Featuring: Buena Hotel, Bistro Mosman, Civico 47…

The Buena Hotel in Mosman has been an institution for decades. In late 2016, the Public House Management Group (PHMG) bought the much-loved pub and teamed with celebrity chef Guillaume Brahimi to open a North Shore outpost of Bistro Moncur, the Woollahra stalwart. Following a six-month, $8 million refurb by SJB Interiors and Tess Regan Designs, the new premises emerged as a chic vision of marble, pressed leather and wood panelling.
In 2018, Tilley and Wills Hotels took over the management of the property and re-christened the restaurant as Bistro Mosman. Operations Manager and former Head Chef, Jon Trouillet, still guides the French bistro-style menu highlighting the finest Australian produce. The restaurant was packed on the Wednesday night we dropped by and the first impression is of sophisticated refinement overlaid with relaxed glamour.
French cuisine is currently undergoing a strong revival in Sydney with new openings such as Bouillon L’Entrecote and Whalebridge in the CBD. Bistro Mosman is right up there with the best in presenting French classics with a contemporary twist. Arrive early and have a pre-meal drink in the Gin and Whiskey Bar, which offers a top-notch selection of boutique gins from around the world.
We perused the seven listings on the entree menu and it was tough to decide on only two. The chicken liver pate, caramelised onion jam and brioche is a crowd favourite, as is the French onion souffle gratin. But we plumped for the pan-fried scallops, tarragon sauce, diced vegetables and brioche croutons and the roasted heirloom beetroot, celeriac puree, goats curd, hazelnut and parsnip puree salad. Both were the sort of dishes to keep regulars coming back for more. The scallops were fat and juicy and played off the tarragon sauce and the salad was a piquant contrast of textures, flavours and colours.
A famous Michelin-starred French chef once told me that the true test of a chef is an omelette because you can’t disguise flavour and texture faults with sauces and other ingredients. So, I ordered the crab and corn omelette, beurre noisette and mixed leaves to test the theory. Out came a perfect example of the art of cooking eggs to just the right level of creaminess offset by the tang of ocean-fresh seafood.
What could be more Gallic than rack of lamb, so our second main course choice was the French lamb rack, ratatouille, confit garlic and thyme jus. Another example of how to coax an exceptional result from top quality meat and vegetables.
An all-male table next to us were satisfying their carnivore cravings with Le Filet de Boeuf – a 180g slice of prime beef fillet, fries and Bearnaise sauce. Fish lovers have the choice of slow-cooked ocean trout, fennel, blood orange and beurre blanc or pan-fried barramundi, mushy peas, sunflower seeds and caper butter.
The dessert menu also has a strong whiff of nostalgia and that’s a good thing when you are looking for a simply sensational creme caramel or chocolate mousse. As we had by-passed the much-vaunted French onion souffle, we opted for the passionfruit souffle, creme anglaise and passionfruit sorbet. The waitress cut a cross in the top and spooned in the creme anglaise for a sweet treat with few equals.
The Buena does a brisk business in cocktails – signature and classic, craft beers and whiskies. The wine list is very international and includes premium wines by the glass courtesy of Coravin such as 2017 Rockford “Rifle Range” Cabernet Sauvignon and 2016 Chanson Les Preuses Chablis Grand Cru. Mosman is one of Sydney’s wealthiest suburbs and its shows in the lengthy wine list filled with top bottlings from Australia, New Zealand, France and Italy.
Bistro Mosman, 76 Middle Head Road, Mosman. Phone (02) 9969 7022.

Franca Brasserie entered Sydney’s dining scene with a bang and has held its star status ever since. The Potts Point gem opened a sibling in April called Parlar. Catalan – not French – is the dominant culinary theme for yet another compelling fine diner.
The first thing you notice at the Macleay Street venue are the eye-catching tapestries based on the works of American sculptor, Alexander Calder, and the lavish use of European oak and orange.
Tapas are the drawcard, starting with the Gilda Toast, a jump-in-the-mouth treat of anchovy, fresh bread, mayonnaise, olive brine and guindilla peppers hailing from San Sebastian. The pan tomate (tomato bread) is another upmarket take on a simple offering found in many Barcelona bars. Instead of bread brushed with tomato, at Parlar yellow and red tomatoes are layered like a parquet floor to resemble an edible artwork.
The $240 seafood platter for two is like a still life painting – thick with lobster, crab and king prawns. Owner Andrew Becher and chef Jose Saulog have created a glamorous space for winelovers and those keen to experience some of the best Spanish-inspired food in town. Buzzy from the first day and an exciting addition to the Potts Point dining scene.
Parlar, Shop 1/ 81 Macleay Street, Potts Point. Phone (02) 9184 7744.
Lucio’s was Paddington’s major destination restaurant for close to 40 years. Filling a picturesque corner terrace, the restaurant delighted patrons with its 200-strong art collection centred on works from leading Australian artists such as John Olsen, Sidney Nolan and Luke Sciberras, in addition to its food.
Lucio’s closed in 2020 and a new Italian restaurant has stepped into its legendary shoes. Dubbed Civico 47 – the Italian rendition of the street number – the ranges are helmed by chef Matteo Zamboni. The veteran of Pilu at Freshwater, Ormeggio at the Spit and Michelin-starred Ristorante Cracco in Milan leans heavily on his regional Italian heritage with other areas represented in the mix.
The building is leased by mining magnates, Brendan and Leigh McPherson, following their former venture into the restaurant business with the now-defunct Regatta at Rose Bay. The paintings may be gone but the dining room at Civico 47 has been gussied up in stylish Mediterranean colours.
The vibe is casual with an upscale overlay, but the food semaphores Zamboni’s fine dining training. Starters range from kingfish crudo, colatura de alici, chilli, radish and grape to baby octopus, pickled onion, sultana and Taggiasche olives. Mains include wild-caught fish fillet, capers and cabbage and lamb rump, leek, linseed and desert limes. Finish with an Affogato or chocolate & coffee budino with orange caramel if you can squeeze more in. The wine list has a strong Italian focus and the service is impeccable. Not to be missed.
Civico 47, 47 Windsor Street, Paddington. Phone (02) 9189 3060.