Sauteed scallops, cauliflower puree, king brown mushrooms, beurre noisette and chicken jus ($38)
Whether you’re a Northern Beaches local or Elanora Heights feels closer to Queensland than home, get in the car because this French restaurant is très mèmorable.
Frenchies Brasserie is full of surprises. Tucked into a humble suburban shopping strip in the Northern Beaches suburb of Elanora Heights – 30 minutes from Palm Beach – you’ll find an authentic French dining experience that transports you straight to the streets of the 11th Arrondissement.
The menu stars Parisian classics like steak frites, duck liver parfait and a gloriously decadent twice-baked Gruyère soufflé. And the bread is like a cloud, as good as anything you’d find in a Parisian boulangerie.
As for the decor, the not-small restaurant is decked out with your typical French cafe chairs and dark wood. Yet at Frenchies, the starched white tablecloths synonymous with French dining are replaced with butcher’s paper, chandeliers and black subway tiles. And the ambiance is way more chic and relaxed than one might expect in a French restaurant.
Image credit: Frenchies Brasserie
A talented team
Perhaps the surprises are unwarranted, because the kitchen is manned by very capable hands.
The dinner-only Frenchies Brasserie has been turning heads since February 2018, when head chef Fabian Oliveau created a menu that was all about bringing a sophisticated edge to traditional French cuisine.
Growing up in Normandy, France, Oliveau has worked alongside some of the world’s top chefs, including France’s ‘Chef of the Century’ Joël Robuchon at his eponymous 3 Michelin-starred restaurant in Las Vegas.
Oliveau has now taken the reins at a newly-opened, sister Frenchies Brasserie in Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. This has made way for top Sydney chef Jeremy Pace to join the Elanora Heights team as head chef.
Pace’s CV is equally as impressive, having worked alongside some of Europe’s great chefs in France and Sydney’s Guillaume Brahimi at Bennelong, before donning the head chef apron at Bistro Guillaume – and now Frenchies.
Black Angus eye fillet (200 grams, marble score 2+), with french fries and Frenchies signature sauce ($39)
Bon appétit
There are actually so many things to like about Frenchies Brasserie, with every dish an experimentation of authentic French food using some of Australia’s best seasonal produce. The result is a treat, full of flavour and decadence.
And the Le Set Menu – three courses of entree, main and dessert – for $64pp is a steal.
The super cheesy, light and very French twice-baked souffle is a highlight, a feat of skill and it promises to haunt your dreams for days to come. The scallops and eye fillet so juicy, and even the fries deserve a mention, so crisp and French.
The wines are also of the highest quality. Thick as a hotel-drawer bible, the wine list is a mixture of French and Australian drops, curated by owner David Singer, who was a wine retailer in a previous life.
Warm baguette, with housemade whipped salted butter ($7)
Fourme D’Ambert twice-baked souffle, with Heidi gruyere ($20)
Saucisson board – selection of cured meats, cornichons and baguette ($20)
Cafe Gourmand – selection of petite desserts, with choice of coffee ($16)
Warm apple tatin, with white chocolate salted butterscotch ice cream ($15)
The final word
In the two years it’s been open, Frenchies Brasserie has certainly gathered a harem of fans and given new reason to visit this Northern Beaches suburb once best known for its golf course.
The drive won’t leave you disappointed.
Frenchies Brasserie | 54–56 Kalang Road, Elanora Heights, New South Wales
frenchiesbrasserie.com.au
I dined as a guest of Frenchies Brasserie. However, all comments and opinions are my own.