France-Soir

11-13 Toorak Rd, South Yarra
france-soir.com.au

I had the unusual pleasure on Sunday night of going out for dinner with not only the owner of a restaurant, but one of the most iconic restaurants in Melbourne: i.e. with Jean-Paul Prunetti at France-Soir. Established in 1986, here are just some of this establishment’s more recent accolades:

Legend Award - Jean Paul Prunetti and Geraud Fabre 

The Age Good Food Guide Awards 2017

Yellow Rose Award

Gault & Millau 2016

Financial Review Australia's Top 100 Restaurants 2016 

voted 53 / 100

But what is France-Soir really like, and what advice or tips did I get from Jean-Paul, whom even the awards have labeled a dead set “Legend”?

One of the Happiest Hours - Fitzroy Town Hall Hotel

166 Johnston St, Fitzroy VIC 3065.
Phone: +61 3 9416 5055
fitzroytownhallhotel.com.au

I went here for lunch the other day, and it was "not bad"...

... but not as great as their happy hour, which I discovered after some lamb and burgundy.

Farewelling my friends, and having a cleansing ale with the newspaper, I chatted to the bartender Damien (aka "Zizi", which I believe means something to do with a little penis), who recommended while in his alpen home in France (where I'll be in a few weeks) I visit "Le Cafe de la Place" in Menthon Saint Bernard (Annecy) - which does a $20 lunch with entree, main, dessert, coffee and wine.

The specials here, though not quite as good as what I'm hearing of en France, are still pretty good.  $15 for a half a dozen freshly shucked (if small - but just delish) oysters with a pot of tap beer... if you do it during happy hour, you might find yourself upgraded to a schooner - which in this instance I chose a dark ale.

Well, at those prices in Melbourne, who could say no?