Welcome to Melbourne Foodie. The blogspace of a 21 year old foodie with a passion for fine dining and quality food and produce.
Melbourne Foodie is my way of expressing and recording some of the experiences I have had for others to enjoy. I always welcome any feedback,
comments or restaurant suggestions you may have and would love to hear from you soon.
MUST TRY SOON: Church St Enoteca, Da Noi, Tetsuya's (Sydney).
RESTAURANT OF THE MOMENT: Rockpool Bar & Grill
BLOG OF THE MONTH: 1001 Dinners: Simple reviews, hundreds of restaurants
Happy eating,
Jon!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Bistro Guillaume: dinner @ the bar
A few weeks back I decided to hit the city with friends Robert and Kat. Originally planning on having dinner at GA&S we didn't feel like waiting around, so strolled along the riverfront looking for other options. Rockpool was one possibility but it was also full so I decided that the Bistro Guillaume bar might be nice, so off we went occupying one of their snazzy leather booths. I won't go on much further about the setting as I have already reviewed the restaurant and bar before, but its just so well fit out and comfortable. Yes, its dark but its intimate, with soft lighting, wood tones and mood music. Its definitely the sort of place you could relax in all night, and the fact that the full menu is available is definitely a positive.
We begin the evening with some cocktails, which are good, but not in a league of their own. For great coktails (and food) I think Longrain is definitely a standout.
I order the Gin Sin, which is rather fruity and does not kick a punch at all. The other two cocktails, the names of which I cannot recall were significantly better with more dimensions and creativity.
For food we start off with some of the tapas to share, going for the six choice option ($33): choosing two plump oysters with a shallot and red wine vinegar, a double serve of the excellent house smoked salmon with creme fraiche and toasted brioche, a double serve of the steak tartare, which is spicy and well seasoned, but not as fine as that which I sampled on my last visit; and finally the rabbit terrine, which is not really a terrine at all, but more of a chunky pate that is really not that good on its own, lacking the sweet mango chutney, which accompanied it so well on my last visit.
For mains I simply cannot go past the now famous Bistro Guillaume fish and chips - whole whiting with pommes Pont-Neuf and beurre maitre d'hotel ($45): This is quite possibly Melbourne's best whole fish. Others have spoke about overly thick crumbing in the opening weeks. This one has a very light crumb layer and is cooked perfectly. The resulting flesh is super tender and breaking away and the accompanying maitre d'hotel butter absolutely delightful - the herbs and garlic complimenting the fish perfectly. The pedestal of fat chips were also good, but lacked the crunch and flavour of those from Bistro Vue. The fish though made up for it. I can tell you that there wasn't much left on the plate after I had dissected it from every angle, determined to get value. After all this was a $45 fish. And a glass of wine from the uber expensive list set me back another $20.
Duck confit with Brussels sprouts, speck and mustard sauce ($35): Kat's dish. A well cooked leg of duck sits atop a creamy concoction of brussels sprouts and speck. The duck has been confit perfectly and falls right off the bone. As a dish it seems very good: but probably no better than you would get at other restaurants of this level.
Steak frites, sauce a la bordelaise ($35): Again, good steak, cooked well with a nice sauce. Its tender and everything you expect a steak to be. Robert proclaimed that it was one of the best steaks he had eaten. I probably wouldn't go that far. The accompanying frites were rather average: still unsure as to whether they were freshly cut or frozen.
Desserts were omitted, opting for gelato later in the evening.
Overall Bistro Guillaume provides an excellent dining experience and I particularly love the atmosphere of the bar. Service was once again fairly slick and it was difficult to find too much fault with the evening.
MY RATING: 17.5/20 - Food: 8.5/10 Service: 4/5 Ambience-bar: 5/5 (My view may be biased, but I just love the bar setting)
www.bistroguillaume.com.au
Bistro Guillaume has also been reviewed by Melbourne Foodie here and here
We begin the evening with some cocktails, which are good, but not in a league of their own. For great coktails (and food) I think Longrain is definitely a standout.
I order the Gin Sin, which is rather fruity and does not kick a punch at all. The other two cocktails, the names of which I cannot recall were significantly better with more dimensions and creativity.
For food we start off with some of the tapas to share, going for the six choice option ($33): choosing two plump oysters with a shallot and red wine vinegar, a double serve of the excellent house smoked salmon with creme fraiche and toasted brioche, a double serve of the steak tartare, which is spicy and well seasoned, but not as fine as that which I sampled on my last visit; and finally the rabbit terrine, which is not really a terrine at all, but more of a chunky pate that is really not that good on its own, lacking the sweet mango chutney, which accompanied it so well on my last visit.
