Fabien Streit describes his menu at Bistro Français as, “Simple food. Honest food. Tasty food.” “That’s why it’s called a bistro,” he muses. “Somewhere that’s fast-paced but casual, with good food that’s satisfying.”
The head chef and co-owner (previously at Cliché and Kosho) has partnered with bartender, business partner and housemate Nazzareno Falaschetti on their new venture, which will open on King William Road in early February. “We’re trying to get rid of the image that French food always has to be rich and fancy and do something that people can eat on a Wednesday – or any day,” says Falaschetti.
The pair met while working at O’Connell Street French restaurant Cliché (now modern Japanese diner Kosho) bonding over kindred backstories – and a few post-service bevvies. Before migrating to Australia, Streit cheffed in restaurants around France and Falaschetti grew up working in his family’s bars and cafes across San Benedetto del Tronto in Italy’s Marche region.
When Cliché relaunched as Kosho, Streit stayed for a year and Falaschetti took the opportunity to move on, landing a gig at Local Wine Co where he met Bharat ‘Baz’ Rampal, Bistro Français’s third partner.
The Bistro Français menu will have around 20 dishes, including sides and desserts. “I like to work with a lot of specials, so I can get whatever’s seasonal,” says Streit. It means he maintains an element of play with the food, and can swap dishes in and out depending on what proves popular. “Everything runs out of time – even a dish,” he says.
French classics dominate. There’s soupe a l’oignon (French onion soup) with a Gruyere cheese crouton gratin, escargot de Bourgogne (snails baked in their shells with garlic and parsley butter, served with sliced baguette), parfait au foie de poulet (chicken liver parfait, cassis onion jam and croutons) and a twice-baked soufflé au fromage (cheese soufflé).
Larger plates offer boeuf bourguignon (beef cheek slow-cooked in a deep red wine sauce, served with buttery pureed potatoes), a simultaneously crispy and oozy poulet cordon bleu (crumbed chicken breast stuffed with ham and cheese and served with mustard and leek), and a fresh salad nicoise. And, of course, steak frites. “I’m going to do some more traditional cuts like flat iron and hanger steak, or skirt, which are all really popular in France as your ‘quick steak’,” Streit says. He’s also serving a picturesque vegan ratatouille flan with baked zucchini, eggplant, capsicum, tomato, butternut squash puree, crispy potato and crunchy chickpea parcels.
Falaschetti has compiled a concise drinks list that’s a sweeping pass of multiple French regions, and around 20 per cent South Australian content, focusing on local producers working in traditional French varieties. “We’re leveraging some of the relationships we have through Local Wine Co, but it will be a completely different list,” he says. Perfect with a charcuterie platter of duck and pork rillette, jambon cru, saucisson, house pickles and more. There will also be the odd natural wine, cocktails and an array of the usual pre- and after-dinner aperitifs and digestifs.
Falaschetti describes the decor – most of which is yet to be installed when we visit – as, “classic with a vintage vibe”. Almost everything is from op shops and vintage stores, he says, “except for the chairs, because you can’t find 40 matching chairs at the Salvos.” A lucky pick-up was a set of salvaged brass fixtures, which will provide warm lighting above the concrete bar (on which they currently recline, wiring akimbo).
He’s also identified a few items – or “bagatelle” – he wants to bring from his and Streit’s home, seeking to capture the authentic, welcoming atmosphere of his family’s businesses. “We want to make it feel like a home – very warm,” he says.
“We want people to come here for Fabien’s food and to have a chat with Nazza. We want that personal connection,” Rampal adds.
Falaschetti admits that Covid has wreaked havoc on the fit-out plans, but says it’ll also allow the business to begin at a more casual pace – with a little extra time for the new partners to find their feet front- and back-of-house while capacities are restricted.
Rampal – who also owns nearby dessert bar St Louis – says the strip is changing (and needs to change). “You need interesting restaurants and complex food for a main street,” he says. “Shosho opened up recently and people are loving that. We think this street deserves an offering like this.”
Bistro Français will open in early February at 144A King William Road, Hyde Park
