A La Fason De Shimizu

LOCATION
Located in the main street of Crows Nest, on the lower north shore.

PROFILED BY DEGROOTS MEDIA
On the former site of long-standing eatery Chez Rene, A La Fason De Shimizu remains a haven of quirky retro Frenchness, with its hanging copper pots and Art Nouveau prints. A peek in the kitchen, however, reveals some rather significant changes. A bevy of Japanese chefs (lead by Hideto Shimizu) now rattle the pans, serving up what is essentially rustic European fare – with a splash of soy sauce and the fiery hint of wasabi.

It’s the consomme jelly that makes the snapper entree a carpaccio rather than sashimi. And while the prawn and water chestnut wontons sound decidedly oriental, a taste reveals the flavour of fresh basil and semi-dried tomato. Mains range from pretty traditional bistro fare to dishes featuring more curious combinations (think Tonkatsu-style Bangalow pork with curry sauce and kiwi fruit). Of particular note is the ragout of beef cheek, marinated in red wine and superbly tender after the three day stewing process. There’s also a rack of lamb, encrusted with herbs and almonds and served with miso sauce, and acqua pazza, an Italian-influenced seafood broth of snapper, mussels, vongole, cherry tomato and olives. As a nice touch, every meal is served with buckwheat noodle salad and vegetables. The atmosphere is cosy and the service is polite and discrete. And, it’s BYO with not a sneaky corkage fee in sight.

Fiona Davies