[image]
[title]The Swillhouse team are the brains behind some of Sydney’s most rocking venues – think old-world and red-hued Hubert, cowboy-style boozer Shady Pines Saloon and good-times Italian joint Alberto’s Lounge. So when news dropped they were opening an ambitious new venue in The Rocks, excitement and anticipation was at an all-time high.
It was a heck of a long time coming, with more than two years of planning and setbacks. Which makes sense, when you consider Le Foote took over the historic Phillip’s Foote restaurant in the Rocks. All that sandstone, while gorgeous, ain’t forgiving.
At last, the red curtains opened in May this year. And what a show.
The team says Le Foote is part Parisian wine bar and part Mediterranean grill, but even that doesn’t do the space or offerings justice. It’s an epic, choose-your-own-adventure venue, with nooks and crannies and paths going here, there and everywhere. Walking in, it feels like you’re venturing down a rabbit hole.
Is it a nice day? Dine al fresco out the front and bask in the sunshine and bustling Rock’s vibe, or head out to the courtyard dotted with bay leaf trees in terracotta pots, order a Spritz and forget what country you’re in.
After a quick vino and snack? Pull up a stool at the downstairs wine bar – or the one upstairs, lined with artists Allie Webb’s charcoal prints – and go for a bottle of French or Italian vino, a two-sip Martini and a banging fish sandwich. Think crustless, white, pillowy bread encasing crumbed, succulent fish, a zingy mayo and shredded ’berg (you won’t want to share). Come back later in the evening for moody lighting, Frank Sinatra hits and a feeling like you're at a best friend’s dinner party.
And, of course, you can – and should – make a booking for the formal dining room, decked out in white tablecloths, dappled sunlight and smart looking waitstaff in crisp shirts and bow ties. The pièce de résistance, however, is a striking mosaic mural on the walls, created from custom-made tiles from an Italian town called Civita Castellana.
There’s no doubt about it, Le Foote has the X-factor
There, you can feast on taramasalata and crudites, taking turns dipping the crunchy radish and fennel, and just-blanched asparagus and beans into the creamy, salty fish roe blend. Or the grilled octopus, tangled with small cubes of potato, scatterings of macadamia, and dressed with a vibrant Aleppo pepper sauce and crisp sage leaves.
We also loved the fat, glistening and charred duck sausage, sliced and simply served with watercress and a dollop of Dijon mustard, the latter cutting through the fatty, sweet meat. And the show-stopping swordfish, the bone slightly charred, the tender and juicy steak coated in a luscious and vinegary tomato picante that had a slight kick of chilli. You can finish with a smooth and delicate orange panna cotta and call it a (Very Good) day.
Every so often you visit a restaurant where everything just flows; moments pass by seamlessly, and you forget about the time, or how much you’ve eaten and drank. You pause, take a breath, look around and think: what a joy it is to be alive.
Le Foote is one of those places.
So yes, there’s no doubt about it, Le Foote has the X-factor. The multi-faceted venue is an exceptional addition to The Rocks – and Sydney's – dining scene, and that’s why they win our award for Time Out’s 2023 Restaurant of the Year.
Read our full review of Le Foote here.