For mains I simply cannot go past the now famous Bistro Guillaume fish and chips - whole whiting with pommes Pont-Neuf and beurre maitre d'hotel ($45): This is quite possibly Melbourne's best whole fish. Others have spoke about overly thick crumbing in the opening weeks. This one has a very light crumb layer and is cooked perfectly. The resulting flesh is super tender and breaking away and the accompanying maitre d'hotel butter absolutely delightful - the herbs and garlic complimenting the fish perfectly. The pedestal of fat chips were also good, but lacked the crunch and flavour of those from Bistro Vue. The fish though made up for it. I can tell you that there wasn't much left on the plate after I had dissected it from every angle, determined to get value. After all this was a $45 fish. And a glass of wine from the uber expensive list set me back another $20.
Duck confit with Brussels sprouts, speck and mustard sauce ($35): Kat's dish. A well cooked leg of duck sits atop a creamy concoction of brussels sprouts and speck. The duck has been confit perfectly and falls right off the bone. As a dish it seems very good: but probably no better than you would get at other restaurants of this level.
Steak frites, sauce a la bordelaise ($35): Again, good steak, cooked well with a nice sauce. Its tender and everything you expect a steak to be. Robert proclaimed that it was one of the best steaks he had eaten. I probably wouldn't go that far. The accompanying frites were rather average: still unsure as to whether they were freshly cut or frozen.
Desserts were omitted, opting for gelato later in the evening.
Overall Bistro Guillaume provides an excellent dining experience and I particularly love the atmosphere of the bar. Service was once again fairly slick and it was difficult to find too much fault with the evening.
MY RATING: 17.5/20 - Food: 8.5/10 Service: 4/5 Ambience-bar: 5/5 (My view may be biased, but I just love the bar setting)
www.bistroguillaume.com.au
Bistro Guillaume has also been reviewed by Melbourne Foodie here and here
Labels: Bistro Guillaume, REVIEWS: Fine Dining
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Bistro Guillaume (the bar)
Tonight I decided to re-visit Bistro Guillaume. Unable to get a booking in the restaurant proper I decided to eat downstairs in the bar/ lounge. I must admit that I found the downstairs setting sensational. Its dark with tall lamps and soft mood lighting. Decked out with black walls and timber panels, plush leather booths and lounges: its uber comfortable and gorgeous. I personally prefer it greatly to the main dining room.
In the bar patrons have the option of ordering from the full a la carte menu or a more limited bar tapas menu. I choose the latter option and sample all of the items on offer. You can choose 4, 6 or 8 items) at $22, $33 or $44 respectively, which is reasonable value for the outstanding quality of food you consequently receive.
After a modest wait everything is brought out on a large platter, and the food really is excellent. Clockwise from the top are: In house smoked salmon on an excellent toasted brioche, a quinelle of rabbit meat with mango chutney (a substitution for the terrine du jour), Beetroot with fresh goat's cheese and a cumin vinaigrette, Steak tartare, Two freshly shucked Tasmanian oysters with shallots and red wine vinegar, Mini blue swimmer crabmeat and coriander mayonnaise sandwiches, Chicken and duck foie gras parfait with sauterne jelly and Jamon Iberico and toasted sourdough bruschetta.
Everything was enjoyed but my standout would have to be the chicken and duck foie gras parfait which was incredibly indulgent; the creaminess of the parfait complimenting the sweetness of the jelly so perfectly. The little bruschetta of jamon and pickled vegetables was amongst the best I have tasted; and the steak tartare was almost as good as it gets finished so beautifully with two perfect potato crisps.
Service throughout my sitting was strong. There was never a moment where drinks needed re-filling and the staff seem to have seamlessly settled in to the environment.
I can strongly recommend the bar at Bistro Guillaume in its ownright. It is the perfect setting for a comfortable evening of cocktail sipping. The sort of place where you could sit down for a drink and easily stay all night nibbling on the tapas, or staying on for a full meal. Some may find the space too dark but for me it is perfect - check it out now while you can. Highly Recommended.
MY RATING: 17/20 - Tapas 8/10 Ambience (bar) 5/5 Service 4/5
The Bistro Guillaume restaurant has also been reviewed by Melbourne Foodie here
In the bar patrons have the option of ordering from the full a la carte menu or a more limited bar tapas menu. I choose the latter option and sample all of the items on offer. You can choose 4, 6 or 8 items) at $22, $33 or $44 respectively, which is reasonable value for the outstanding quality of food you consequently receive.
After a modest wait everything is brought out on a large platter, and the food really is excellent. Clockwise from the top are: In house smoked salmon on an excellent toasted brioche, a quinelle of rabbit meat with mango chutney (a substitution for the terrine du jour), Beetroot with fresh goat's cheese and a cumin vinaigrette, Steak tartare, Two freshly shucked Tasmanian oysters with shallots and red wine vinegar, Mini blue swimmer crabmeat and coriander mayonnaise sandwiches, Chicken and duck foie gras parfait with sauterne jelly and Jamon Iberico and toasted sourdough bruschetta.
