Chez Blue

Forget stuffy and structured French dining—Chez Blue is a character-filled and relaxed French bistro in Rozelle with a chic dining room and intimate cocktail bar.

In the kitchen, head chef Mark Williamson (who brings experience from regarded French spot Bistro Moncur) is crafting a menu focusing on shared food, with revamped classics like Niçoise-inspired tuna tartare topped with a potato galette disc, chicken liver pate with a brûléed top and brioche, croque monsieur with melted comté for dipping, and a one-kilogram NSW grass-fed ribeye.

Staples like steak frites (a grass-fed NSW sirloin) with bearnaise, whole fish topped with clams, lemon vinaigrette and sea herbs, and Parisian gnocchi with herb crème fraîche and spring vegetables make the menu one that locals can revisit on the regular.

French calls for a few glasses of the good stuff, so Solotel’s head of beverage and Master of Wine Annette Lacey’s wine list mostly comprises approachable Gallic drops, with a cocktail list of on-theme French aperitifs and signature sips like a must-try croissant-washed martini.

Come dessert time, a roving trolley offers Paris-brest topped with cream, decadent opera cake, and a zesty lemon tart, accompanied by a Sauternes or cognac espresso martini, perhaps.

The dining room is stylish but comfortable with cosy booths, bentwood chairs, mosaic floors, and textured walls adorned with moody, vintage wall lighting and authentic Parisian flea market artworks.

Image credit: Chez Blue | Steven Woodburn

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