The Gordon Ramsay deal is still in it’s early days. At least that’s the Crown Casino corporate line. For the moment Bistro Guillaume is the final jewel in the crown up with (in reverse order of opening) Giuseppe, Arnaldo & Sons, Nobu and Rockpool Bar and Grill.
Inevitably Ramsay stomping into Melbourne means that somebody, probably another restaurant, has to be kicked out of Crown to make way. Now there are two French places only separated only by Nobu and the difference between a brasserie (by Philippe Mouchel), a bistro and the prices charged.
I wonder where that leaves Phillippe Mouchel a disciple of Paul Bocuse?
On the ‘phone last week Crown’s official spokesman last week wouldn’t be drawn.
But enough speculation. This is about Guillaume Brahimi, from the Joel Robuchon corner, and his new bistro which is considerably posher than it’s name suggests.
If you don’t know Brahimi you should. Le coq sportif, rugby mainly, I think I first ate his food at Quay in Sydney. I was with a couple of feminists from Saatchi and Saatchi and we “had to eat” the Joel Robuchon mashed potato, my first attempt in Australia, an exercise as much about carbs as butter.
Guillaume at Bennelong, his Sydney restaurant, is inside the most famous Australian icon of them all, the Opera House. And despite the location and the view, the food is exceptional, as are the prices.
Back in Melbourne, the new restaurant, Bistro Guillaume is beautiful. It looks French, Parisian, and at night with my glasses off I could even imagine the the little brown creek known as the Yarra to be the Seine. Well, that may be pushing it a bit but I could have been in France.
The detail in the finishes at Guillaume is extraordinary, everything including the marble being proper and solid. The floors are wooden of the French herringbone design. Dividing the main diner are a curious and elegant marble and wood bar supporting a lamp with old-fashioned woven style wiring in red. The ceiling lights are shading by these wonderful puff ball style pantaloons.
I like it a lot. But as Jak, who some readers will be relieved doesn’t have the salty language of my other dining partner, keeps reminding me, the prices are restaurant rather than bistro. The Herald Sun tells us Guillaume has invested $250,000 of his own money in wine (one bottle worth near $9,000) and another $140,000 on chairs.
And the food and wine?
French classics and I love them. Coming from the UK, my holidays were spent in France or I travelled there for business or love – Paris (she was in Montparnasse), Brittany, Normandy, Loire Valley, once tortured by Catholic monks somewhere south of Orleans (education my parents thought) and later the south (work) and the Savoie (for the pleasure of ski-ing to a good meal).
The point is French food is probably my biggest cultural food reference point. While my mates were at the soccer, I was hanging out at Le Gavroche, Le Boulestin, L’Escargot, La Tante Claire and several dozen other French restaurants.
So I couldn’t resist the Hunter Valley snails at $21 for six. On an elegant frosted platter they were tender with beurre persillé – parsley butter. Jak went for the plate of Guillaume’s crudités. Lesser restaurants often present a plate of raw vegetables with a couple of dips. Here classics are elegantly crafted. A balanced celeriac rémoulade sits firmly on a slice of toast. Sauce Gribiche sits atop tender young leeks. Properly ripe tomato slices sit a top similarly ripe slice of avocado. And finally a few baby herbs are tangled with chunks of beetroot, croutons and goat’s curd.
I am boring perhaps but I went for the steak frites with a béarnaise at $35. It was just what I expected and cooked perfectly.
Jak chose what must be the most expensive fish and chips in Melbourne at $45, a sculptural whole deboned whiting supported by a thick scaffold of pommes Pont-Neuf, basically railway sleeper like chips cooked in goose fat.
Although I love string-like fries I wouldn’t have minded some of these with my steak, tasting of real fresh spuds. This is a rarity nowadays although I do wonder if they could have been a little more crisp.
Finally there was a thick slice of lemon tart. The balance of sweet and citrus as it should and the pastry properly cooked, brown and toasty to taste. I defy you to find a better example in Melbourne.
We drank wines by the glass and I didn’t skimp on cost although two champagnes were complimentary after we pointed out they weren’t on the bill. Guillaume, who was chatting with Neil Perry on this first night, offered us another glass and an Armanac after we’d paid and it seemed impolite to refuse. To make up for it we left a hefty tip.
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{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
My brain in impressed and drooling…that fish is going to haunt me until I eat it.
