Bondi has welcomed a taste of the City of Love with the opening of Chouchou, a charming Parisian bar and restaurant serving nostalgic French classics. Named after the French word for sweetheart, Chouchou (pronounced “shoo-shoo”) is an ode to the small bars and bistros Paris is known and loved for, and where owner Arthur Gruselle is from. This is Gruselle's second venue; he's worked in the hospitality industry for more than 17 years and owns retro bar and burger joint Aunty Ed’s in Katoomba.
The cosy neighbourhood spot has taken over the former Rosenbaum and Fuller digs on O’Brien Street, Bondi. Come for traditional and comforting French fare, without the fuss. Start off with a warm baguette with sea salt butter; and cured meats and cheeses from artisan producers before moving to oeuf mimosa (deviled eggs); baked camembert; or a croque madame.
Other highlights include niçoise salad; tartiflette (a cheesy potato and bacon dish) and hand-cut steak tartare with pomme frites. Plus, there’s also a DIY raclette, which comes with a mini fondue pot and burner so you can melt cheese and dip vegetables, cornichons, cured meats and bread until your heart’s content. Double dippers, this one’s for you.
Pair your fine French fare with drops from France including Beaujolais and Champagne, as well as New Zealand and Australia. Classic cocktails are reimagined at Chouchou, like the Margarita made with cognac and Picon Biere Aperitif, which is a popular French aperitif that mixes pilsner with the bitter orange liqueur, Amer Picon. If you're feeling brave, order the Green Valley with gin, absinthe, apple, fresh lime and lemon juice.
Inside, you’ll find forest-green walls, wooden floorboards and a mix of classic bentwood and rattan-backed dining chairs. A striking dried flower and foliage installation hangs from the roof, and the walls are adorned with vintage signs and prints from Paris as well as art by Gruselle himself, who is also an accomplished painter.
Bring your sweetheart, your mum, or take yourself out to Chouchou and experience Midnight in Paris at Bondi.
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