My parents always taught me that when looking for good food from a particular country, ask the people native to the country. Better still, when you walk into the restaurant and it’s filled with these people, you know you’ve chosen the right place. When Mr NQN and I went to Myriam’s place for dinner we asked her, her fiance and her French friends where they thought had good French food in Sydney. The answer was unanimous: La Brasserie in Darlinghurst.
Down the William Street end of Crown Street which is more Woolloomooloo than Darlinghurst really, La Brasserie is a French style Bistro that has been open for 3 years. The bread is a great start, fresh and soft inside with a spiky crunch on the outside it’s paired with some delicious French butter. And French butter has got to be my weakness, how much do I love thee…
Entrecôte Steak $36
I order the Entrecôte which is one of my favourite dishes. Here it’s a 120 day aged & grain fed Rockdale scotch fillet (250g), sauce marchand de vins and a large expanse of French fries. The disc of foie gras melts on top of it and gives it a gorgeously rich flavour. The meat is fairly tender with a few gristly bits on one side but it’s a huge serve and I just cannot finish it. The fries are beautifully crisp and crunchy.
Steak Tartare $30
Benoit’s Steak Tartare is a pretty picture indeed-until of course you mix it around and it looks less appealing. So let me show you a “before” photograph. It’s raw ground Rockdale scotch fillet with cornichons, capers, raw egg, shallots, tomato fondue, aioli and a side plate of French fries. I try some of this as I am a big Steak Tartare fan if done well and this is very good despite Benoit’s warning that he has gone too heavy handed on the Tabasco.
Confit de Canard $31
I don’t try any of Camilla’s Confit de Canard which is a crisp Maryland duck confit with carrot cumin purée, orange glazed endive & sauce bigarade (orange sauce) but it does look rather good indeed.
Roquefort and pear salad
The Roquefort, iceberg and pear salad with large chunks of walnuts is delicious with just right amount of creamy Roquefort.
“Would you like to see the dessert menu?” we are asked and the answer is of course a yes, if only for a quick peek of course 
Fondant au Chocolat $14
Although I don’t usually have chocolate desserts after a large meal, I always tend to pick a fondant as I’ve never had success making them at home (they’re always over or undercooked). This dark chocolate fondant is served in a cup thus eliminating any turnout anxiety although there isn’t any of the gooey ooze. It is topped with coffee cream and accompanied with pistachio ice cream which is nice and crunchy from real toasted pistachios (not that bizarre pistachio paste that some places use that tastes like almond paste).
Vacherin aux Fraises $14
I didn’t try any of Benoit’s Vacherin aux fraises which was marinated strawberries, meringue, chantilly & honeycomb but it looked rather spectacular.
Compliments of the house was a lovely dessert wine which was eagerly sipped before I resignedly trudged back to the waiting, blinking cursor of my computer.
So tell me Dear Reader, are you a fan of raw dishes like steak tartare and sashimi?
La Brasserie
118 Crown Street, Darlinghurst, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9358 1222
http://www.labrasserie.com.au
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55 Comments | Add your own
Yes I am! I’ve always wanted to make steak tartare myself and I LOVE LOVE LOVE sashimi!! That chocolate fondant looks amazingly delicious…
I had some lovely sashimi for lunch! Yummm…
This is proof that one should always order dessert. They look amazing! As does the whole meal.
Love love love raw dishes like tartare and sashimi! I know many friends who are not keen on trying them when they know they are raw but I have been known to ‘trick’ some of them into eating raw food on occasion and they ended up loving it too!
I’ve put this place on my ‘must visit next time I’m in Sydney’ list. The food (and photography) looks delicious!
Oh I will have to remember this place for sure! The best French I have ever had (apart from when in France) was at Le Gobelet in Leura, Blue Mountains. It was such a wonderful dining experience!!
Oh wow, we were contemplating coming here on the hunt for French food but never made it. All the food looks really good, might have to nudge the mister a bit now.
Never been a fan of raw food but can handle sashimi and now steak tartare too.
