Simple, humble, unassuming. These are not words you’d use to describe Andrew Becher’s French-Mediterranean brasserie, Franca. Blue Malossol caviar tins sit neatly on the counter, while the wine list leans heavily on Burgundy, with a Romanee-Conti among the grands crus. The salon-style room is built for enjoying both, among the comfort of velvet-upholstered chairs lit by the soft glow of pleated Parisian lamps.

It’s also the kind of place where a 300-gram scotch fillet will set you back $210. The steak in question comes from a rotating list of premium producers including Rangers Valley, O’Connor and Tajima, and reflects a clientele that doesn’t blink at the expense, even if the general seasoning and care level could use more attention.

The Moreton Bay bug is a good investment, served with a soft mini-baguette to sop up warm Cafe de Paris butter: elegant, confident and unashamedly indulgent. Now that’s more like it.

Good to know: Franca has an excellent happy hour, with $5 martinis and $12 burgers available from 5pm-6pm daily.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.