The Taste of France in the Heart of Surry Hills.

LoLuk Bistro masters the art of making a great restaurant, magnifique!

As a lover of all things French, I’m qualified to say LoLuk Bistro is one of Sydney’s favourite dining destinations for a very good reason. They are not only serving up some of the best french cuisine in Sydney, the service and attention to detail coupled with consistency has to be admired. Nothing is overlooked at LoLuk Bistro, and having had the privilege of meeting owners, brothers, Luc and Loic, and their restaurant manager, Jérôme, what diners experience is the result of a lot of hard work, dedication and planning. The well travelled brothers are seasoned hospitality professionals and often return to France to socialise new ideas and concepts, bringing back with them carefully considered new menu items and food experiences to offer diners in their little piece of Provence in the heart of Surry Hills. 

Southern French food has evolved over the years and varies depending on the department in France you visit. However, regardless of department or region, the foundation of French cuisine along with the recipes are built on ingredients grown and produced locally which influences the differences in not just recipes, but also the methods of cooking. Food from the south would have to be a personal favourite of mine.

LoLuk Bistro’s menu is bursting with interpretations of recipes inspired by Luc and Loic’s mother and grandmothers – you immediately feel a sense of family and belonging just sitting in their chic dining room or the outside terrace. LoLuk’s use of veloutés, sauces and creams is highly creative and perfectly paired with other seasonal ingredients. Take the Gravlax Salmon for example which is presented on a base of beetroot velouté and served with wild asparagus and lemon chantilly. Magnificent! 

Many Michelin Star restaurants I’ve visited in France have been highly creative, but can sometimes lack heart and authenticity. When I say ‘heart’ I don’t want to take away from the passion and incredible talent that goes into creating absolute masterpieces, I’m simply saying how important warmth and heartiness is in cooking great food. Le Bistrot de Claude in Cognac is a fine example of a Michelin Star establishment that not only serves impeccable food, is has an honesty about it that captures your heart with every mouthful. This is the same with LoLuk Bistro, whilst you might be ordering from an a la carte menu, you feel like everything has been created just for you, and this is no accident! Stimulating feelings and emotion through food takes great effort, quality ingredients and dedicated staff who immerse themselves in the culture and values of the establishment during each service. 

“Like Le Bistrot de Claude, LoLuk Bistro’s team feels like one big family. For someone visiting for the first time, you immediately feel like you’ve walked into someone’s home. It’s not just about really great service, it’s about the genuineness and honesty that can only comes from carefully executed values.”

I’ve had the pleasure of visiting LoLuk Bistro for lunch, dinner, afternoon drinks and private functions. Every time is such a special experience. When I walk in LoLuk’s front door on Bourke Street, I am whisked away to France in moments. It’s experiences and feelings like this that make great restaurants, magnificent. I even have a LoLuk Bistro apron that is safe and sound at our house in Cognac, France. Read my last article on Cognac and about my visit to Martell here. 

What to eat at LoLuk… as an unofficial connoisseur of soufflés, I have never been to LoLuk and not ordered their double cheese soufflé, served with mushroom cream and frisée salad. If I decide on another starter, this will always be ordered for the table regardless. The country terrine is one of the best I’ve tasted, as is the onion niçoise tart.

For main courses, the chicken breast with shallot velouté and confit of potato is beautifully prepared as is the pork tenderloin with carrot velouté. You also can’t go past the hand cut beef tartare. Dessert… remember, you’ve been transported to France which means it’s virtually impossible to say no to the dessert menu, and with the best lavender flavoured brulée in town you’ll be licking your lips all the way home. 

LoLuk Bistro is located at 411 Bourke Street, Surry Hills and is open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner from 6:00pm and Friday and Saturday for lunch from 12:00pm. They offer an all-you-can-eat Raclette Party on Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s. LoLuk also has an amazing Mother’s Day menu, so maybe it’s time to shout your mother a trip to France without the cost of an airfare. On a sunny day, enjoy a glass of Ricard and a game of Pétanque in the garden. 

Find LoLuk Bistro on Instagram, Facebook and online here. If you use Beam Wallet, the LoLuk Bistro also accept the eastern suburbs fastest growing payment wallet for residents who love shopping local. Download it here before you visit and earn 10% back on what you spend. Enter my promo code MIKEYGALVIN to receive an instant $10. 

If you enjoyed my article on LoLuk Bistro I would love to hear from you – please leave a comment below with any questions you may have and I’ll get back to you very soon.

As always, Bon Appétit, Mike X