TheFrenchonionsoupprovesthe
point.Margaux’sis muscular,emphatic
andloudwithflavour.It’sbasedarounda
richvealstock,darkwithslow-caramelised
brownandredonions,lashingsof
pancetta,butter,herbs,port,redwine,
HeidiGruyèreandtoastedbaguette.It’s
justtherightkindofrichandsalty,an
enthusiasticbearhugofa dish,perfectfor
shiftworkersandtheover-refreshedalike.
There’sa similarmore-is-more
approachwiththeescargots,whicharrive
inshellsbrimmingwithmeltedbutter
thatdoesn’tstintonthegarlicand
Pernod.Thepankobreadcrumbs
finishingthedishremainvaliantly
crispinthefaceofthebutteronslaught.
Thesteaktartare,ontheotherhand,
is moreaboutprecisionthanheft,the
eye-fillettrimas preciselychoppedas
theshallotsandcapersmixedthrough
themeat,andteamedwitha classic,
well-balancedmixofketchup,Tabasco,
brandy,DijonandWorcestershiresauce.
ThesaladLyonnaise,allsoftegg,pancetta
lardons,hand-rippedgarlickycroûtons
andanapplause-worthyFrench-mustard
vinaigrettealsoplaysit straight.
It’sfoodthat’sperfectlyinsyncwith
theroom.MichaelMadrusan’slengthy
experienceasa bartenderinNewYork
Cityhashada stronginfluenceon
thedesign,thechequerboardfloor,
glitterywhitesubwaytiles,timber
andupholsteredboothseatingand
wired-glassroomdividerschannelling
Parisian-accentedAmericanjointslike
Balthazar.Comfortablebarstools,golden
back-lightingandsharpservicemakethe
bara greatplacetohangout,though
thehardsurfacesandstanding-room-
onlysituationduringrushhourscan
makethenoiselevelslessthan ideal for
those with sensitive ears.➤at 4amona Saturdaywitha solidglass
ofAdelaideHillspinotgrisis anactof
civiccharityworthyofa citizenshipaward.
TheMadrusans’masterstroke– aside
froma pitch-perfectfit-outandhalf-sized
Martinis– is gettingDanielSouthern
on boardasexecutivechef.Southern
is a skilledandfastidiouschef,
a sticklerforpreciseFrench
techniqueandmothersauces,who
applieshisexactingstandardsfrom
oystertocrèmebrûlée.Puttinghim
inchargeofa menuofFrench
greatesthitsimmediatelyflagged
thatMargauxintendedtobeas
seriousaboutitsfoodas it would
undoubtedly be about its booze.FrenchbistroBarMargauxtakesitsinspirationfrom
the city that never sleeps, writesMICHAEL HARDEN.
Round midnight
I
t’sanexcitingtimeforhungry
Melburniannightowlsrightnow,
withallthemajorfoodgroups,from
veganramentoaged-cheddarburgers
andBolognesejaffles,availableintothe
weehours.Anexcellentplacetocelebrate
thisgoodfortuneis at thenewestaddition
tothelate-nightmix,BarMargaux.
BroughttoyoubyMichaeland
ZaraMadrusanofTheEverleigh
andHeartbreakerfame,this
basement-dwellingNewYork-style
Frenchbarandbistrowouldbe
causeforcelebrationevenif it
keptregularhours.Thatyou
cangetaccesstooneofthecity’s
best examples of soupe à l’oignonAbove,from
left:owners
Zaraand
Michael
Madrusan;
escargotsde
Bourgogne.GOURMET TRAVELLER 51PHOTOGRAPHY BAR MARGAUX (PORTRAIT) & GARETH SOBEY (ESCARGOTS).
Melbourne review