This weekend there have been a few visitors in town from Sydney and so I have eaten out with them at some new restaurants.
On Friday night I went to Captains of Industry in Somerset Place in the city. This is an office/workroom above shops in Elizabeth Street and comprises a shoemaker’s workroom by day and a ‘restaurant’/jazz bar by night.
It was totally ‘Maynard G Krebbs’. There was some nibbles available, a charcuterie platter, some ‘bitter salad’ and desert. Wine, of course, was available. The staff were über friends and it was a very groovy atmosphere. The food wasn’t unduly filling but the music was great and well worth a return. Next time I will try to be a bit more hip.
On Saturday evening I found myself at France-Soir in Toorak Road, South Yarra. I eat out in this part of Toorak Road quite often but I have never been to this restaurant before (probably because French cooking is so 1960s). However it was extremely popular with people queuing for a table even after 9.30pm. Fortunately our booking was for 7.15pm (so Nanna, ne c’est-pas?). That suited me as I have an early start on Sunday. And the place was nearly full then. Several tables turned over during the course of the meal and there were constantly people waiting for a vacancy. I was surprised that it had not come to my attention earlier.
It had quite traditional French fare (there were escargot and brains on the menu) so I’m somewhat surprised that that it was so popular, though there are so few French restaurants about these days I guess the good ones do well. The wine list was the size of a phone book (I left this to someone in the know).
Father M 