PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIABefore Australian food was Mediterraneanised, Asianised, fusionised and franchised, the food of France was king. Returning to it today is like returning to mother’s milk. Or, at least, returning to those smells and flavours that first took Australia beyond our mothers’ and grandmothers’ meat and three veg. But retro is fashionably back and the food here is proof, if proof were needed, that good food is always good food whether it’s in fashion or out.
The Jean-Pascal Patisserie Cafe is a little bit of provincial France on Hobart’s eastern shore. As the sun goes down, the breads, pastries and pates disappear and in comes a new kitchen brigade under owner/chef Lisa Lepretre. Out come crisp white table covers, the lights are turned down, and voila - Les Trois Etoiles four nights a week from Wednesday to Saturday. Snails in garlic butter, chicken terrine, smoked salmon and cucumber timbale, pommes boulangere, coq au vin and sour cherry sauces, glazed parsnips and red wine shallots - it’s great. From a select French list, you can crack a bottle of Princess Mary’s father-in-law’s wine from his vineyard in Cahors in southern France. Or if that doesn’t appeal, bring your own.
Graeme Phillips, December 2006