I know I’ve told you about my lovely readers many times before. My readers and my compulsion to blog are the reason that I have this site so when a lovely reader told Bistro Lilly about my blog and suggested they invite me to eat, I was the unwitting beneficiary of this generous moment of magnitude. Bistro Lilly was in truth a place Mr NQN and I had tried to book for an anniversary one year but it was closed for a function so when I tell him we are going to go there a look of fear flashes across his face “Weren’t we supposed to go there once for our anniversary? What happened?” fearing that it was he who forgot to book. I assure him that there wasn’t a problem (it was booked for a function).
It’s a warmly lit place on the bridge end of King Street, right near the bridge. I’m greeted by Marc who has invited me there and we sit down and have a look at the menu whilst sipping some sparkling wine and carbon neutral sparkling mineral water from New Zealand. We ask for recommendations as it’s hard to narrow the choices down.
Bread with oven roasted head of garlic
We first start with the bread which is a welcome sight with a head of oven baked garlic sliced across to reveal softer than soft sweet garlic pearls which we spread on the bread and dip in the olive oil and balsamic.
Amuse bouche: honey roasted butternut pumpkin and carrot soup with chives and lemon myrtle oil
Our amuse bouche is a honey roasted butternut pumpkin and carrot soup with chives and a lemon myrtle oil. It’s nice and sweet with the pumpkin and chives being the strongest flavours but I think it might benefit from a smoother consistency as there are tiny pieces of carrot in it.
Brioche crumbed zucchini flowers stuffed with crab and leek with shellfish rouille $21.50
The brioche crumbed zucchini flowers are stuffed with sweet, aromatic crab meat and are a nice change from goat’s cheese field tempura ones that we often see. The Shellfish rouille is a scarlet shaded sauce and is very lightly spicy.
Pan Seared Queensland scallops with baby sprouts, broad beans and jus lardonaise $21.50
The fat, juicy Queensland Scallops are very good and not overcooked inside at all. The jus lardonnaise is a jus presumably flavoured with lardons (bacon).
180 day aged grain fed beef fillet with cheek ravioli, king mushroom and grenache sauce $34.90
Our mains arrive and the beef looks impressive with an eye fillet resting on a bed of mash. There are three pieces of sliced king mushroom and a fat perfect looking ravioli. The beef is delicious-not a hint of gristle it is soft and tender and cooked just as we ordered it. The ravioli is filled with sweet beef cheek and the red wine based grenache sauce is the ideal sauce for this (I just wish there was a touch more).
Crisp skinned confit duck leg, savoy cabbage, caramelised apples and chestnuts $34
The crisp skinned confit of duck leg is very soft and fork tender as it should be. I particularly like the accompaniment of the caramelised apples and sweet chestnuts (ok yes I ate more chestnuts than I should have). The braised savoy was also a nice accompaniment.
Palate cleanser: Champagne, grape and apple granita
At first spoonful one would think that this was a lemon sorbet but after a few mouthfuls Mr NQN thinks that he can taste some champagne.
Apple Tarte Fine with Gundowring Farm House Vanilla Bean ice cream and apple caramel $15.90
The apple tart, one of my favourite desserts is rather splendid indeed. With puffy layered buttery puff, sliced and prettily arranged apples and a scoop of rich vanilla bean ice cream I take my entitled half not giving up an inch.
Bleu de Laquelle (France), Tarago River Triple Creme served with grissini, grapes and lavosh $18
We choose two of the cheeses, the blue and the triple creme brie and they’re delicious with the warm, toasted fig bread, pear and grapes. It’s a lovely end and we leave well satisfied.
NQN and Mr NQN dined as guests of Bistro Lilly
Bistro Lilly
168 Kent Street, Sydney NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9252 1116
http://www.bistrolilly.com.au
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34 Comments | Add your own
awwww…the apple tart really does look heavenly! i love apple pies, apple tarts… and to add a buttery puff pastry to it~~ i wish i’m there in syd @ this very moment!
i’m not a steak lover but i really do love how the queensland scallops are looking! must have been succulent i’m sure
n that starter bread with oven roasted garlic head is such a creative idea!
love to look thru ur food posts and pictures. so mouthwatering!
P.S. thanks for visiting my blog n for commenting…i love cupcakes too!
have u tried Movida over here in Melb? u really shld if u havent alr. their chargrilled octopus with paprika potatoes n their steak tartare are absolute yumms! N its so so popular i couldnt even book a table for dinners (esp. weekends!). its always booked out way in advance
http://thesiujiat.blogspot.com/2009/11/at-hosier-lane-there-is-movida.html
I really liked Bistro Lilly; unpretentious, good quality food at a great price, especially their degustation. A little bit out of the way perhaps, but easy to find
They’ve changed chefs since my last visit, so I must endeavour to get back there, as the duck looks so good!
I very rarely order a beef option at a restaurant but I think Bistro Lilly could tempt me. It’s times like these that I think I wouldn’t mind having your job
I noticed this place a couple of times walking past, but now I
ve got a good incentive to try it…that crisp skin duck leg looks delicious…
Sounds like it was a lovely dinner! I wish I could dine there but alas I am in the USA.
Is is wrong, after seeing that fine tarte aux pommes, to want it right now for brunch??
