District Brasserie

District Brasserie is ambitious. It has 200 seats; its own sandwich and pastry takeaway section from an in-house bakery run by Jason Hillier-Leggatt (ex-La Renaissance in Waterloo); a charcoal grill; and a full breakfast, lunch and dinner service designed by Mark Knox (BLACK, Public Dining Room).

For drinks there’s draught Young Henrys, a 120-bottle wine list and a cocktail offering. NYC was a big inspiration, that city’s multi-facetted venues make them institutions.

There’s a takeaway-orientated cafe that sprawls across Chifley Plaza’s foyer. There you can find coffee from Single O; a trio of tartines; and a rotating selection of sandwiches, quiches and ready-to-go salads. As you move into the venue it becomes more formal. The staff calls you sir, the napkins are thick and soft and the tables and ready-made food display are replaced by distressed-brick walls, a granite bar, leather furniture and timber floors.

In the mornings you’ll likely see corporate types meeting over OJs and a decadent croissant topped with smoked salmon, lobster and poached egg. Or an open baguette with maple bacon, scrambled eggs and fresh truffle. All the croissants, cakes and bread are made in-house and, even more impressively, with Australian organic flour.

Later on in the day the focus is on the charcoal grill. Think an immense 800-gram Jacob’s Creek rib eye with beef-fat vinaigrette, and a succulent lamb rump paired with charred eggplant puree, roast shallots, miso-braised eggplant and a dollop of yoghurt with mint oil.