
The coveted waterfront spot at the end of Jones Bay Wharf has finally re-opened as CHUUKA, a restaurant with a unique blend of Chinese, Japanese and Australian fare that is as eccentric as the intricate floor to ceiling tattoo-inspired decor amidst the dark nautical woods.
At the helm of this new venture, (The Star’s latest dining option and first stand-alone outlet) are award-winning chefs Chase Kojima (Sokyo) and Victor Liong (Lee Ho Fook, Melbourne).
The two have joined forces to offer both a raw menu and roe service (try the incredible caviar served with cashew cream and potato rice cracker), as well as share plates of Bang Bang Chicken, wok-fried rock lobster with green chilli and wagyu short ribs with carrot kimchi.
Both Kojima and Liong are all about making dessert a must with their freshly churned yoghurt sorbet, mascarpone ice cream, frozen French meringue served surrounded by small bowls of Yuzu and ginger jam, raspberry, freeze-dried beetroot and pink peppercorn, roasted hazelnuts and kinako, Vietnamese coffee jelly, bitter chocolate and cocoa nibs and Matcha milk crumb for you to mix and match.
— Jones Bay Wharf, Lower Deck Wharf 19-21, Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont; chuuka.com.au or star.com.au/sydney
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