That looks like a lovely place Lorraine. It’s now on my list!
The only way I’ll forgo butter with fresh bread is if the bread is served with roasted garlic…soooooo good! I love ending with a cheese plate too, sometimes it’s a nice change from dessert (I can’t believe I said that, chocolate-lover that I am!).
Everything looks delish!
As usual, your blog makes me hungry. Those scallops and the apple tart look particularly divine!
We went there for a degustation meal, and some dishes were hit and miss..but the dishes you had looked great…!
I walk past so often not knowing anything about this place. Thanks for going, I shall now add it to my list.
We had our wedding at bistro Lilly and it was truely senstaional.
We were served some of the same dishes that you had scallops,duck and beef. The staff are excellent ,friendly and courtesy. Your visted reminders me that i have return soon
Mmmm that garlic looks sooo tasty. The food does as well haha, I just love garlic.
I agree with Amy that usually I look for something more exciting than beef I guess, but that looks amazing, especially the beef cheek ravioli. I’m sad for you there wasn’t much sauce though! A culinary tragedy in my eyes
your photos are great, everything looks and sounds delicious especially the fillet and the apple tart…yum!
I could not pass up posting to your Blog. For one thing, you are a day ahead of us here in California and it is so interesting seeing and hearing about the food that you have when dining out. The food at this Bistro looks great and I just love your photographs of it and description of each item. It is like the food is sitting in front of me and I can taste it. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful meal in a such a far away Country.
Ooh the food looks so good – the crab filled zucchini flowers sounds like my kinda thing!
The apple tarte has my name on it! It looks so good! And the head of garlic served with the bread is so interesting, I’ve never seen that before!
The food looks great, wouldn’t mind trying the duck.
That beef cheeck ravioli looks like one of the most delicious things I have ever seen. I am going there as soon as I get a chance!
That steak looks godly! YUM. It would have been hard to choose between the steak and the duck for me.
garlic bread looks really good!! Wonder if it’s possible to make it like that at home.. hmmm..
The brioche crumbed zucchini looks delicious. This is certainly the first time I have seen it done in this way.
I am eyeing that beef cheek ravioli! It looks decent sized hee hee just hoping it’s not an optical illusion
How awesome that you ended up going there after all! And as guests of Bistro Lilly no less!!
alll sound delicious!!!! yummmmmmmm!!
Yum! Have you reviewed any restaurants in Brisbane?
Hi mica-me too! yes butter and apples are a wonderful combo aren’t they!
I know I want to steal that for a dinner party idea 
Thankyou so much! 
I haven’t! I haven’t been to Melbourne for ages but I hear that that’s the place to go 
Hi joey-yes agreed and their prices are fantastic for the quality of the food
Ahh really sounds like a second visit is in order 
Hi Amy-hehe I’m the opposite, I usually order it
Haha!
hi Howard-Absolutely!Mmm loved that!
Hi Julia-Ahh yes you’d definitely have to come and visit us in Australia!
Hi ms délicieuse-Absolutely not!
Hi KT-Fabulous! I’d love to know what you think of it!
Hi Faith-Haha yes true! I know, it makes for a nice change doesn’t it!
Hi MrsDesperate-Aww sorry about that!
Hi food.4.two-Oh really? What a shame! Was it before the chef change?
Hi Reemski-Cool! PLMK what you think of it (I’m sure I’ll read about it
)
Hi Billy-Oh fabulous! Ahh a good place for an anniversary dinner!
Hi Alex-Yes it was so sweet and good
I wanted a whole plate of those ravioli 
Yes I do love my sauces!
Hi Olive-Thankyou so much! Mmm yes they were great!
Hi Darlene-thankyou very much!
Aww that is such a lovely thing for you to say and what I aim to do! 
Hi Forager-I know huh! how good is crab!?
Hi Betty-Haha cool!
Yes I’m going to do that more now methinks for dinner parties 
Hi Angela-Oh yes the duck was great!
Hi Vita-yes even the sound of it is good!
Hi Esz-Haha at godly!
I say bring along someone else and have both 
Hi YW-It is absolutely. Just cut off the top of a head of garlic and then roast until soft
Hi Katherine-Got to love anything that involves brioche huh!
Hi FFichiban-haha of course! Nope they were decent sized servings
Hi mardi-I know, it was great that we went there after all!
Hi nora-it was great!
Hi Sarah-sadly not. I haven’t visited Brisbane since I started NQN.
Wow, these are pretty much all my favourite things! The roasted garlic, scallops, beef, duck, the tart, and blue cheese – yummmm!
i’ve never been served a head of roasted garlic but now i shan’t rest until i find a restaurant that does!
Oh my goodness, those scallops look AMAZING, as does everything else on this menu. Isn’t it nice to go somewhere where everything looks great!
Hi Zam-Hehe yes I was very happy with the menu choices too!
Hi grace-Oh yes-or you could do it yourself!
Hi gastronomygal-It is indeed! nothing worse than bad presentation is there (well ok bad tasting food and bad service
)
That all looks fantastic! And love the name,,my mums name is Lilly too. Great post,thanks.
I have dined at Bistro Lilly several times and has never disappointed. I suggest their degustation menu which is always fresh and of the highest standard. The quality, originality and value always seems to amaze. A definate must for fine diners!
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