Ananas, The Rocks

A newish addition to The Rocks dining precinct is a shiny, upbeat French Mediterranean bistro restaurant with a glossy bar right next door to The Argyle. The fun decor pays homage to their delightfully fruity name Ananas (pineapple in French) which is reflected in the golden pineapples hanging from the ceiling and evokes images of the glitzy opulence of the French Riviera.

We start off in the bar area to wait for the rest of our party to show up and there’s a lot of reflective surfaces everywhere, as well as gorgeously dressed waitresses which adds to the glam vibe of the place. Their cocktail menu is impressive and we end up trying their signature Absolutely Ananas cocktail which was a tasty vodka based drink with a fresh slice of pineapple. My favourite was actually their delicious Lemonadier champagne cocktail with lemon grass root, pear puree and fruit, Grey Goose pear vodka and St Germain floral liqueur. It was very refreshing and fruity, a lovely balance between all the sweet elements and fizziness – a perfect girly drink.

Absolutely Ananas, $15 and Lemonadier, $16

Eventually we move through the bar towards the back of the restaurant which features their bistro dining area that looks a bit more Parisian with red hued lighting and plush booths. I skip an entrée and opt to go straight for a main – their Veal Bolognaise with Paris style gnocchi which was a rather small serving considering the price paid. Fortunately it was quite hearty due to the meaty tomato sauce and the pillowy parcels of gnocchi, although the veal was a bit tougher than I liked.

Veal Bolognaise with Paris Style Gnocchi, $28

For a sweet ending to the meal, I shared the intriguing sounding dessert called the Snickers 2012 with a friend. It blew us away with the intricate presentation of the deconstructed elements of a Snickers bar – a dollop of smooth ice cream, a cylinder of tempered chocolate filled with nuts and light-as-air mousse all coming together to create a wonderful contrast of textures. It quickly shot up the list to become one of my favourite desserts ever and while it is quite pricey, it’s definitely worth it!

Snickers 2012, $16

Ananas has nailed the stylish bar and restaurant concept as the two areas are separated by a narrow doorway and features two different atmospheres due to the clientele it attracts in each area. However, an overriding ambience of sophistication permeates the whole place and this makes it a perfect one stop shop for Friday night work drinks with colleagues or friends followed by a classy dinner.

Ananas Bar & Brasserie
18 Argyle Street
The Rocks NSW 2000
Phone:(02) 9259 5668


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Brasserie Ananas on Urbanspoon

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