That method of boning the fish is quite popular in Phnom Penh – it’s a hell of a neat trick, especially when you’re serving it with a chunky sauce and doing the boning with a meat cleaver – although in Cambodia it rarely hits the US$5 mark.
I’m beginning to wonder if the fancy dining at Crown will go the same way as their luxe boutiques: downhill because there isn’t a large enough market here to support them in perpetuity.
I think there will always be a market for this sort of dining at Crown, whether it be local foodies, business folk, travellers or high rollers.
Nice write up Ed. I really enjoyed the food as well, but must agree with Jak that it is expensive for bistro faire – $22 for that slice of tart is notably hefty. I will be back again soon for the snails and that fish.
Jon
(Melbourne Foodie)
I’ve been waiting for this one Ed, thanks for the write up.
I’m planning on heading there this weekend, hoping for some classic bistro food, yet this doesn’t ‘look’ classic bistro to me. Reading the menu online it seems right, perhaps its just the image of the fish that has thrown me…
A visit will hopefully sort this all out in my mind, yet I don’t get the feeling from you Ed that you loved it?
Jack
Jess, it’s certainly impressive looking.
Phil, I’d love to see them do it, bone it – would make a great Vodcast. I think the boutiques were just in the wrong place and the wrong thing. The casino formula for food has worked elsewhere and their setup has been somewhat subsidised, this particular one to the tune of $10 million.
Jon, each dish is a few dollars more than Phillipe Mouchel. Both are probably just as good, Mouchel not a flash perhaps.
Jack, I love the fitout and love the food. Craig the manager looked after us and bearing in mind it was first night I didn’t want to go too over the top or be too picky about things. For instance, one waiter kept whipping empty glasses from between us which is poor training – he could have and should have either gone from my right of Jak’s left. Sorry, I didn’t get it up quicker and had to do a couple of lat minute things last week. Flower Drum to come…Nest…
Jack, I should add those most of the dishes seemd classic apart from the fishy twist. I think the attention to detail that you would expect brings it a notch above many of the suburban but also much cheaper options.
Thanks Ed.
I’m looking forward to dining there, but I don’t think the fish is for me. I feel scared just looking at it… very Danien Hirst like!
Jack
the food looks sensational Ed!
pricey, but if I’m paying that money I want to see stuff I can’t or can’t be bothered doing – and that fish is something!
Everyone, you know the thing I meant to say but forgot because we didn’t eat it. He does a whole roast Barossa chook. I like the idea of that because if I was travelling and staying in the hotel I’d fancy a roast chicken. The price? $90 (for two).
Interesting about the comparison with Phillipe Mouchel – I had lunch there today and had one of the best meals ever. Will post it soon – I think Phillipe’s food edges over what I tried here. Its “brasserie” style but is classy and refined and a different style. I loved the meal at Bistro Guillaume though, and look forward to trying more of the menu. The suggestion that Phillipe Mouchel be booted is ludicrous. Its certainly one of the best restaurants at Crown, and definitely the best Crown owned restaurant.
I haven’t been there for a few years but the food is very refined and good and slightly cheaper. It’s idle speculation based on something i was talking about with an industry person last week as Phillipe’s a bit overshadowed by the new ones. I quite fancy doing a survey on all the Frenchies in town.
Another great review Ed. Crown is really starting to be a hub for fancy restaurants. I too don’t know whether it can support so many expensive restaurants. Only time will tell.
I recently dined at Rockpool and that was almost the perfect meal. I didn’t have any problems with the service which some other diners had written about on their blogs. Now I also have to add A,G&S and Bistro Guillaume onto my Crown dining list with Nobu.
I thought Phillipe Mouchel’s was fantastic already. So if this place is even better, I can only imagine what it will be like.
G’day Ed, Thanks for the review & I know I’m a little late for the comments but I thought I’d chip in, better late than never.
With this place openeing it sounds like Crown is reaching critical mass with its restaurant offer now. If the rumours are true about a Ramsay restaurant also(or am I the only one to get sucked in?) how far can they go?
I dont mind being with the skeptics in this instance suggesting that perhaps this level of offer will be indcredibly hard to sustain. Who knows perhaps there is the cashed up demographic to support all these places but I’m not convinced.
