Even if you’re not a fan of My Kitchen Rules, Channel 7’s home-style reality cooking show, you likely know the name Manu Feildel. The French-Australian chef and restaurateur has been a part of our lounge rooms for more than a decade. But of course, Manu has more feathers in his cap than judging food, having been at the helm of Sydney icon Bilson’s back in the day. He has had a string of other ventures over the years, including Manu at L'Étoile in Paddington, and now, he’s getting back on the pans, set to open Bistro Red Lion by Manu at the 196-year-old Red Lion Hotel this July.
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Located on the upper level of the Rozelle pub, the French bistro is a joint venture between Manu and owners Laundy Hotels, who also have Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel, Woolly Bay Hotel and Woolwich Pier Hotel under their belt. The historic hotel has recently undergone a $1.5 million revamp, so it’s fair to say the food won’t be the only thing that’s looking très bien.
Manu will be joined by Laundy Hotels’ group executive chef Jamie Gannon in the kitchen, and says the menu will be focusing on "delicious, approachable food rather than aiming for the stars."
“I want guests at Bistro Red Lion by Manu to forget the outside world and feel as though they're dining at my home, enjoying a good bottle of wine,” he adds.
Manu has deep-dived into his family recipes to create the dishes, including his father’s French country-style pâté served with prune and Armagnac jam and sourdough. Other numbers on the starting line-up include scallop gratinée with Café de Paris butter; double-baked Comté cheese soufflé; a fish stew of Murray cod and mussels with speck, mushroom and red wine sauce; and a confit chicken Maryland on cannellini beans and kale fricassee with jus. For dessert, our pick would be the canelés "Suzette," a riff on the traditional crêpes Suzette featuring flambéed canelés with vanilla ice cream.
Bistro Red Lion by Manu is opening on Friday, July 12. And this time, you get to be the judge.
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