Autolyse Sydney - Lower Ground, Central Park

I went to try out Autolyse today, a recently opened artisan bakery which also serves hot food. Everything on their menu is under $15 so it won't chip away too much from your wallet. I've been scrolling through countless Instagram photos of this place and was pretty excited about their Seafood Bouillabaisse ($14.90).

The Bouillabaisse itself was nice but I felt like it could have been a bit warmer. Despite that it still tasted pretty good. The broth had a rich tomato flavour with some celery and carrot pieces. There was a decent amount of seafood including mussels, prawns (large ones at that), salmon pieces and calamari rings (but unfortunately, I only got one little ring in my bowl).

All the dishes at Autolyse are served with a generous portion of their sourdough bread. It was fun just ripping through it and dipping it into the broth. I loved the crusty exterior and the bread centre was stretchy and pillowy.

The highlight however was the little serving of rouille (the small plate of orange sauce behind the baguette). Boy was that rouille amazing! Give me that by itself and the baguette and I'd be just as happy.  

Seafood bouillabaisse served with a baguette and rouille ($14.90)

My friend ordered the chicken, duck and pork sausage cassoulet ($14.90). Like my bouillabaisse she also would've preferred it a little hotter. This was a more hearty dish with plenty of meat and white beans.

I also ordered a cappuccino but since I'm not a frequent coffee drinker I'm not too sure how to comment on it.

Cappuccino ($3.50)

Autolyse also has a range of sweet pastries and cakes ($7.50 a slice) which I'd like to try next time. As well as pre-made sandwiches ($8-$9.50) for those wanting some quick lunch on the go.

Overall, my experience at Autolyse was a good one. They have a large seating area and the food came out really quickly. It's a nice place to come with a couple of friends to have a chat over lunch and coffee.