To kick things off, I would like share with you my thoughts on a little French Bistro in Fitzroy North called
Aux Battifolles - 400 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy North 9481 5015
This little restaurant holds a sentimental place in my heart as it is the venue where I celebrated my engagement with my nearest and dearest albeit under its former identity of Francos (but under the management of the current Chef Patron Stephane Pettier) Aux Battifolles is all about comfort food and classic Bistro dishes; think moules frites, escargots de bourgogne a l'ail, steak tartare and tarte tartin, you with me so far?
To complement its no nonsense approach to French Bistro Food, the dining room is a cosy space of exposed brick walls, timber floors, soft lighting and crisp white linen and butcher's paper. The menu is reasonably priced with entrees ranging around $12.00-20.00, main courses $22.00-$32.00 and desserts $9.00-$12.00
The only downside to this place is the service, which is inconsistent. At times the service is wonderful and at other times less so. We dined there last week and it was the little niggling things which irked me - why our table of three received less bread than the table of two next to us, why we weren't given the appropriate sized fork with which to eat our escargot - have you ever tried pulling out an snail from it's cosy little dish with a dinner fork? Does it really take 15 minutes to clear to the entree plates when there are only two other tables of diners? The waiter suggested a Kir Royale as an apertif but when the drink arrived there was no cassis. Surely that's just called champagne??? Our waitress for the evening was extremely friendly but her lack of knowledge in regards to the menu was frustrating - she described one of the specials as pan fried veal on a bed of pumpkin mash, when it actual fact the special was a Blanquette de Veau - a veal casserole with mushrooms and carrots with a side of truffled rice pilaf. It was a completely different dish and one that I would have ordered had I been given the correct description in the first place.
Yes, the service was not great last Saturday but Aux Battifolles is a lovely restaurant and one worth trying - I really just needed to vent my frustration! A little attention to detail is all that is needed...
I forgot to add that my husband ordered the Boeuf Bourgignon which was served with mash. The meat was tender and flavoursome and everything a Boeuf Bourgignon should be HOWEVER, the mash I am certain was DEB! In a french bistro, when you order a mash you expect a smooth, buttery, unctuous bowl of heaven. Save the lumpy, stodgy Deb for boarding school.
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