What also strikes me is the level of cost that each of these places has to spend on the fit out in order to stand out these days yet incongruously the food dosn’t seem to match. Sure, a fresh, boned, deepfried fish can be a work of art but does one need a multi million dollar fit out in which to enjoy it?
Maybe I just dont get it?
It seems that whilst these restaurants strive to go back to basics with a statement of the kitchens noble intentions to do so & thus underpinning their commitment & credibility they also seem compelled to do this in the most luxe surroundings possible which kind of negates the first intention.
Its remarkable in a time where the focus of a restaurants credentials is anchored in the provenance of its food that there is this almost antithisis attitude toward making the dining rooms as much of a statement.
Its kinda like the eighties food mags where the photo essays placed more importance on the table accoutrements than the food.
Jon, just to add I’m not sure anybody is saying that Phillips will be booted but we probably feel right now he is neglected. Sicnerely, I hope he says. I will be back but probably not that frequently because there are so many good places that aren’t in the Casino.
Thanh, Thanks. Part of the reason I probably won’t be back that ofetn is because of wallet fatigue. I sadly live on a budget and sometimes credit cards.
Gobbler, all good points. I’ve just been to what I and I think most of us prefer the new Panama Dining Room spin-off – St Jude’s cellars In Brunswick St. If you read my post on the Panama I was in awe of what a great space it was and how clever it was to do it so cheaply. The same goes for St Jude’s and now I know why and realise I’ve known the person who did it for them for a long time, Jak’s cousin David. He comes from a farm in country Vicand his mum and dad know how to live in style on a budget. He is taelnted sculptor who’s been shown in the right places and even collected by the great Julian Burnside. but he couldn’t sustain it and found himself shop fitting. he has an eye for style and detail and knows how to make it all work. i’d recomend a visitto both with their well thought out wine lists and tasty rustic food. It’s want people want at a good price. the mains at the Panama are under $25. the new place with a higher rent is a few dollars more. next time you are in town I’d recommend either for a meet up.
Grocer, sorry I meant to reply specifically. Hope the eye’s getting better. I do like thinsg that are difficult to prepare at home yet simple. the fish is that.
Hi Ed
Thanks for your very good review
I’m very late with this comment but wanted to speak from experience.
B.G. is clearly a fine addition to Melbourne French dining but it has plenty of defects which make it very expensive for what you get.
I loved the amosphere of the place – there was a sprinkling of quality suits, Melbournes’ very wealthy and A.O.’s the night we went. None of the football crowd. It is architecturally simple calm and relaxing, generally understated except for the pantaloon light shades so well shown in your photogragh.
The quality of the food was very mixed and the service very slow.
The extensive wine list has very few French wines and is very expensive.
Phillip Jones told me, yesterday, that he got $15 for a wine flogged at a restaurant for $70
I will go again some time but in all I was a bit disappointed
Elliot, our food was pretty good and I’d rank it at the top of French in Melbourne. The wine prices are crazy – there was one that I drink regularly charging almost as much for a glass as I would pay in a bottleshop. For me it is expensive and I have so many other places to try.
I would also like to eat that fish… if for no other factor than they appear to have been able to have turned the little blighter inside out… and some how keep the tail and the head on.. that cant be easy!
In thinking about ‘top of French’ I belive that we have to start being a bit more specific. No restaurant strikes me as being best at everything. Furthermore some dishes are not served at many restaurants eg quenelles
The fish at BG was outstanding but their French onion soup, for me, awful. Their steak was OK but not as good as France Soir. The venue is superior to any at present
So I can’t really vote for one top French – it depends what you want.
Sarah, I think he pulls the spine out with pliers in one action to do it.
Elliot, It’s the journalist in me wanting to create lists. Interesting that the soup was awful – its pretty basic.
I visited this restaurant twice, i called it restaurant cose it’s absolutely not a Bistrot, too much pricy and the atmospher in a Bistrot is completely different.
The Food was nice, however it very pricy for what u can get, u pay finaly more for the place and the expensive chairs… but that’s Crown.
Finally, u can find better french restaurant in Toorak, or Prahan for sure and for a better price.
And please please please ladies and gentlemens… don’t go in a french restaurant to eat a fish and chips (only 4) for 45$ that’s completely awful and very disapointed for the french i am
Bangy, I’m with you. Expensive although I’d say the food is of as high a quality – better in some cases – than others in town.
