Aux Batifolles

On the weekend, we celebrated a dear friend's 30th at a quaint little French Restaurant in Fitzroy North. Aux Batifolles, which loosely translates to a place where people frolic and flirt around, is pleasant and welcoming. French waiters bus tables with the most delicious accent.

The walls were raw brick, and deco's minimal and simplistic.

For entres, Gary and I shared a French antipasto plate: an array of cold meat, pates, grilled vegetable stack, goat's cheese mousse, escargot grilled with garlic, parsley and lemon butter and a stuffed quail's leg. It's a nice little tasting plate of pretty much their entire menu for starters. Great value for $20.

For mains, Gary ordered a Porterhouse with blue cheese dressing. Although cooked to medium, I found that the meat was a bit tough and chewy. This was served on a bed of shoestring fries which tasted delicious with the blue cheese sauce. At $22, it's a bargain for French and mind you, there's nothing French about the portion.

I had the French Chicken and Lobster Pie, served with seafood bisque and a side of salad. The pastry was a little thick at some parts, and there wasn't much seafood taste to the bisque. Salad was acceptable with walnuts and a reduced balsamic dressing. It was so-so, $28.

All these came with a basket of baguette and (according to Laura) Lurpak butter, the best butter in the world. Allez!

We peruse the dessert carte, and had a ogle at the next table's creme brule. But we were good and left a little room for dessert at home, a birthday cake (Pear Delight? Symphony) from French Lettuce. Slices of pear atop a nice spongy cake with vanilla and chocolate cream. Perfect ending!

Aux Batifolle did leave a nice taste in our palate, a genuine bargain.

Happy Birthday Lins!