Everything was enjoyed but my standout would have to be the chicken and duck foie gras parfait which was incredibly indulgent; the creaminess of the parfait complimenting the sweetness of the jelly so perfectly. The little bruschetta of jamon and pickled vegetables was amongst the best I have tasted; and the steak tartare was almost as good as it gets finished so beautifully with two perfect potato crisps.
Service throughout my sitting was strong. There was never a moment where drinks needed re-filling and the staff seem to have seamlessly settled in to the environment.
I can strongly recommend the bar at Bistro Guillaume in its ownright. It is the perfect setting for a comfortable evening of cocktail sipping. The sort of place where you could sit down for a drink and easily stay all night nibbling on the tapas, or staying on for a full meal. Some may find the space too dark but for me it is perfect - check it out now while you can. Highly Recommended.
MY RATING: 17/20 - Tapas 8/10 Ambience (bar) 5/5 Service 4/5
The Bistro Guillaume restaurant has also been reviewed by Melbourne Foodie here
Labels: Bistro Guillaume, REVIEWS: Fine Dining
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Bistro Guillaume (Crown, Southbank)
Finally!!! Its been a long wait for Melbourne food lovers, but the much hyped Bistro Guilaume opened its doors to the Melbourne dining public this Tuesday. I have been waiting eagerly for the restaurant to open and with much anticipation booked myself in early, for dinner on Thursday night. I can gladly report that the experience was a good one, though as its name suggests it is high quality bistro food, much like Bistro Vue, in contrast to the three hat food that Brahimi serves up at his signature Sydney restaurant. Prices are fairly expensive though, particularly the desserts, but I guess this is to be expected with someone like Philippa Sibley (ex-Circa) taking the reigns as pastry chef.
Bistro Guillaume is located riverside at Crown, neighbouring Rockpool. It occupies the space which was formerly Prada, and its fit out (costing a whopping $10 million) is about style and opulence. The entry point is simple, but classy; a small sign on the exterior pointing to what lies inside.
Service is strong from the moment you arrive with a door attendant welcoming you and the friendly staff showing you to your seat. I am seated at the rear of the restaurant, along a wall, which has the disadvantage of being uncomfortable as your arm leans against it. I think banquette seating along the walls would possibly have been a better choice. The room is decorated nicely with a French bistro theme throughout. Padded chairs (worth a grand each), fluffy light fittings and lots of cream colours and wood finishes throughout. Tables are also dreseed with thick patterned white linen and set with quality sant andrea cuttlery, laguiole steak knives and good stemware. Great sums of money have been invested throughout. As well as the restaurant proper there is also a bar down stairs, which I cannot comment on as I did not enter.
Things start off with bread; a crusty baguette slice, which is served without any butter or oil, until it is later requested. My waitress is keen to tell me about many of the dishes on the menu including the plats du jour, which I consequently order and is always friendly and eager to try and help. Most of the staff seem fairly enthusiastic though some lack finesse. The gentleman taking my dessert order seemed to lack any knowledge. Tell me about the tarts - well one is raspberry and the other is peach. I could tell you that the raspberry tart is an individual, round frangipane tart, encased in a perfect shortcrust pastry topped with fresh raspberries and sided by a quinelle of house made pistachio ice-cream. Surely that sought of a description is not too difficult. Most of the others I encountered were more knowledgeable however, though something I witnessed did disturb me greatly. The maitre'd screaming at a young waitress: "what the hell are you doing, put that back right now" as she had removed both table cloths when resetting a table. Surely this could have been done much more discreetly with an offer to assist, rather than yelling at her and storming off. Enough said about these matters though, here is my summary of the food.
terrine du jour - rabbit ($22): An excellent terrine, constructed with confit rabbit meat, stock and tarragon, a dominant ingredient in the food here. The terrine is sided by an excellent spiced plum chutney, a herb salad and some toasted croutons. A very good starter, the sweetness of the chutney melding perfectly with the rabbit. The seasoning throughout is spot-on.
Roasted Flinders Island Lamb - Thursday's plat du jour ($38): Chef buys the whole lamb I am told - the leg is used for another dish and the remaining meat (chefs choice), is used to create this excellent dish. Here we have perfectly roasted lamb loin cooked to medium rare alongside slow roasted shoulder mear, which is cooked to tender perfection. The accompaniments are a tombe of sauteed olives, garlic, cherry tomatoes and green beans. All perfect flavours, the plate finished with an exceptional, light veal and tarragon jus. I really enjoyed this dish, and once again the seasoning was just right.
Gratin Dauphinois ($8): A good, creamy potato gratin. Just one of the available sides.
