Libertine. The Barracks. Vietnamese/French Fusion.
There were 4 of us, it was a few months ago, and it was fantastic (albeit a bit dark for good photos, but perfect lighting for sexy dining atmosphere!) A bit loud at times for the deaf among us.
What We Ate.
To start: (all are Capitalised for extra Dramatisation)
Chicken Liver Pate with Toasted Baguette (fantastic, but not as good as my Mum's!)
Free Range Pork Spring Rolls with Lettuce Cups and Green Chilli Sauce
(Special mention: these are the best spring rolls I've ever had. The crunch-on-crunch factor of the iceberg wrapped around deep-friend spring roll can not be overstated. I'm also rather enthused about the homemade chilli sauce. $5 each, but who cares, just do it!)
Hanoi Eight Spiced Popcorn Chicken with KimChi Mayo
(Cool concept, came in a little noodle box, reminiscent of KFC as the name would suggest, but obviously with some real flavour. Good, but I'd take a double serve of the spring rolls every day of the week)
Mains to Share
Vietnamese Slow Roasted Duck with w Cherry Orange Confiture and Brioche Crumb
(Good. Sticky. Moist. Eat this.)
Sichuan Glazed Eggplant with Roasted Peanuts
(Special mention: this was actually my favourite dish of the whole night. A side! I would go to Libertine just for this side. Oily - in a hot way - spicy - but not too spicy- crunchy peanuts ...holy shit this is so so good.)
Roast Free Range Pork Belly with Carrot Puree and Spiced Honey Sauce
(Excellent. Great crackle, falls apart, fantastic flavour, generous serving. We had the large between four and got two big pieces each, much to our friend Kylie's delight!)
Dessert Platter
(Do it, or get the Creme Brulee. Your only real options here, people! Shared between the four of us, it was just enough after such a lavish feast. The creme brulee was a standout, but the rest of the tastings were beautiful too.)
Libertine is a great spot for a fancy date-night, or a girly dinner date. The food is imaginative, with a good Asian influence, which I love. It's definitely in the fancy-bistro price-range, but I believe it's worth it. If you want straight up Asian, with bright lights, BYO and plastic chairs, go to Chinatown. If you want a bit of sass with your spring roll, Libertine might just be for you!
Urban List tells me they do a fab Monday night special too - 5 courses for $44, and includes a movie ticket for the Palace cinema a few doors down!
Go to my photo album to see more photos, albeit dark, pretty average ones!
Check the current Libertine menu here,
Or go to the website here. Urbanspoon link at the bottom of the page.
Have you eaten at Libertine? What was your favourite dish?
xo, Amanda