I have heard from serval sources, some inside the restaurant, who claim that several key members of staff have either left or are in the process of leaving because the maitre d’ makes the place unbearable to work. It’s a shame, that place could be great with the right staff…
I live in Southbank and dine regularly downstairs (I’m weekly at the bar at Rockpool, and love the Brasserie – both establishments with great foreign wine by the glass: important for someone like me who doesn’t drink Australian wine).
I tried the Bistro for the first time Friday night. It was nice enough, but the whole time I was thinking: this place won’t last at the prices they are charging. Their wine list in particular is dull and outrageously over-priced compared to Rockpool and Brasserie. At the latter two establishments the wine lists evidence a genuine knowledge of modern QPR French wine: Hours wine from Jurancon, Serge Dageneu Sancerre, etc – all available by the glass at ok prices. The list at BG by comparison was just cheap stuff charged at Rockpool and Brasserie prices: a fraud and a rip-off.
The food is good, but the Brasserie’s food is indeed better (I’m with Melbourne Foodie on that comparison).
Finally, I must also be the only person who thinks the decor is bland – those chairs, in particular, are uncomfortable. At bistro prices I’m happy to sit in them, but not at restaurant prices. I don’t care how much they were suckered into paying for them; knowing the price doesn’t make them more comfortable.
The service was good, but then the place was only a quarter full when I was there (albeit latish).
I think that people severely miss the point of this restaurant. It’s a traditional French bistro that is serving traditional French bistro food with no flourishes and rests solely on the quality of it’s produce. The dishes may be viewed as expensive, but they are charging what the dishes are worth. Besides, there are some great bistros in France that have high prices too.
As for the wines, I must say that as a wine reviewer that the list is impressive for a 300-bin list, but could have been stronger in Red Burgundy wines. Indeed, some of the prices they charge are absolutely ridiculous and I can find some of the bottles retailing for as much as they charge for a glass. Nevertheless, it is not crappy wine, as one person here commented. It is good wine with extremely high mark-ups.
As to the service, I thought it was lacking. We’d ask the maitre d’ a question and he would stay forever and came off as arrogant and braggish. The amount of times I had to ask for my water to be topped up was extraordinary. Our waitress was casual to the point of familiarity and looked like she didn’t do much at all. The wine service was excellent, though. Steven, I remember him from some restaurants in Sydney. I suppose when you’re paying those prices for wine, you better get some great knowledge in return.
I’m wondering if all the high rollers at Crown are the real targets for this food? I’ve heard of people flying in and gambling for a week at Crown, seeing nothing of Melbourne except the casino and its direct surrounds.
The food sounds wonderful but so pricey. Does anyone know of a good quality French bistro in Melbourne that really does have bistro prices? So far I love France Soir, and was disappointed by Aux batifolles (both the Carlton and Richmond premises).
Nous avons dine hier soir au “Bistro Guillaume” et ne pouvons nous empecher aujourd’hui d’ajouter un commentaire.
Notre reservation etait a 21h30 .L’hotesse nous accompagne a notre table, nous donne les cartes, nous demande quelle eau nous souhaitons boire, nous choisissons de l’eau gazeuse.Notre serveur, Richard, vient a notre table, se presenter et nous annoncer a la vitesse de l’eclair, les plats speciaux ne figurant pas sur le menu, et finit en nous demandant quelle eau nous souhaitons boire, nous repondons pour la seconde fois, gazeuse.
Entrees:Avant de reserver au “Bistro Guillaume”, j’avais deja choisi de gouter les escargots, en tant qu’amatrice, j’allais opter pour une douzaine a $21 annonce sur le site du restaurant.Decue de constater que sur le menu que l’on m’a donnee, la douzaine d’escargots etaient a $39 dollars, la 1/2 douzaine est a $21.Je decide de choisir les escargots, j’adore ca, autant me faire se plaisir, surtout que les critiques sont bonnes.Mon invite choisi un assortiment de charcuterie(saucisson sec, jambon de Pays, terrine maison)un special du jour.
