Merivale’s Pop-Up in Narooma Might Be a French Bistro, But Chez Dominique Is All About the Great Produce of NSW’s South Coast

In the town of Narooma on the New South Wales South Coast you can snorkel with seals, eat some of the country’s best oysters, hike the Bingi Dreaming Track and admire the ancient formations of Glasshouse Rocks. You can now add dining at a bistro run by a French-Australian couple who list influential Paris eateries Septime and Le Saint Eutrope, as well as London’s Brawn, on their resumes. They also ran their own Parisian bistro, La Vierge, in the 20th arrondissement and worked at one of Sydney’s most celebrated wine bars, 10 William St.

Chez Dominique, a farm-to-table pop-up in collaboration with Sydney-based hospitality giant Merivale, has just opened at The Whale in Narooma.

Marrying classic French cooking with local South Coast produce, Paris-born Elsa Marie and Sydney local Julian May have created a menu that allows the best seafood, vegetables and meat of the Eurobodalla Shire to shine.

“We have fallen in love with all the incredible ingredients the shire has to offer,” says Marie. “Each Sunday we communicate with the four farms we work with about the harvest for the following week, and we design the menu from there.”

It could be Narooma oysters with a pepperberry mignonette; quail salad with brussels sprouts and caramelised walnuts; locally caught fish in escabeche with carrot, fennel and coriander; rolled-pork shoulder with roasted carrots, chards and mustard sauce; and to finish, rum baba with chantilly cream.

Marie and May returned from France to Australia in 2019, and moved to the South Coast last year to learn more about organic farming and establish a connection to the region. They’ve since built close relationships with local farmers, producers and artisans, as reflected in their ever-evolving menus.

Free-range eggs are from Bega Valley, free-range chickens come from Camden Valley and dairy is provided by Tilba Real Dairy. Grass-fed, heritage-breed pork, beef, quails and ducks are courtesy of Tathra Place and Martins Ridge Farm – the latter supplying half a pig each month to be butchered according the couple’s requests. “The South Coast people show a big interest in good produce and good food, and there are many dedicated growers with ethical and natural practices in a small radius,” says May.

Each day the menu is written up on blackboards. Coming from small farms, the produce is available in limited quantities so dishes change frequently. What you can expect, though, is a choice of three starters, four mains, French cheeses and three desserts. There’s also a bar, Ocean Lounge, next to the restaurant, offering a concise array of snacks to enjoy with drinks. You might find Tilba cheddar gougères (savoury cheese puffs), pork terrine, or leeks and gribiche sauce – all accompanied by sourdough bread baked in-house.

Merivale’s Victor Costa (Bar Topa, The Paddington and Will’s) has curated a cocktail list with flavours befitting the coastal surrounds, and an organic- and minimal-intervention-focused wine list designed to align with the couple’s food philosophy.

The Chez Dominique pop-up, which will be around for the next few months, came about after Merivale purchased The Whale Inn and Restaurant in June, the group’s second Narooma property following its acquisition of tiki bar The Quarterdeck earlier in the year. Merivale owner and CEO Justin Hemmes calls Narooma his second home.

With accommodation on the property and one of the most pristine and striking regions in New South Wales right outside, you can easily turn a delicious dinner into a delightful weekend. “It’s a very peaceful sanctuary,” says Marie. “People are welcoming, there’s a strong sense of community, and the wild coastline, wide beaches and mountains are beautiful.”

Chez Dominique
102 Wagonga Street, Narooma
(02) 4476 2411

Hours:
Restaurant
Wed¬ to Sat 6pm–10pm

Ocean Lounge
Wed¬ to Sat 5pm–10pm

merivale.com/venues/the-whale-inn-narooma