Frenchies Bistro & Brewery has opened its doors in Sydney’s Rosebery, bringing Parisian ‘bistronomy’ to the suburbs of Sydney.
Chef Thomas Cauquil and brewer Vincent de Soyres met in a Paris hospitality school in 2005, and wanted to adapt their bistronomy approach to the Australian taste and terroir. After developing their venue concept for more than seven years, they finally took the plunge with Frenchies.
“We decided to bring together our skills and interests into one concept that resembles us — a convivial place where you can find good beer and good food to enjoy with friends,” says Cauquil.
Equal parts bistro and brewery, Frenchies combines Cauquil’s experience at Michelin-starred El Chaflan in Madrid and Le Violon d’Ingres in Paris – as well as Sydney venues Moxhe, Harry’s and Flat Rock Brew Cafe – with Vince’s award-winning brewing expertise (awards include 2016 Sydney Royal Beer Show: Silver – Red Biere de Garde Astrolabe, Frenchies).
Cauquil is focused on delivering seasonal cuisine at an affordable price. The bistro menu will change daily with dishes reflective of available produce.
Entrées will range from $15-$20 and mains $20-$30 with dishes including bone marrow and beef stew, Lyon sausage poached and cooked in brioche, truffle egg brouillade and veal tongue carpaccio.
More substantial offerings include Tuscan cabbage stuffed with confit duck leg, pine nuts and vinaigrette, roasted lamb saddle wrapped in herbs with greens and jus and Balmain bug in puff pastry.
Desserts will be about $15 each and feature orange blossom panna cotta and caramelised brioche with mandarin sorbet.
The bar menu is available in the brewery and designed to pair with Frenchies’ beers. A selection of charcuterie, smoked fish and cheese boards as well as house-made pâté en croûte, smoked cod rillettes and terrines are available. Shared plates include crispy pig trotters on toast, octopus marinated in paprika, pine nuts and chervil and eggplant, chickpeas, confit tomatoes and tuna terrine.
In the coming weeks, Sunday brunch will launch. Steering away from the standard breakfast selection, Frenchies will be preparing an epic spread of charcuterie, cheese, tarts and pastries served on their six-metre French oak table.
With two brewing tanks and five vats constantly churning out a selection of craft beers, Frenchies will have eight beers on tap ranging from a German-style easy-drinking blonde Kolsch to an Old World India pale ale made with new European hops. Rye the Red Dog will also be on offer.
There will also be seasonal beer blends, kicking off with Laperouse, named after the French sailor who travelled from Kamchatka, Russia to Australia; a route the Frenchies were also inspired to follow.
In addition to craft beer, there will be a selection of Australian and premium French wines as well as a couple of rare cognacs including Lheraud Cognac 1971 Grande Champagne and a limited-edition 1904 vintage of which there’s only a handful of bottles remaining in the world.
Image credit: Alana Dimou