Claire’s Kitchen @ Le Salon

This chic French gem is hidden in plain sight on Oxford Street, close to the Museum end and exudes an aura of glamour when you step inside, thanks to its monochromatic decor and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

We’re intrigued by their rather long list of specials and decide on one of them for our starters and the other as a shared main. The starter we picked was the Salmon and King Prawn Terrine with Lobster Mayonnaise, which combined a few of my favourite types of seafood into one dish. The terrine was a different way of presenting them, as I have never had a seafood based terrine and while the texture was fairly similar to the meat based ones I’ve tried before, there were discernible chunks of salmon and cold prawns packed in. The lobster mayonnaise was more like a mousse and the lobster flavour wasn’t particularly strong.

Salmon and King Prawn Terrine

Our other starter was the Crepe Bretonne aux Cepes a.k.a French crepe with sauteed wild mushrooms, gruyere and a rich mushroom jus with caramel undertones. The thin crepe was done nicely, and my first bite of it with the soft mushrooms and gruyere was divine, although the earthy mushroom flavour got a bit overwhelming as I neared the end of the dish.

 Crepe Bretonne aux Cepes, $22 (entree sized)

The shared main we had settled on from the specials menu was the Braised Beef Cheeks, which the waiter had described as being cooked with chocolate. I couldn’t really taste the chocolate, but the beef cheeks were braised to perfection, melting in your mouth and paired with an amazingly smooth and creamy mash.

Braised Beef Cheeks

Claire’s Kitchen @ Le Salon is a lovely and classy spot for a romantic meal and its sleek and luxe decor is sure to please. The quality French cuisine showcased here is not too heavy, and something different from the norm – although not every dish is a hit.

Claire’s Kitchen @ Le Salon
35 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Ph: (02) 9283 1891

 

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