Smith St Bistrot by the Scott Pickett Group has opened its doors at 300 Smith St Collingwood, offering a French bistrot experience in Melbourne’s inner-north. The bistrot delivers a melange of Pickett’s favourite French dishes enjoyed from Lille to Lyon, while interiors celebrate the building’s eclectic history with the sentiment of a ‘20s Parisienne bistrot.
Pickett’s love affair with classic French cuisine began at age 18, working with legendary Chef Restaurateur Philippe Mouchel, before honing his classical cooking skills in some of the most rigorous Michelin-starred kitchens in London, which included three years under the tutelage of Philip Howard at The Square.
“French food has always been a cuisine I enjoy, not only to cook but to eat in bistrots all around the world. It’s romantic food that can either be very simple or painstaking to master, but that’s the beauty of it. I think there’s always room to add a touch of my signature style and that’s what I’m doing with Smith St Bistrot,” says Pickett.
Pickett’s take on a French bistrot, with Daniel Southern (Bar Margaux, Vue Group) at the kitchen helm, offers a menu of classic French food and drinks with some unexpected twists. Generous service from Restaurant Manager Tash Sorensen (Saxon and Parole, Ghost Donkey in New York, Embla in Melbourne) and her team come together to bring European decadence to the locale whether diners are enjoying a drop-in drink or extended bistrot dining experience.
Smith St Bistrot will have a $40 rotating ‘menu du jour’ including a glass of wine, or guests can dine à la carte with dishes such as Vol-au-vent d’escargot, snails, parsley, garlic & puff pastry; Filet de steak au poivre, dry-aged eye fillet, peppercorn sauce; Tarte aux légumes verte and Soufflé framboise or Crème caramel for dessert.
Upstairs, Smith St Bistrot has a private event room, ‘La vie en Rose’ – spacious enough to accommodate parties of up to 70 guests – with an expansive bespoke mural hand-painted by Townson inspired by a midnight storm in the Mont Blanc Forest, which also includes a gnome who bears a striking resemblance to Pickett.
Initially open for dinner seven days and soon to open for end-of-week and weekend lunches, Smith St Bistrot will host locals for drinks that turn into dinner, from casual menu du jour dining like the ‘SSB wagyu cheeseburger’ through to a lavish French-dining affair of huitrês and caviar to soufflé framboise.
To book or more more details, visit https://smithstbistrot.com.au/
300 Smith Street, Collingwood
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