Overview
A new restaurant inspired by French cuisine is set to open in the shadow of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from the team behind the Watsons Bay Hotel, The Farm in Byron Bay and The Imperial. The Sydney Collective has unveiled plans for Whalebridge, a new waterfront French restaurant that's on its way to Circular Quay with an expected opening date of later this month.
The menu at Whalebridge has been crafted by Executive Chef Will Eliot who has worked across Cumulus Inc, London's St John and Restaurant Hubert. Elliot says they've created a fresh take on French dishes for Sydney.
"What's exciting about Whalebridge is the opportunity to design a menu which is entirely new to Sydney. These are produce-driven dishes rooted in traditional French technique and the articulation of those flavours," he said. "I love good produce treated simply, that's why I love French cooking. It has very humble origins, but it's been refined over so many years to bring out the best in something, without masking what made it good in the first place."
On the menu, you'll find house specialties that celebrate French cooking and fresh local seafood including bouillabaisse de Marseille and lobster thermidor. An array of tinned goods reminiscent of Newtown's Continental Deli and an expansive selection of caviar will be on offer to start you off, as will mains like stuffed zucchini, duck confit and steak or mussel frittes. Accompanying the dishes will be a 150-strong wine list pulling from renowned regions in both France and Australia.
"We're honoured to be awarded the leasehold at Sydney Cove by Sydney City Council and hope to create something truly spectacular with Whalebridge worthy of the breathtaking landmarks which surround us," says The Sydney Collective Founder Fraser Short.
Brett Sergeant, Fraser Short and Will Elliot
Whalebridge is set to open in Circular Quay in late April.