Aquitaine Brasserie

Aquitaine is the latest venture to pull back the bifolds on the River Quay development at South Bank. Like its neighbours Popolo and Stokehouse, it commands striking views of the river and CBD. There is a lot of dark wood with copper accents, offset by tiled tables and colourful banquette cushioning, perfect for lazy afternoons or to catch a river breeze on languid summer nights. Other seating options include a plush private dining mezzanine and a group table fronting a wine room. Named after a French region, the menu features L'Aquitaine-flavoured ingredients such as oysters, foie gras, duck, Bayonne ham and prunes. Lovers of brains will delight in the hazelnut-crusted lamb's brains with jambon and lemon; lush in a tangy sauce gribiche. A fan of duck breast, pink and tender served with orange and kale is a dish worthy of a return visit. Desserts are modern tweaks of the standards but an exemplary tarte tatin, buttery and flaky, would give any French brasserie pause for thought.