Transformative dining experiences are something the Anyday Group has become known for. Across its seven venues (Agnes, Bianca, Honto, Same Same, Los, Idle, Golden Avenue), there’s a strong sense of escapism that makes each one feel special.
At Agnes, you’re dropped into an era where primal, woodfired cooking reigns supreme. At Golden Avenue, you’re transported to the mythical Hanging Gardens of Babylon. And at the group’s latest venue, The French Exit, it feels like stepping into a bustling bistro in France.
“We really wanted to create that quintessential French bistro in the Brisbane CBD,” says Tyron Simon, who, alongside Ben Williamson, Bianca Marchi-Simon and Frank Li, is one of Anyday’s co-founders. “If you were dropped in without any context, you could believe you’re somewhere in France, not in Brisbane.”
Softly opening over the weekend, The French Exit officially opens today. Designed by interior designer Tamsin Johnson – a close friend of Simon and Marchi-Simon’s – the room carries a sense of grandeur that harks to another era. Tan leather banquettes feature heavily, brass bar stools frame an imported bar, and wine bottles line the walls. Tables are packed tightly together, lending the room an unmistakeable energy.
“We want it to be frenetic,” Williamson says. “We want the pace to be high. We want it to be busy. We want a lot of noisy chatter – that’s what we’re going for.”
Heading up the kitchen is Brisbane-born executive chef John-Paul Fiechtner, who recently returned home from Europe after spending two years as sous-chef at Paris’s renowned Le Châteaubriand. He’s joined by head chef Ryan Carlson, fresh from leading the Agnes kitchen. Carlson previously had a stint at St John in London and also spent time cooking in the French countryside.
“I have always been drawn to French cuisine,” Fiechtner says. “What really resonates with me is the balance between refinement and heart – the elegance of classic techniques alongside the rustic, regional dishes that are full of soul. That combination is something I hope diners will experience in every dish.”
The menu goes long on French classics. There’s steak tartare with egg yolk, walnut and pommes gaufrettes; escargot; and a whole duck served à l’orange, available with 72 hours’ notice. Alongside the familiar are regional French dishes you don’t see as often – Toulouse sausage with peas à la Française, for example, or a decadent comté tart with spanner crab and vin jaune sauce.
Desserts follow suit: cooked-to-order madeleines with olive oil glaze and burnt butter whipped cream; crème brûlée; and profiteroles with hazelnut ganache, vanilla ice-cream and chocolate sauce.
While the menu embraces French tradition, it’s not as rigid as some classic French institutions, like France-Soir in Melbourne. Instead, you might draw more comparisons to, say, Hubert in Sydney. “We realised we couldn’t completely transplant the DNA of French cooking without an Australian lens,” Simon says.
For cocktails, group bar manager Marco Nunes has devised a French-leaning offering. Classics are given a French twist. Byrrh and apricot appear in a gin sour, while Côte d’Azur citrus is used in a Margarita. For wine, a 600-bottle list leans predominately French, with a considered selection of Australian wines alongside.
Music always plays an integral role across the Anyday’s venues. The group even has a director of music – LA-based DJ Graz Mulcahy. While French disco was initially considered, the team ultimately landed on a more classic French playlist.
“I love this playlist – this is one of my favourites,” Williamson says.
“[The music] helps with the transformative side of the experience,” Simon adds. “When you enter, the doors shut behind you and there’s no connection to the outside world. [You have] these beautiful nods towards a traditional French bistro, supported by the music.”
The French Exit
169 Mary Street, Brisbane CBD
(07) 3495 1775
Hours:
Daily 11.30am–late
anyday.com.au/the-french-exit
@thefrenchexit.restaurant
Dining and Cooking