New Menu Gets Continental Makeover At The Midnight Special

Newtown nightspots come in all shapes and sizes. For those seeking a crowd, there are huge venues with multiple bars and hordes of customers, but for anyone after a more intimate experience, The Midnight Special is a trusted stalwart of Newtown's small bar scene. Offering a personal touch with its range of custom signature cocktails served by its friendly bar staff, The Midnight Special has traditionally offered a flavour of Americana in both its decor and diner-inspired menu. Now, thanks to new head chef Tristan Suchaut, the bar's food offering has been given a continental makeover.

In keeping with the bar's personality-packed vibe, Suchaut's menu draws on his French heritage, bringing together a range of European flavours that reflect his personal story. As he explains, good food is in Suchaut's DNA. "Both my grandmas were amazing cooks. Family and food was at the heart of my childhood," he shares. "I've been cooking since I was ten and it's something I've been passionate about ever since." Suchaut's love of food took him all over Europe, but it wasn't until he moved to Sydney five years ago that he would make cooking his full-time profession. After training in fine cuisine cooking techniques, Suchaut now pairs his love for top level produce with world class execution.

If this all sounds a little fancy-pants for a dive bar inspired Newtown watering hole, Suchaut has been careful to protect the spirit of The Midnight Special's former hotdog heavy menu. "There are three main qualities we wanted the menu to reflect. The food had to be as high quality as possible, but it also needed to be convenient and most importantly, affordable," he explains. "If you're in a fine dining restaurant, the experience is very drawn out, but at The Midnight Special, we wanted it to be down to earth while still maintaining excellent quality. A lot of the items on the menu you eat using your hands. The sharing platters are all about having a good time with friends. It's a bit unusual for the bar food menu, but I think, why not? Why can't you have that level of skill in a small bar? Why shouldn't' you expect gourmet flavours for an affordable price? I really wanted our menu to show that bar food doesn't just have to be burgers and chips."

Try at The Midnight Special:

Berbisey Continental Sharing Platter

A taste of France on a platter, including Morbier and Comte cheese, hand prepared duck mousse, pork belly rillettes, and house-made hot pickled radish.

Croquettes

A staple bar snack of Europe, try the poached chicken and Dijon croquettes or the mushroom and onion, both served with kale chips and house-made pickles.

Drunken Eggplant

A characteristically inventive twist on a classic, smoked porter beer marinated Aubergine is then deep-fried and served with aioli.

Croque Monsieur

Based on his own grandmother's recipe for the classic French toastie, Suchaut adds smoked cheddar, truffle bechamel sauce and pickled zucchini to the mix.