You don’t have to fly to Paris to enjoy delicious French cuisine – just head to Manly Beach!
French restauranteurs, Emmanuel and Sonia took over Hemingway’s in 2014 and have subtly moved the beachside eatery towards a bistro- style French menu.
The décor is warm with wooden floors, book-filled shelves and twinkling fairy lights and a relaxing ambience. The upstairs room with an ocean view is perfect for private parties of up to 50 people.
Emmanuel and Sonia ran a Michelin Star restaurant in the French Alps before bringing France to Manly Beach.
Sonia suggests a classic French entrée, gratinée à l’oignon, French onion soup. It has a generous amount of onions, a crunchy cheesy bread topping and it’s delicious.
My friend enjoys a Soufflé aux 2 fromages, an emmental and goats cheese soufflé which is as light and fluffy as a cloud.
Hemingway’s sources the freshest of ingredients locally. They import French Wines, offering many by the glass, and probably have one of the largest selections of French wines on the Beaches.
A nice glass of Côtes du Rhône is perfect with my bœuf bourguignon, a classic French stew with beef cooked in red wine, served with potato puree, vegetables and homemade beef jus.
The beef is so tender. Argentinian chef Joaquin says he slow cooks the beef at 85 degrees for 18 hours.
Joaquin was lured away from his last gig at Bennelong restaurant at the Opera House and enjoys working in the smaller kitchen at Hemingway’s.
My friend opts for bouillabaisse, a traditional seafood stew, with Pernod liqueur and saffron. It’s served with fresh baguette, perfect for mopping up that beautiful broth. Emmanuel says it’s a typical dish of Marseille in the south of France
Each course is served at a leisurely pace, allowing the flavours to dance on my tongue before it’s time for dessert.
My friend’s mouth waters as her tarte tatin arrives, a perfectly caramelized apple tart served with creamy vanilla ice cream.
I decide on a dessert cocktail, Winter in Paris, eggnog based mixed with dark rum, apricot brandy and butterscotch liqueur. It is sweet, creamy and the perfect way to end my meal.
Merci beaucoup Emmanuel et Sonia!
Hemingways
48 North Steyne, Manly
Phone: 9976 3030
hemingwaysmanly.com.au
