The Four in Hand by Guillaume Opens in Paddington

When word got out that Guillaume Brahimi was working on a dining room revamp of one of Paddington's best-loved pubs, The Four in Hand, Sydney heard some pretty high-pitched squealing from this keen team. Now, we're making a big ol' B line for the Paddo pub, as The Four in Hand by Guillaume has officially reopened.

Teaming up with Mitchell Waugh of Public House Management Group (Collaroy Hotel. The Royal Paddington, Woollahra Hotel), former Guillaume at Bennelong maestro Brahimi is leading the Four in Hand into ultra-fancy, French-inspired pub grub territory. After buying the joint from chef Colin Fassnidge, he's recruited new head chef Darrell Felstead to create a sophisticated, two-tiered gastropub menu — a bar menu in the pub, and a bigger but still apparently casual menu in the dining room.

At first glance, the seasonally-changing restaurant menu immediately takes things next-level for the pub. Think snacks like tinned anchovies, butter, watercress and toast, or duck liver parfait, pear chutney and toast. There are starters like roast quail salad with egg, frisee and parmentier potatoes, mains like salt-baked celeriac, carrot risotto and sorrel, and desserts like peach tart with peach ice cream, strawberries, sable, sheep's yoghurt sorbet and peppermint tea jelly. Head sommelier Rodolphe Bertin has put 100 predominantly Australian and French wines on the wine list (22 of those by the glass). Yearning for a little of the old Four in Hand? There's about 100 bottles from the previous cellar that'll be on the menu until they're gone.

"The Four in Hand has always been one of my favourite pubs. It was one of the first places I drank a beer when I arrived in Sydney many years ago, and it's one of the best pub dining rooms in the country. It is also down the hill from my restaurant, so it's an area of Sydney I know and love," says Brahimi. "I have worked closely with Darrell to maintain it's spirit but also to showcase some of my favourite casual dishes, the kind of food I like to eat every day."

How Brahimi has time for this, we don't know. He already runs Paddington's two-hatted Guillaume restaurant, two restaurants at Crown Resorts, Bistro Guillaume in Melbourne and Perth, and is culinary director of Crown Resorts.

The Four in Hand by Guillaume is at 105 Sutherland Street Paddington. Open seven days a week for lunch (12pm – 3pm) and dinner (5.30pm – 9.30pm). Bookings via the website.

Images: Nikki To.