Location: 500 Victoria Street North Melbourne

Contact: (03) 9329 5228

When: Tues-Sat Lunch 12-3pm, dinner 6-10pm 

Licensed

Dine-in

Pricing: Mains under $40, entrées under $20

Payment: Cash and CC

Vego barely-friendly :/

French restaurant Libertine in North Melbourne likes to squeeze as much old fashioned glamour as it can into it’s petite single-fronted fit-out. A large chandelier is hung from the ceiling, it’s light bouncing off ornate gold-framed mirrors. The little wooden tables sat snugly in rows, done up in white tablecloths and wine glasses for weekday luncheon. However the experience of being at Libertine during the day was less forgiving than on an evening, as the tiredness of the building showed more easily. Something was making a rattling noise, a dishwasher or an air-conditioner, our table had a precarious wobble and the whole building just felt as though it needed some maintenance. Nevertheless Libertine is still the sort of place where you need to use your manners; despite old jazz softly playing in background it feels as though you could give away most of your conversation unintentionally.  

So what’s for lunch then? We were saddened to find that the previous lunch and wine special no longer exists. Since the  $95 Degustation option was a little grandiose for the occasion we decided to go a la carte. All entrées were $19 and Mains were $36, with different prices again for cheese, dessert and side dishes. Every day there is a ‘changing dish for two’, which unfortunately for us cheap skates is not a two-for-one deal. We went ahead with it anyway and ordered the Pork neck, confit belly with fig sauce and roast vegetables as well as an entrée of chicken liver parfait, onion brioche and pickled carrot. 

Chicken liver parfait, onion brioche and pickled carrot $19

Our entree arrived with a generous scoop of parfait and an adorable two tone brioche adorned with a half fig, fresh garnishes and puddle of what tasted like fig jam. The sweet and gamey flavours worked really well together and the pickled carrot was a zingy finish. Shortly afterwards arrived the pork, sauce on the side with sunset-coloured autumn vegetables including baby beets and roasted chestnuts. Expecting the sauce to be sweet, I was disappointed to find that it tasted mostly of chicken stock and butter, the only hint of fig evident in its shade of burgundy. The pork was cooked perfectly but the butter in the sauce proved too rich a combination for the fatty pork belly. The vegetables, though excitingly coloured were bland and even bitter in some cases. A successful touch was the roasted chestnuts which added a smooth sweetness and texture to the vegetables. 

Pork neck and confit belly with roasted vegetables and fig sauce for two

As you would expect at a fine-dining establishment, the service was good with no hesitation to top up our water and bread rolls. We felt well looked after. If you were to stay for a drink after lunch you’d find excellent coffee by someone called Joshua Bailey. It smelled delicious but that’s as far as my experience stretches. If bring ing company to Libertine, don’t be put off by the small room, there is another one upstairs big enough for a function or large group. The uniform prices would also make it easier to decipher the group bill. If French food, particularly meat and wine is your thing then it is worth your time to visit Libertine. If not and for me personally, then their food doesn’t really justify the money handed over. Coffee and dessert however is a different story, I’m still very much interested:)

As a side note there is a handy book-online feature, exciting no?

Food: 3.5/5

Service: 4/5

Ambience: 3.5/5