[category]
[title]
✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here.
I’m in Lane Cove on a Friday evening and the energy is infectious – kids dart across the grass, teens play a robust game of ping pong and families spill out across the dining precinct at The Canopy. I’m on the hunt for Jules on Birdwood Lane. Ta-da! Its bright yellow sign beckons.
Opened just over a year ago by husband-and-wife duo Nathan and Julie, Jules has cemented itself as a neighbourhood gem – exactly what this pocket of the Lower North Shore has been craving. Relaxed and refined, it’s the kind of place you book when you want something a little bit spesh.
The vibe
My partner and I step inside the compact bistro-like space. The open kitchen and bar is humming; Nathan is shaking drinks while Julie orchestrates the pass with quiet precision.
The crowd is a mix of modern suburbia: couples on date night, groups of friends easing into the weekend and even the odd family with kids in tow. The dim mood lighting adds to the vibe – but makes it hard to get good pics for the ‘gram. Service is friendly and efficient; our plates are whisked away and glasses are topped up seamlessly throughout the evening.
The food
Overseen by Nathan (ex-Bennelong and Bird Cow Fish) and head chef Jay (ex-Yellow and at Promenade Bondi), the menu at Jules moves from bite-sized snacks through to more substantial plates, marrying modern Australian cooking with Asian flavours.
First up, prawn toast ($13) and potato rosti ($18) – both neat rectangular bites that are utterly moreish. The prawn toast is an elevated throwback to the Chinese restaurant staple. It’s topped with minced prawns and encrusted with black and white sesame seeds for crunch; a zippy sriracha tartar on the side seals the deal. The potato rosti, deep fried golden and crisp outside while fluffy within, is crowned with a miso custard and pops of trout roe.
Next, the king prawns in XO sauce ($36). Three succulent prawns arrive with heads that beg you to suck out all the flavour, table manners be damned. Lifted by a squeeze of charred lime, the sauce is the kind I want to mop up with bread – if only we had some.
My standout dish is the crab-prawn dumplings in lobster bisque ($34). It’s a perfect example of Jules’ East-meets-West approach: the dumplings could easily be mistaken for ravioli, but their silky skins carry that rich, velvety bisque in a way that feels distinctly Asian. It’s comforting and very clever.
By now, the earlier dishes have already set a high bar, so the Angus beef striploin ($52) is the only dish that doesn’t quite hit the spot. The steak itself is cooked to a perfect medium rare, but the horseradish cream could use more oomph. Ditto for the side of parmesan truffle fries that are generously seasoned, though a little light on the truffle. A minor quibble in an otherwise stellar meal.
As our dessert arrives, I notice that every seat is taken, even the ones along the bar. Caramelised and creamy, the Basque cheesecake with macerated strawberries ($18) hits the sweet spot. The buzz in the room says it all: Jules is onto something good.
The drinks
The drinks list spans a long list of curated wines, plus beers, spirits and non-alc options. My Lychee Martini ($23) is served with three lychees speared in place of the usual olives; it’s fragrant, sweet and packs a punch. My partner drinks a James Squire pale ale ($13) while all around us glasses of red and white are being clinked in celebration.
Time Out tip
Heading to Jules on Wednesday or Thursday? Bring along a special bottle that you’ve been saving. Jules offers BYO wine for a corkage fee of $25 per bottle. And if you have a special occasion (perhaps a milestone birthday), the restaurant can be booked out.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.