Entrocote

On our most recent trip to Europe, D and I paid a visit to Relais Entrecote in Paris. From my understanding it is considered an institution over there, with the lines out the door each night testament to that (and this is at several of their restaurants). Because we absolutely loved the Relais Entrecote restaurants in Paris, of course we had to give this Melbourne restaurant a go. Needless to say, we had high expectations of being able to find a good Steak Frites in Melbourne.

Upon entering, the service was friendly, with the place half to three quarters full. Being a French restaurant, the atmosphere was cosy inside. After being given menus, they also brought some bread with butter. The bread wasn't warm which was disappointing, but it was fresh and was very nice.

For entree D ordered the escargots and I ordered the Onion Soup Gratinee. The Onion Soup had a beautiful consistency to it, with just enough Onion flavour broken up by the Gruyere cheese croutons. It looks on the small side, but it is a heavy dish, so I was glad we were sharing. 

The escargots were full of flavour, namely butter and herbs, which kind of took away from the actual escargot. However, this has always been my reservation with ordering escargot; all you get is butter and herbs from the few times I have it. It tasted every bit like how escargots are served in France, so it is still a tick from me.

Of course for mains we both got the Steak Frites. This is why you come here, and it did not disappoint. The fries were crispy and well seasoned, and were even nicer when they soaked up the excess sauce from the steak . The green sauce is simply translated to a butter and herb sauce, and it really is the perfect accompaniment to the whole dish. It is not too heavy, and tasty with the steak. It wasn't exactly the same as that found in Paris, but it is close enough.

The steak was still pink inside, it was cooked perfectly for medium rare and meat was tender. The steak itself was a little underseasoned, but the sauce more than made up for it (which I think is the aim). The actual dish doesn't look all that big when it arrives, but trust me, it is a heavy dish. Both of us still had leftover fries at the end..

Overall, the fitout was modern, and the staff were friendly. The entrees were well done, and the steak cooked perfectly. It is a little pricey though, so not the best value in town. All in all, definitely worth a visit to try the Steak Frites especially to get an idea of classic French cooking done well.