LOCATIONSel de la Terre is located in the inner city district of South Yarra.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAAnthony Siketa is the owner-chef of this smart little French restaurant on a busy stretch of Toorak Road. It’s a small place, long and narrow, with a few tables at the window and another dining area beyond the kitchen. There’s also a covered courtyard at the back. It’s full of nice details: white walls hung with interesting artwork, tiled floors, tables set with double white cloths, comfortable chairs. There are lots of French accents, but nothing too obvious, and nothing cliched.
And now to the problem of what to eat. You could have the standards, starting with oysters and proceeding to steak with frites – nothing wrong with that, they’d be good. But you’d miss out on some of the more innovative dishes, such as a salad of confit duck and bacon, or an exciting crab meat salad. We loved a main course of poached lamb – yes, poached – with peas and a potato puree. The meat was pink and tender, very lean, and still juicy. Portions are big enough, but not huge. The cooking relies on classic techniques and modern approaches to ingredients (judicious use of spices, modest use of butter, delicious vegetable creams). It’s worth thinking about the four-course degustation menu, invented on the night and taking into account your own preferences and allergies. If possible, have the passionfruit souffle for dessert – we’re still dreaming about it. The wine list includes a selection of well-chosen French wines, and a good range by the glass. Lunch offers the option of $30 for two courses, or $40 for three, including a glass of wine.
Rita Erlich, February 2008
DETAILSSince opening the doors in October 2003, Sel de la Terre has received rave reviews from critics and customers alike and has been awarded a coveted Chef's Hat in the "2005 The Age Good Food Guide". Chef/Owner Anthony Siketa utilises his extensive classical French cooking techniques to create his modern dishes full of flavour.
Note: BYO Tuesday and Wednesday nights onlyFUNCTIONSCanapes and cocktails, seated meals of two, three or more courses for lunch or dinner, wine clubs, corporate lunches, birthdays, anniversaries, baptisms are catered for at Sel de La Terre.
With over 12 years in the restaurant industry Chef and Owner Anthony Siketa provides tailor made menus to suit any function type and dietary requirement. Together with his partner, Jen Sanders, and staff they are passionate about making your function successful.
Outdoor dining is available all year round in the heated courtyard with fairy lights and a water feature adding warmth and character to the room for both lunch and dinner. The courtyard can seat 30 people for a sit down meal or 50 for a standing function.
The intimate dining room with cosy ambience is also available for more formal occasions. It can seat 30 people for a seated meal or 50 for a standing function. The two rooms can be combined to for up to 60 people for a seated function or for an event with both drinks and a meal.
If you would like to celebrate, Anthony and Jen are happy to help you do it the way you want to. Email or call with your function details to see how they can work together to make your function a reality.