It used to be a given that you’d travel over the bridge for a big night out, but a host of new venues means that’s no longer the case, writes Renata Gortan
Community was a major focus when Sebastien Lutaud was searching for a site for his French bistro Loulou.
It is also a boulangerie where bread is baked four times a day so the baguettes are always fresh and a traiteur – a French version of a deli where you can pick up snacks, such as sliced-to-order parfait, or dinner, which could include quiche, roast chicken or salads.
He felt that Loulou - where Sharn Farazian and Tony Ilbery are pictured dining on our cover - would complement the Lavender Bay neighbourhood as well as bring more people to the area.
“It’s a place to pop in for a coffee or croissant, have a nice lunch with friends and family and pick up something to take home for dinner,” says Lutaud, also the culinary director. “When we looked at the area, Kirribilli had a lot of good little eateries and we thought this would be a good area to develop a mid-market offering.”
When developing the concept for Loulou, Lutaud researched the area and found there were a lot of schools nearby, which is why Loulou is open all day. “We do a good trade between 3pm and 5pm because people want snacks then and a lot of cafes close in the afternoon. Then you can pick up stuff for dinner, a roast chook, bread and parfait,” he says.
Restaurants have been affected by Covid and multiple lockdowns, but Lutaud says the extra people working from home have been a boon for neighbourhood eateries. Loulou opened in December last year and Lutaud says feedback from locals has been positive, they love having a quality offering in the area so they don’t have to travel over the bridge. He hopes more venues follow suit.
People shouldn’t fear competition. I would love to create a hub rather than be a destination
“There’s not much here if you want a night out. The reason people go to Surry Hills and Potts Point is you can go out for dinner and have a drink before or after. I feel like this area hasn’t got that yet,” he says.
“There is a lack of restaurants of this style around. I’d love to be the catalyst for this. People shouldn’t fear competition. I would love to create a hub rather than be a destination.”
by Renata Gortan
10th February 2022
Mosman Daily and North Shore Times
Etymon Concierge's Tony Ilbery our Concierge Manager on the front cover along side Loulou waitress Sharn Farazian
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