Sashimi, yes, steak tartare, less so. I think I have too much paranoia about the raw egg/raw beef thing. Thanks for the pointer – who needs the Good Food Guide when we have you?
I LOVE sushimi! I’ve never tried steak tartare, but I will do next time I see it on the menu. Thanks for the lovely blog!
sashimi yes …. raw raw meat no way
Everything looks delicious. I look forward to visiting this establishment.
Is it odd that the French bread is what I am drooling after? Although the duck also looks wonderful!
I just can’t manage the raw dishes – something about the texture does me in, I am an ex-vegetarian after all
I adore steak tartare and surprisingly the best I’ve ever had was in a hotel dining room in Munich. Brought the trolley to the table and made it next to me. It even got those at my table who’d originally said ‘no way’ to taste and then become fans.
I am so going here. It looks awesome.
I have never had tartare but would love to try it. Sashimi, I could eat all day every day.
Great post – I am hungry already and have just had breakfast!
x
Love the Christmas tree in the first pic.
The chocolate fondant looks amazing, especially paired with pistachio ice cream!
Love raw food. Can’t wait for my pregnancy to be over to tuck into some. Love french food so this place is definitely on my must visit list!
Give me a chocolate fondant and a glass of dessert wine, and I would be in heaven!
Even though I’m not huge on meat, I’ve wanted to try Steak Tartare for ages now. Love me some cornichons and capers, and tabasco makes (almost) everything better!
And sashimi is possibly one of my favourite things to order at restaurants
Raw meats don’t worry me at all, just chicken, fir obvious reasons. That fondant looks like pure indulgence! And is that a Christmas tree I can see in the first pic?
My what lovely looking food, and what generous serving sizes!
I need to learn my lesson. I must eat breakfast before reading your blog!!
That steak of yours looks melty-in-the-mouthy
Your parents are wise. That’s what I do, too. Follow the natives and the crowd. Everything looks amazing, particularly that steak tartare!
Chocolate fondant covered with coffee cream? Oh my! That’s two of my favorite food groups in one little dish.
Although I like my steak quite rare, I can’t stomach the thought of the egg yolk in the steak tartare. Everything at Le Brasserie looked great thou.
French isn’t my favourite cuisine, but if it’s recommended as the best in Sydney by French people, I HAVE to try it! Maybe I’ll try my first steak tartare, always been too squeamish to try it but that one looks very edible.
French butter is a weakness of mine too!! There is nothing better with crusty, fresh bread.
The Fondant au Chocolat is to die for. I nearly drooled on my computer looking at the photo!
Sadly, I’ve never been a fan of raw meat, egg or seafood. (Don’t mind raw vegies though). And I have tried them, but I just can’t go there. The other meals look good though.
the fondant is beautifully plated, and those chips look sooo good…
I adore sashimi, steak tartare I have had only in very fine slithers not minced.(yuck)
We’ve been wanting to try a good French restaurant in Sydney for ages, shall definitely put La Brasserie on the list
Thanks NQN
Great post Lorraine, the fondant looked so good. I love and adore sashimi but have never tried steak tartare, I do eat my steak cooked rare or medium rare at most but I just baulk at raw egg and raw meat.
I ADORE raw foods such as tartare and sashimi <3 There is something simply divine about the taste and texture of properly prepared raw food.
The food looks great. I know someone who loves all things french,so I’ll be taking them here on their birthday.
That was a beautifully-plated entrecote; the perfectly round disc of foie gras made it look particularly whimsical.
Frankly, I wouldn’t be able to choose between the fondant and the vacherin: I want them both!
As for sashimi and steak tartare, I like them both. But my absolute favorite raw fish dish is an uni-don: a bowl half-filled with plain rice, half-filled with sushi rice, and topped with raw sea urchin. Just plain darned dreamy… *sigh*
What a beautiful meal! Desserts are so beautiful to look at too.
I love sashimi but am less brave to try steak tartare.
Have a great weekend, Lorraine.
