Armorica Grand Brasserie is the new Parisian-inspired bistro in Surry Hills that restaurateur Andrew Becher says will “embrace the timeless charm of classic French dining.”

“Armorica Grande Brasserie will be a Parisian-inspired restaurant that brings all the fun, energy and excitement of dining in the City of Lights to the streets of inner-urban Sydney,” Becher says.

Like its sister restaurants Franca and Parlar, Armorica Grande Brasserie is a nod to long-held European traditions. While Franca honours the older language of France, Parlar pays tribute to the older language of Spain, and Armorica is the name for the olden territory of northern Brittany.

Becher believes the 150-seater restaurant, which is set to open its doors on April 20, will be a fantastic addition to busy, buzzy Crown Street in the heart of Surry Hills.

The restaurant team will be led by executive chef Jose Saulog who was trained in classic old-school French culinary techniques in Vancouver, Canada, where he spent most of his childhood.

“The menu will be all about sharing great food with friends and family in a lovely, lively space. Most of our food will be cooked over charcoal on a five-metre custom-made Josper grill which is the centrepiece of the open kitchen. It is a Basque grill that has more firepower. It gives you that balance of high heat that you cannot achieve with a free pan. Cooking with fire is fun, powerful, and
primal,” he says.

Saulog says there are also dishes on the menu that pay tribute, in equal parts, to Australia and Canada.

“We feature the best Australian produce including a Gundagai Lamb Barnsley chop that is cooked on the Josper and spiked with Montreal Steak Spice. It is Canada’s chicken salt. We put it on everything,” Saulog says.

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“Unlike the other restaurants in the group, everything on the menu at Armorica Grand Brasserie will be for sharing. There will be a seafood tower with oysters, prawns, octopus roulade and rock lobster. And a wide selection of the menu will also be dedicated to steak frites,” he says.

A comprehensive wine list will complement the food, while the cocktails with reflect the best of sophisticated Parisian culture. Desserts will also stay true to the roots of French cuisine according to executive pastry chef Travin De Hoedt.

“We’ll be taking a more modernised approach to classic French desserts,” he says.
Design studio Steel and Stitch have been charged with realising Becher’s vision for an opulent space with hand-crafted European oak joinery, leather banquettes and solid brass gantries. The swanky space will also feature custom artworks by American illustrator David Plunkert.

Armorica
490 Crown Street, Surry Hills
Tue – Sun for dinner, Fri – Sun for lunch
armorica.com.au

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