The Bellevue, Sydney: restaurant review

We’re just a small part of the Happy Mix: two customers on a corner banquette making appreciative noises about the food. The restaurant is doing what it’s supposed to do, playing life support mechanism to customers who want to know what their friends think, not what the chef wants to metaphorically stuff down their throat. There is still a very real market for it, and the Bellevue – a gorgeous old pub given a smart but not intimidating makeover – caters to it.

Slide through the bar and you’ll find a handsome, naturally lit dining room with wrap-around banquette, a high table or two, clerestory windows and smart raw timber furniture. Plus a kitchen, run by chef James Metcalfe. By 1pm on a Friday, it’s also where you’ll find a throng of locals contributing to that soundtrack of contentment.

It’s no accident. Whoever runs the Bellevue knows exactly what they’re doing and the kind of food that’s right for an affluent, informal crowd. Metcalfe – yet another of so many excellent Australian/expat-Brit chefs who trained at London’s The Square – puts in hard yards with the preparation of his food but is no trend slave. Light, classical and approachable seem more appropriate adjectives. Delicious wouldn’t hurt either.

It’s certainly what we’re saying about a golden coil of “caramelised pigs head” – a fat, crusted slice of ballotine tongue, cheek and jowl – served with a slice of house-made coppa, or cured neck, tart beetroot puree and a lovely acidic stewed apple salad. Rich, deep flavours, perfectly seasoned, but not a hint of the expected fattiness.

Same same for a “bread sauce risotto” made with milky stock with those typical bread sauce flavours of bay and clove, plus parmesan and butter; it’s somewhere between an Italian risotto and a British rice pudding, but scattered with crisp bacon, crisp sage leaves and shards of crisp chicken skin. Like everything here, it’s presented elegantly on a lovely mixed batch of crockery. The hum of contentment is rising.

The timeless combination of chicken with a dark jus gras, potato puree and grated truffle gets fresh presentation and a few twists (crisp tiles of thigh meat, vinegar powder-seasoned brussels sprout leaves) but is, essentially, outstanding roast chook with potato and fancy gravy. And it is such a winner.

A piece of particularly moist and firm NZ blue eye trevalla is the centrepiece of a plate scattered unpretentiously with steamed clams, bacon puree, a tomato butter sauce, crisp cooked gem lettuce and a few pork scratchings. It’s another very sound, very enjoyable dish. The hum rises still further.

Our waiter, whose fine form is marred only by a slight tendency to interrupt, has me at the words “Campari-poached rhubarb”. It sums up the chef’s modern-classical approach perfectly: a rectangular lemon verbena sable biscuit, six perfectly even batons of the rhizome and a layer of vanilla mousse sandwiched between. On the side, a rhubarb sorbet, a sweet, green, mayo-like lemon verbena cream, a crunchy dehydrated wafer of some kind and a sexy little pot of perfect, old fashioned vanilla custard. The bitter-sweet dance is wonderful, and it’s so bloody elegant.

Everything here is rooted in timeless combinations, classic technique yet with a fresh eye. The quality, approachability, of the food contributes to that unmistakeable hum. Wander in. Have a listen.

Address: 159 Hargrave St, Paddington, Sydney

Phone: (02) 9363 2293 Web: bellevuehotel.com.au

Hours: Lunch, dinner daily

Typical prices: One course $35; two $55; three $70; six $80

Summary: Sounds good

Like this? Try… Bennelong, Sydney; St Crispin, Melbourne

Stars (out of five): 3.5

Source: The Australian, John Lethlean, 17^th October 2015
Originally published as: The Bellevue, Sydney: restaurant review