La Grande Bouffe

Named for Marco Ferreri’s 1973 comic-operatic filmic ode to gastronomic overindulgence, Sydney’s La Grande Bouffe is a stylish French restaurant that certainly tempts diners towards death-by-eating, but thankfully finds that most guests prefer repeat reservations over culinary suicide. La Grande Bouffe is the passion project of David and Meredith Poirier, whose efforts to bring a bit of France to Rozelle have paid off handsomely, with their opulently appointed little restaurant serving some of Sydney’s finest French from its premises on the corner of Darling Street and Denison. Leaning towards a bistro during the day, La Grande Bouffe offers breakfast and lunch; come evening, diners can enjoy superb a la carte, degustation, and prix fixe dinners.

Take a look at La Grand Bouffe’s four-course, wine-paired Valentine’s degustation menu!

One can remain Frenchified in Rozelle all day long thanks to La Grande Bouffe, beginning early with a simple croissant or pain au chocolat with your macchiato, or with a proper refuelling with the chef’s breakfast tartine, a croque monsieur or madame, or the truly grande big brekky of pork fennel sausage, bacon, mushroom, roasted tomato, pomme rosti and eggs the way you like them. Perfect omelettes are available all day along this southern stretch of Darling Street, and by the time lunch rolls around La Grande Bouche is busy with Sydney’s noontide famished, seeking out signatures like La Grande Bouffe’s gourmet sandwiches (confit duck with cornichons, red onion and balsamic compote, anyone?), poisson du jour, French-style pork belly or gnocchi a l Parisienne.

Dinner is where La Grande Bouffe really flexes its French cuisine accredited muscles, with a regular a la carte offering alongside a great value prix fixe menu offering three courses from Tuesday to Saturday nights. The bigger brother of this option is the full-on degustation menu, matched with wines chosen from this fine French restaurant’s amply stocked cellars if you wish. Amuse bouches to begin, followed by Sydney rock oysters with Champagne and tarragon mignonette; lillet and beetroot cured salmon; pan-fried scallops; authentic French trou normand to prepare you for the next round... The journey offered here takes diners far from Rozelle and Darling Street, encouraging intimacy with a number of classic and reinterpreted examples of French cuisine. Booking La Grand Bouffe in part or in whole is great for those looking for private dining in a chic but down to earth French eatery, but even casual diners are advised to beware La Grande Bouffe’s tendency to be incredibly popular at peak times.