02 August 2011

L'étoile Restaurant & Bar: French bistro, Paddington (1 Dec 2010)

211 Glenmore Road, Paddington NSW 2021
Phone: (02) 9332 1577
http://www.letoilerestaurant.com.au


Missing Manu in the kitchen

I think you’d be hard pressed to find Chef Manu Feildel in the kitchen these days since he’s a bit of a celebrity chef but I guess that goes for most chefs who might be too busy with reality tv shows or even book publishing deals for that matter. I had high expectations for L'étoile Restaurant & Bar with a menu that reads with classic French dishes combined with nice ambience and décor. In most part it was a very pleasant experience except for perhaps some inattentive service due to only two waiters struggling a bit to serve the whole restaurant — but they were thankfully friendly. Starting on a French note the NV Baumard Crémant de Loire France ($13) and Class Act ($17) cocktail of Framboise liqueur, Cassis liqueur and Sparkling wine were good. The truffle taste in the New season baby leeks with a truffle dressing ($20) was perhaps very subtle although I actually still struggle to really know and appreciate what truffle is supposed to taste like. The Salad of duck confit with kipfler potatoes and hazelnut dressing ($22) was probably not usually the way I’d prefer to have duck confit and I was a bit unsure if the dish worked.

The Butcher's steak, confit shallot, fondant potato and jus ($35) was tender and flavoursome although the Slow-cooked lamb rump, smoked potato purée and confit cherry tomatoes ($35) was the favourite of the night and possibly one of their signature dishes perhaps. For afters a glass of Chambers Muscat port ($8) looked ridiculously small in the large glass. The Lemon granita palate cleansers were nice to have before the Poached pear, creme Chantilly, chocolate sorbet, flaked almonds ($15) and Crème brûlée with almond biscuit ($15) served in a flat dish with noticeable vanilla bean. I wouldn't mind revisiting one day to try some of the other dishes.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:
PROS: Nice dishes, Good wine, Friendly service, Nice ambience, Seemed quite French
CONS: Limited street parking, Was a bit hard to get service attention of the night, 10% surcharge on Sundays
WORTH TRYING: Butcher’s steak, Slow-cooked lamb rump

Bread ($4)

New season baby leeks with a truffle dressing ($20)

Salad of duck confit with kipfler potatoes and hazelnut dressing ($22)

Butcher's steak, confit shallot, fondant potato and jus ($35)

Slow-cooked lamb rump, smoked potato purée and confit cherry tomatoes ($35)

Lemon granita palate cleanser

Poached pear, creme Chantilly, chocolate sorbet, flaked almonds ($15)


Vanilla crème brûlée with almond biscuit ($15)

Petit fours: chocolate coated almond slivers

NV Baumard Crémant de Loire France ($13)

Class Act-Framboise liqueur, Cassis liqueur, Sparkling wine ($17)

2008 Penley Estate 'Phoenix' Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra SA ($10/glass), 2007 Mon-Redon Cotes-du-Rhone Grenache Cinsault Shiraz France ($10/glass)

Chambers Muscat port ($8)

Cappuccino ($3.50)

Menu cover

8 comments:

chopinandmysaucepan said...

I'm curious about the cut of meat for the butcher's steak. It looks pretty well cooked outside, succulent and juicy inside.

Michelle Chin said...

Wow, there's still such thing as a surcharge on weekends?

Shanks said...

They sure like to confit here. It may only be visual, but the Muscat does look like you're not getting your moneys worth.

joey@forkingaroundsydney said...

Mmmm, the lamb rump looks really delish. A 10% surcharge on Sundays? That's the first time I've heard of that, but then I don't eat out much on Sunday evenings.

Martyna @ WholesomeCook said...

We had a Sunday lunch there a few months ago and although the restuarant was a little quiet, the service seemed a little slow and indeed, unattentive - it may be a French thing?

We sat outside and while the food was very nice, I don't think the unkept garden floor with cigarette butts and chewing gum + bamboo everywhere matched the whole French Bistro feel they were going for.

So I'm mixed.

Scott said...

@ Michelle re surcharge.
I was also surprised to see this, considering that the ACCC is fining restaurants for this practice.

All they need to do is have a separate menu for the weekends with slightly higher prices & that gets around the whole legality.

Madam Wu said...

Good photos but the food actually looks horrible. It's all heavy meat with heavy sauces and heavy vegetables. With a price tag of $35 for mains, bread should be complimentary and not $4. The only thing that appeals to me is the poached pear. He needs to stop DWTS and get back in the kitchen.

Antony said...

I tried the papillote there which is essentially white fish with foie gras, spices and sauce, and it was actually quite good.

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