Comme Kitchen

15/20

French / Spanish

Don't be intimidated by the sleek design, cool clientele and enormous marble bar of this refurbished historic city building. Once you've taken a seat in the small dining room, you'll find yourself in a space where affable, well-drilled staff and simply delicious food allow you to kick back and relax. A corner fireplace, unclothed timber tables and a long mustard leather banquette warm the room's snowy finishes, and Daniel Southern's modern classic French bistro fare adds to the cosseting effect. Look for things like a charcuterie plate with three kinds of rillettes and thinly sliced salumi, deeply flavoured shallot and thyme velouté with camembert beignet, and John Dory fillets plated with wilted spinach and spatzle noodle squiggles, all moistened by burnt butter. Specials like roasted chicken for two or three with bread sauce and lyonnaise onions boost the comfort quotient. And chocolate and almond salted delice with milk-chocolate malt icecream is a delight in opposing textures and sweet and salty flavours; a textbook study of balance, much like Comme itself.

Open Mon−Fri noon−2.30pm; Mon−Sat 6−10.30pm 
Typical prices E $16.50 M $34 D $15 
Cards AE DC MC V Eftpos 
Wine A list of more than 200 wines, intelligently chosen and laid out, with an interesting selection by the glass 
Owners Frank and Sharon van Haandel 
Chef Daniel Southern 
Seats 60; private room; bar