If, like me, you’re always on the look out for somewhere new to hold the next girly lunch, here’s a Goddess recommendation.

Bacar, at the Pullman in Sydney Olympic Park is far enough outside the city to feel a little like an escape, but with plenty of city-slick style.

The décor is elegant, the lighting flattering and then of course, there’s the menu…

Executive chef Gary Howieson’s new menu has a great selection of creative, healthy and beautifully presented dishes.

French bubbles arrive within seconds of my taking a seat, followed closely behind by marinated olives, sourdough fresh from the oven and Pepe Saya butter.

Starters… a choice of oysters served natural, Asian-inspired with a little wakame, soy and ponzu or lightly grilled with a herb and almond crumb.

For entrée, among other delights, there is a choice of braised long leg octopus with chorizoand capsicum coulis, baby vegetable garden, grilled quail with Asian mushroom and water chestnut or seared scallops.

After agonizing over the choice between quail and scallops, I finally settle on the seared scallops served with guava gel, Serrano ham, pomegranate, goats curd, sourdough crumbs.

It looks almost too pretty to eat.

For mains, it’s a difficult choice between seared duck breast with roasted cherry tomatoes and a sherry vinaigrette, king salmon, Queensland crab croquette served with saffron aioli and tatsoi salad, riverine beef fillet with spring vegetables and foie gras butter, crispy skin barramindi with cucumber remoulade or lamb rump with lentil and garden pea fricassee.

I choose the riverine beef fillet, skordalia, spring vegetables, foie gras butter, marrow fritter and my lunch date chooses the seared duck breast with raspberry, dutch carrot, pistachio dust, spiced wine (which I get to taste).

To drink, we choose a lovely Yarra Valley Pinot Noir; Balgownie Black Label, which goes perfectly with my beef – a nice light red just right for lunch.

I’m compelled to say something about the service at Bacar, which is is flawless. Each course is served with perfect timing and we’re never out of sight of our attentive waitress and she can explain everything on the menu to us in great detail, with a lovely friendly manner.

Bacar is a great choice for a girls lunch out or night out for that matter – the perfect pre-concert dinner menu if you’re of to see some 80s revival tour at Allphones Arena. It’s a great escape from the city (although not really that far out of the city) and there is plenty of parking and public transport nearby.

This Goddess whole-heartedly approves.

For more information visit the website.