SSG xxx
I feel like an uncultured moron but I prefer cooked and I also have a problem with offal. So shoot me. Still won’t stop me trying La Brasserie. Having a great time following your reviews. Archibald and Lunch, 1945, Love Grub all good fun and good food. Keep em coming.
the pear salad looks like a beautiful sculpture in a way.. steak tatare yum!!! the choc fondant is gorgeous!
Sashimi and steak tartare would be two of my favourite foods and are definitely high on the list when this baby arives! Food looks fabulous.
Those desserts look fab – I love the look of that duck too. French food is absolutely my favourite
As for raw food – well I’ve never had steak tartare, but I wouldn’t mind trying it. I do love sashimi too. As long as the quality is there then I can’t see a problem with it. My dad when he makes sausages from their very own cows, the mixture is so well spiced and fluffy that you could eat it raw – we usually taste it as is to make sure the flavours are right…sure you wouldn’t eat a plate of it but it doesn’t taste like you’re chewing the side of a cow!
This looks sumptuous! I love french food, and that pear and roqueford salad looks especially yummy (I love pear in savoury dishes – lately my favourite is pear and gorgonzolo or goats cheese pizza).
And I absolutely look to locals for the best places to eat while travelling (and also apply this theory to Chinatown restaurants).
Miss B xx
would i like to see the dessert menu? talk about your silly questions.
and wowza–that pear salad is a sight to behold!
The food looks delicious as always but my egg allergy would prevent me from eating both the tartare and the fondant! The fries look magnificent though! (And I say this after I’ve just helped finish a bowlful over farewell drinks at a pub!)
Always good to know a French restaurant in Sydney that can deliver. I’d love to try a steak tartare sometime, have always loved raw fish better than cooked!
Wow, nice presentations! The salad looks pretty amazing.
I’m drooling over your steak & fondant!
I haven’t tried steak tartare but not really sure it’s my thing… I do love sashimi though
Looks interesting. I’m always on the lookout for a French bistro with prices that are reasonable and this one has been on the radar for quite a while.
To answer the question, raw food, yes, absolutely. It is the ultimate expression of good ingredients. No fancy cooking to hide the flaws of the ingredient.
I can see why some people are a bit nervous with raw things (I’m including rare/medium-rare meat in this), but I think we’ve evolved far enough to realise that a decent restaurant isn’t going to try and give you food poisoning.
People always complain about oysters giving them food poisoning, but the facts just don’t back it up.
As long as you eat this food from a decent restaurant and don’t will yourself into sickness then I think there is a lot of joy to be had with things like steak tartare, sashimi and the rest of their raw family.
i could literally stare at the roquefort and pear salad for being artistic =P
I love steak tartar, carpaccio, and sashimi much to many of my friend’s chagrin. I really need to find myself some more adventurous friends.
I don’t know if I’ve ever been to a French Style Bistro.
Wow. I’m completely speechless by the looks of Entrecôte Steak. The smooth shiny sauce over the steak with the rough chips in the background. Smooth vs rough… opposites attract in spectacular ways. It’s a work of art.
La Brasserie is probably the most geniune French style bistro in Sydney.
Modern relaxed French touch without arrogance. Nice Parisian lounge bistro atmosphere.
The tartar is actually a must, reportedly appreciated by Tetsuya himself!
Philippe, Benoit and their team are passionate and very welcoming.
Lovely balanced wine list including a wide range selection of French affordable wines (quite uncommon to find Bergerac and Vallee du Rhone on a list here).
A great spot!
I use the same measure of a restaurant – particularly love walking into a chinese or Japanese restaurant and seeing it packed with Chinese or Japanese people – means you are onto a good thing for sure!
the gravy on the steak looks heavy to me !! but the vacherin light enough !!! à bientôt ! Pierre de Paris
great to see what La Brassiere has on the menu. it’s been on my French dining list for ages now but I haven’t had a chance to visit but hopefully soon. i’ve heard many good things about it and it’s been highly recommended to me. so far Tabou is my favourite but i’m suspecting La Brassiere will give it a run for it’s money
That’s how I pick good restaurants too, and I often hesitate to try cooking recipes from cuisines I’m unfamiliar with, not because I think I can’t but I want to taste what it should be ike before I mess with it.
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