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

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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

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