Bistro Gitan

The aim, so they say, is to 'create a dinner table just as it would be for a family in France'. Happily, the family behind this bistro call Jacques Reymond 'dad'. The ground floor of a Victorian-era former hotel, with long windows looking across to Fawkner Park, has been reborn as this casual, airy space with worn parquetry, white-clothed tables, young, assured service and a sense of having been here forever. Expect well-judged twists on classics: a prawn cocktail with house-made tomato sauce, pink citrus and bitter leaves; a vivid steak tartare delivered in little lettuce canoes; a lush entree of chicken livers and pappardelle, rich but not cloying. A main of garfish may come boned and lightly crumbed, while quartered young chicken is mustard-crusted and juicy, served on savoy cabbage and bacon. It's all billed as French and 'gypsy', but comes with oriental appreciation of balance and umami. Chocolate mousse continues the theme: rich and airy, with cinnamon-scented pineapple and a puddle of anglaise.