Bistro St Jacques - Redfern

Ordered the Signature breakfast dishes. The Burger was the better one but both of them were absolutely delicious. Its so damn close to my house, I'm going to be a regular here for sure!

A sweet little bistro style restaurant located just a short walk away from Redfern Station.<br/ <br/ We were greeted warmly at the door and seated at the table. Service was extremely hospitable and put you at ease. The restaurant had a lovely ambience and you could imagine you were eating in a bistro in Europe.<br/ <br/ They had a France vs Italy 4 course menu that looked interesting however didn 't want to eat too much for lunch. The menu on offer last for 2 weeks as it keeps changing according to what fresh produce is on offer. I had the Mushroom, Porcini, Parmesan Truffle Oil Arancini to start off with. This was recommended by the waitress as I was tossing up between this or the Duck Rillettes. It was a good choice as the truffle oil wasn 't too overpowering as personally don 't like it that much (prefer the real truffle of course). It was a risotto style ball so was very creamy inside and had a good mushroom flavour to it. For the main it was the Cassoulet Toulousain (pork belly confit duck cooked with white beans, french comfort food). It truly was comforting! It had a nice flavour to it and was definite must have on a cold day. It also had pieces of sausage in there too. The 'Wilma ' (200g flattened rib eye, house cut fries cafe de paris butter) was a winner as the steak was tender, the butter went well with it and the fries were nice and crispy.

Wow what a pleasant surprise! Tucked away in the quiet residential end of Pitt St is this amazing diner. French inspired menu with a wine list to rival most five star eateries, a cosy atmosphere, and impeccable service. Our meals were delightful my bouillabaisse full of mussels, plump scallops and fish. My friend's steak was cooked to perfection. When it came to dessert we decided on a cheese platter and to our amazement were asked what style of cheese did we like. A few suggestions were proffered from the maitre d'  and what arrived was a cheese platter customised for us to try. Some new and very interesting varieties.  Overall a great experience we'll definitely be back again. Pitt St Diner is a real find.

Didn't expect much from this little bistro off the main street in Redfern. But I was taken on a gastronomic journey from the charcuterie, as my entree. I had the steak: it looked simple, resting on a bed of mashed potato. But you could taste the journey of the meat becoming a profound culinary experience. I highly recommend it; as well as the chacuterie. The brownie as a dessert was a delightful way to end the evening. A note has to be dropped about the atmosphere. The waiters were very friendly, helpful and attentive. They were really available without being overbearing. And I liked that it seemed like they know the residences of the neighbourhood, and that they have many customers that they know well. So it felt like an authentic French bistro.

“We needed a name that better said what we are,” owner Gary Prebble explained when I finally worked out Bistro St. Jacques was Pitt St. Diner rebadged. With gold lettering on pink, blue and white French doors, done in an appropriate French bistro font, backed by dainty black chiffon curtains, it’s an eye-catching shop front. On display outside, the classic French bistro menu very nearly unseated my desire to visit Juan Bowl Tea next door and was enough to lure me back on a second visit to Redfern the very next week. When we arrive for our booking, every table is full, and the restaurant buzzes with a convivial hum. Edison bulbs held captive inside black mesh pendant light shades exude a warm orange glow that illuminated the pretty pressed tin ceiling. From the outset it’s clear this restaurant is serious about wine, with bottle racks on the wall of the long galley-like dining room, and in the intimate private dining room, which looks like a scene from The Cook, the Thief, His Wife Her Lover (1989). The extensive wine list offers up...