HOT: Bouzy Rouge, 470 Bridge Rd, Richmond

I often get asked to recommend good restaurants for group bookings and now I?ve found another one to add to the list ? Bouzy Rouge.

On a Saturday afternoon thirty or so women descended on Bouzy Rouge?s private room to celebrate a friend?s hens lunch. As I didn?t know the majority of the guests I felt a bit embarrassed taking photos of the overblown French boudoir – think animal print, chandeliers curtains, Venetian mirrors – so let?s just say it was colourful and fun.

For $65 a head (without wine, $80 with wine) we shared a huge amount of Mediterranean dishes. I liked the fact that everything was shared from big plates as it encouraged lots of conversation.

To start, charcuterie plate of house prepared meats, some tender lightly-dusted calamari, a traditional salad of roasted peppers, mozzarella and basil and king prawns.

For mains we shared platters of roast beef with a creamy garlic and rosemary sauce (overcooked for me, but you’ve got to cater for those ‘well done’ eaters I s’pose), wet roasted veal treated like a Morrocan tagine and snapper fillets with hollandaise sauce, all accompanied by crunchy roast potatoes and salad on the side.

Practically crawling under the table, I gamely powered onto the churros ? I can never resist fried dough and chocolate. They were worth it, deliciously light inside and not oily or overfried on the outside. To counter the richness, a simple cleansing fruit salad of strawberries, orange segments and mint.

Throughout the meal the service was friendly and attentive even though we were upstairs away from the main dining room. I think Bouzy Rouge is an ideal location for a private event – good food, good service, comfortable surroundings. Just add good friends.