Chez Olivier

Feel like visiting provincial France for the evening? Chez Olivier is a pretty good approximation. A bistro bar, its decor, food and drinks selection is firmly planted in Gallic tradition - and it certainly feels authentic. The front room has a traditional mix of wooden tables, polished floors and antique lighting to set the mood. The wall of wine bottles also helps. Wonder through the venue and you'll discover a charming central room (complete with working fireplace) and a courtyard at the back of the building.

Chez Olivier offers over 100 bottles of wine with approximately 15 available by the glass. If you want to keep things authentic you can up the ante with some Cognac. Either way, the food is the real highlight at Chez Olivier, the chef combining traditional French dishes with Australian influences to create something they like to call Frozzie. One of the more obvious examples of this culinary fusion is the French-style crispy duck served with bok choi and pickled ginger. And there's plenty more where that came from on the menu. The cheese selection, meanwhile, is suitably impressive as well.

While the drink options aren't as expansive as you might find in dedicated bars, Chez Olivier is an affordable and charming visit to provincial France that you can cram into a couple of hours and well worth the effort.