Excited. Super excited. For an excitable person this is the most excited I’ve been about dining in some time. Despite the driving rain as we decide to skip our State Library glimpse, waiting 15 minutes for Hubert to open its doors this morning is no issue whatsoever.

By the time the doors open our umbrellas are closed, and we have caught a little glimpse of Circular Quay instead (it is the only classic Sydney glimpse we see today). Downstairs we descend, momentarily held up by the mid-level display of thousands of spirit miniatures, before entering the dining room slash jazz room. It is lit up with long candles on each table and just looks perfectly inviting as no empty room has ever looked.

Perhaps I made a mistake by booking on the bar, with no direct view of the jazz performance, but there are many reasons why it simply didn’t matter. The primary reason is the food which is the most stunning spectrum of traditional French bistro classics I’ve encountered in Australia. Then there is aspects of the service, not entirely perfect, but entirely Sydney, and the maître d’ who is as close to perfect as any restaurant manager could be.

Yes, I’m possibly embellishing, but it has been several days since we were dining here, and I’m still marveling at the experience. We wait a little for Catherine’s Tom Collins, and my (unbeknownst) cheap and delicious gin martini with a twist. Suddenly we are enjoying spanner crab with brioche toast, beautifully presented, alongside half a dozen Merimbula oysters. It is an appealing start.

We move into some Dauvisssat Chablis for Catherine, and some Clusel-Roch Gamay for me. Murray Cod a la Hubert is lashed with brown butter, capers, and lemon; and roasted Wollemi duck is layered on a plate ensconced in a balanced orange sauce that is jazz to my ears. Are we clapping for the performance, or the mains, or both? Even the frites, as you might expect at an exceptional bistro, are addictive. The endive mesclun salad eases the guilt.

Not being big eaters we don’t need dessert, but dessert has never been necessity. Watching Catherine say half way through “that is enough” of the crème caramel, only to continue going back for more is akin to my addictive personality, which includes the horses I’ll be backing a little later at Randwick. For me there is no hesitation in demolishing the passionfruit soufflé with cultured cream. When a soufflé appears on a menu the chances of it getting out alive are extremely remote. Both desserts are first class and it is consistent with the rest of this deliciously indulgent offering by Hubert.

We have four group one races in front of us, and some wine at 10 William Street, but I could easily end this day trip right here. One day I’m going to come here for lunch and stay for dinner. Then I’m going to try to hide upstairs near the many cases of wine and do it all over again the next day.

Restaurant Hubert – https://www.swillhouse.com/venues/restaurant-hubert
15 Bligh Street, Sydney
Lunch Wed-Sat from 12pm; Dinner Mon-Sat 5pm to late
Phone +61292320881
Email reservations@restauranthubert.com