Felix

Restaurant Review by Franz Scheurer

Felix is my kind of restaurant; fabulous design, friendly staff, great food and an ‘off the wall’ wine list. It’s the sort of place that cooks food chefs want to eat; unpretentious but superbly executed bistro-classics with a typical ‘Lauren Murdoch’ spin.

First impressions are important and it would be almost impossible not to be impressed by the uncannily comfortable Michael McCann design. He’s a genius and he’s nailed it with Felix. Gorgeous wooden ceilings, white tiles to break up all the wood, concertina doors with large glass areas, intimate table settings and a Michael McCann trade mark: superb lighting. He’s taken all the attributes of a European bistro and lightened it up, dragging the classic into the 21^st Century.

The bar next door continues the design and is the perfect spot for a pastis and perusing the daily papers.

The staff is composed of mostly well-known faces with an assured professionalism and just the right amount of friendly banter. Bread keeps coming (as it should in a bistro) and the wine service is excellent. The wine list is typical for Franck Moreau; lots of good wine by the glass, excellent specials and a depth that delights.

The food (and that’s the reason I return to Felix) is wonderful. Over the frantic opening period, coinciding with Christmas, the kitchen brigade must have had a hard time building a team, but by now, I’m glad to notice, they have succeeded. We ate there at lunch and we ate there at dinner and I loved it both times.

Start with a selection of the daily oysters while you’re making up your mind what to eat. It’s a great way to start the meal. Maybe a glass of Ruinart won’t go astray, either. We try the ‘Pearl Barley Soup with Chicken, Peas and Lemon’ ($16), the ‘Crumbed Lamb Brains’ ($18) served with ravigotte sauce steamed daikon, a superb mix-it-yourself ‘Steak Tartare’ ($24) and the ‘Tripes à-la Lyonnaise’ ($24). The soup is absolutely gorgeous and the brains touted as Lauren’s best dish. I disagree only after also eating the tripes, which are so good I could eat them for entrée, mains and dessert. The tartare is a classic and is presented like a classic, although I would like to see a small shot of Cognac served with the ingredients. The ‘Gruyère Soufflé’ ($22) is a classic double-baked soufflé, perfectly executed. A ‘Smoked Trout, Witlof, Caper Berries, Sieved Egg and Horseradish Cream’ ($20) salad hits the spot and the ‘Reuben Sandwich with Dill Pickle’ ($18) is big enough to fill up my son and spicy enough to satisfy me. There are few species of fish that can tempt me to order them, but the ‘Skate, Brown Butter, Capers and Caramelised Witlof’ ($28) is every bit as good as it looks and I just love Skate, an under-used species that has a definite place on a restaurant menu. A grilled ‘Pork Cutlet, Braised Red Cabbage, Apple and Mustard Butter’ ($32) wakes up my Germanic heritage and I just love the ‘Lamb Pie, Sautéed Mushrooms and Tarragon Jus’ (32). A side order of ‘Hand-Cut Fries’ ($10) turns out to be lovely, thin and crunchy chips and the ‘Green Beans with Parsley Butter’ proves that Lauren Murdoch can cook beans!

Desserts have always taken up a special place in Lauren Murdoch’s repertoire and the ‘Banana Soufflé with Passionfruit Ice Cream’ ($20) and the ‘Lemon Delicious Pudding’ ($16) served with cream and candied lemon, prove that point. An ‘Apple Tart Tatin with Vanilla Ice Cream’ ($16) is the only letdown as it is an assembly job rather than a true tart tatin. The caramelised flavours are missing and the pastry is barely cooked. The ‘Vanilla Yoghurt Hearts with Peach, Pomegranate, Raspberry and Mint’ ($16) makes up for this though, with its gentle, subtle and superb flavours.

The food is what makes Felix stand out like a beacon in a rainstorm. It’s a superb addition to the Sydney dining scene and a restaurant you should visit and re-visit.

Score: 8/10

For more information and bookings:

Felix Bistro & Bar

Ash Street

Sydney NSW 2000

Tel.: 02 9240 3000