Bistro Guillaume

By Franz Scheurer

Guillaume Brahimi was the first chef who made the restaurant in the Opera House in Sydney work and he is also the first chef to bring a real French bistro to Melbourne. Located inside the huge Crown Entertainment complex, Bistro Guillaume is quintessentially French with a Melbourne accent, and it is easy to get to and, on a sunny day, the perfect spot to enjoy a meal and a glass of wine on one of the outside tables, on a terrace overlooking the Yarra River.

When you walk into the bistro you are transported halfway around the world, greeted with a French accent and guided to your table or the bar if you are in need of a pre-dinner pastis of Dubonnet. The menu is small and concise with a couple of daily specials and the wine list very much follows the same formula. I love the availability of all wines by the glass; there should be more of it! Guillaume Brahimi is a brilliant chef and this shows in the apparent simplicity of the typical bistro fare. Simple is hard to do and he does it with aplomb. I love the fact that there is a Plat-Du-Jour every day (and they re open 7 days a week) so if you’re in a hurry they can accommodate you easily.

Start with an onion soup or maybe a charcuterie plate. Personally I find it hard to go past the superb Steak Tartare, served with Pommes Gaufrettes and I am delighted to see a bottle of Tabasco on every table. If you’re into ‘healthy eating’ you might want to try one of the salads, although the one I love best, Frisée Salad with Lardons, a Poached Egg and Brioche, is probably not perfectly qualified for the healthy tag. When we were there last week, one of the daily specials was a slow-cooked lamb shoulder, which was simply gorgeous and everyone loved Half a Roasted Chicken with Paris Mash and Chicken Jus. Portions are generous and if you can’t resist, there is always extra Paris mash or a lovely Gratin Dauphinois. Mind you, I suggest you leave enough room for dessert as Crème Brûlée, Lemon Tart, Profiteroles with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Warm Chocolate Sauce or Tarte Tatin with Cinnamon Ice Cream make it hard to choose as they are all excellent; thankfully we managed to get one off each as there were four of us.

I can recommend the 2009 Gerard Boulay Sancerre or 2010 Mayer Pinot Noir, both superb wines at most affordable prices.

Bistro Guillaume impresses me with its easy going, laid-back attitude, affable service, great food and fabulous value for money. It’s a great addition to Crown and to Melbourne.

Score: 7.5/10

For more information or bookings:

Bistro Guillaume

03 9292 4751 or email reservations@bistroguillaume.com.au