Seasonal tart - raspberry ($22): A very good tart with a perfect shortcrust shell, filled with a light frangipane filling (an almond cream mix) and finished with fresh raspberries. It is sided by a quinelle of very good pistachio ice cream and is an enjoyable, albeit fairly expensive end to the meal. I mention this mainly because other restaurants in this class, eg. Bistro Vue can offer excellent desserts of a similar quality for around $12.
Extras at Bistro Guillaume are expensive - Sparkling water (Santa Vittoria) is $10 for a 750ml bottle and coffee is $5 without petit fours - ouch!
MY RATING: 16.5/20 - Food 8.5/10 Service 4/5 Ambience 4/5
Bistro Guillaume is a welcome addition to the Melbourne dining scene. I look forward to tracking its progress in the near future. Highly Recommended!
Now I just have to try out Melbourne's other hot new restaurant, also at Crown: Guiseppe Arnaldo and sons. Hopefully next week.
www.bistroguillaume.com.au
Bistro Guillaume is located riverside at Crown, neighbouring Rockpool. It occupies the space which was formerly Prada, and its fit out (costing a whopping $10 million) is about style and opulence. The entry point is simple, but classy; a small sign on the exterior pointing to what lies inside.
Service is strong from the moment you arrive with a door attendant welcoming you and the friendly staff showing you to your seat. I am seated at the rear of the restaurant, along a wall, which has the disadvantage of being uncomfortable as your arm leans against it. I think banquette seating along the walls would possibly have been a better choice. The room is decorated nicely with a French bistro theme throughout. Padded chairs (worth a grand each), fluffy light fittings and lots of cream colours and wood finishes throughout. Tables are also dreseed with thick patterned white linen and set with quality sant andrea cuttlery, laguiole steak knives and good stemware. Great sums of money have been invested throughout. As well as the restaurant proper there is also a bar down stairs, which I cannot comment on as I did not enter.
Things start off with bread; a crusty baguette slice, which is served without any butter or oil, until it is later requested. My waitress is keen to tell me about many of the dishes on the menu including the plats du jour, which I consequently order and is always friendly and eager to try and help. Most of the staff seem fairly enthusiastic though some lack finesse. The gentleman taking my dessert order seemed to lack any knowledge. Tell me about the tarts - well one is raspberry and the other is peach. I could tell you that the raspberry tart is an individual, round frangipane tart, encased in a perfect shortcrust pastry topped with fresh raspberries and sided by a quinelle of house made pistachio ice-cream. Surely that sought of a description is not too difficult. Most of the others I encountered were more knowledgeable however, though something I witnessed did disturb me greatly. The maitre'd screaming at a young waitress: "what the hell are you doing, put that back right now" as she had removed both table cloths when resetting a table. Surely this could have been done much more discreetly with an offer to assist, rather than yelling at her and storming off. Enough said about these matters though, here is my summary of the food.
terrine du jour - rabbit ($22): An excellent terrine, constructed with confit rabbit meat, stock and tarragon, a dominant ingredient in the food here. The terrine is sided by an excellent spiced plum chutney, a herb salad and some toasted croutons. A very good starter, the sweetness of the chutney melding perfectly with the rabbit. The seasoning throughout is spot-on.
Roasted Flinders Island Lamb - Thursday's plat du jour ($38): Chef buys the whole lamb I am told - the leg is used for another dish and the remaining meat (chefs choice), is used to create this excellent dish. Here we have perfectly roasted lamb loin cooked to medium rare alongside slow roasted shoulder mear, which is cooked to tender perfection. The accompaniments are a tombe of sauteed olives, garlic, cherry tomatoes and green beans. All perfect flavours, the plate finished with an exceptional, light veal and tarragon jus. I really enjoyed this dish, and once again the seasoning was just right.
Gratin Dauphinois ($8): A good, creamy potato gratin. Just one of the available sides.
Seasonal tart - raspberry ($22): A very good tart with a perfect shortcrust shell, filled with a light frangipane filling (an almond cream mix) and finished with fresh raspberries. It is sided by a quinelle of very good pistachio ice cream and is an enjoyable, albeit fairly expensive end to the meal. I mention this mainly because other restaurants in this class, eg. Bistro Vue can offer excellent desserts of a similar quality for around $12.
Extras at Bistro Guillaume are expensive - Sparkling water (Santa Vittoria) is $10 for a 750ml bottle and coffee is $5 without petit fours - ouch!
MY RATING: 16.5/20 - Food 8.5/10 Service 4/5 Ambience 4/5
Bistro Guillaume is a welcome addition to the Melbourne dining scene. I look forward to tracking its progress in the near future. Highly Recommended!
Now I just have to try out Melbourne's other hot new restaurant, also at Crown: Guiseppe Arnaldo and sons. Hopefully next week.
www.bistroguillaume.com.au
Labels: Bistro Guillaume, REVIEWS: Fine Dining