En un temps record , un autre serveur nous apporte nos entrees (et nous redemande par la meme occasion si nous souhaitons boire de l’eau, nous lui retorquons que nous avons deja choisi de l’eau gazeuse)un plat en terre cuite rempli d’huile, de persil et d’ail ou l’on distinguait a peine les petits mollusques servi avec quelques mouillettes passees sur le grill et brulees pour certaines.Toute cette huile ne me fait pas peur et je pars a la recherche de mon mollusque adore.La deception m’empare, les escargots n’ont aucun gout et la matiere grasse m’ecoeure assez vite, le melange ail-persil m’emporte la bouche et me laisse un gout amer.Je parviens a finir mes escargots, a $39 le plat, je culpabilise d’en laisser un.Et me dit, il est bien loin le temps ou l’on reclamait davantage de pain au serveur pour ne pas laisser une goutte du delicieux beurre persille!L’assiette de charcuterie est chiche, 3 tranches de saucisson absolument pas sec, du jambon absolument trop sec, une micro quenelle de rillette facon Bordeau Chesnel sans sel et sans poivre,…restons confiants pour la suite et deux points positifs:La fameuse bouteille d’eau tant attendue fait son entree et le vin que nous avons choisi tous seuls comme des grands (puisque nous n’avons pas vu l’ombre d’un sommelier-avec une carte de vin si complete, il serait plus que necessaire d’avoir quelques recommandations, bref…)s’avere etre tres bon.Comme quoi, nous n’avions pas reellement besoin d’un specialiste.
Plats: Thon grille sur un lit de ratatouille pour moi et confit de canard et choux de Bruxelles pour mon invite.
Ma tranche de poisson est epaisse et presque crue a l’interieur, mais plutot bonne , j’aurai attendue qu’on me parle de cette cuisson particuliere , apres tout j’adore le tataki de thon, alors…La ratatouille est surprenante avec de la coriandre, je m’attendais a une version classique.
Le confit est bien cuit mais trop sale, les choux de Bruxelles, tres tendres et digestes.
Plutot decue de mon experience je souhaite en finir rapidement et de ne pas prendre de desserts.Mon invite inconditionnel de la tarte au citron veut finir sur note sucree encourageante.Il se laisse donc tenter par la tarte au citron et je choisis l’assiette de petits fours.
L’indelicate part de tarte arrive, la pate est epaisse brulee sur le dessous , insipide, la creme au beurre citronnee a fait place a une sorte de creme patissiere aromatisee au citron…nouvelle deception et la cerise sur le gateau, l’assiette de petits-fours.Un bon point pour la truffe en chocolat, un tres mauvais point pour la pseudo tuile epaisse d’un demi-centimetre et trop cuite.Ratee.Meme au Lycee Hotelier, on ne sert pas aux eleves nos essais rates.
Decus et frustres, nous decidons de parler a notre serveur.Il nous explique que le personnel est assez nouveau, que le manager n’est pas la, qu’il espere qu’on leur donnera une autre chance une autre fois, nous repondons que non.Cela ne lui fait ni chaud, ni froid, il connaissait bien son speech de justifications sur la mediocrite, c’est plutot rassurant puisqu’il devait etre prepare a le dire assez souvent.
Pour resume, on a depense $240 (incluant une bouteille de vin a $65 et l’eau a $10, reste $165 de deception)on ne peut pas dire que “Bistro Guillaume” est un restaurant “bon marche”, on ne peut pas non plus ne pas s’attendre a quelque chose de bien en venant y manger.C’est pretencieux que de servir de cette maniere des plats de cette qualite et le pire c’est quand le personnel se moque pertinement des remarques du client.Alors au “Bistro Guillaume”, non le client n’est pas Roi et la pretention a fait place a l’arrogance.
Hi Geraldine
Despite my severely limited French I get the tenor of your remarks and want to sat that I deeply regret that you had to suffer such an apalling experience in Melbourne. There are so many less pretentious, more ‘honest’ restaurants serving very good food at far more reasonable prices – and you don’t have to ask three times for water, nor pay $10/ bottle. Many people have commented to me about defects at B.G. I had intended to go there again but I have now had so many negative comments that it’s off my agenda
Thanks Elliot for your comment.You understand french very well.
You are absolutely right and I’m pretty sure that Melbourne is full of great restaurants, but I’m all the more disappointed that Bistro Guillaume is awarded “best restaurant of the Year” and icing on the cake, has two hats in the Age Good Food Guide…it’s such a shame.
Please don’t spend your money for disanchantment.
Geraldine, my French I’m afraid is in the same category as Elliott. I think the media here get aexcited over what is new. Perpahs if the The Good Food Guide’s deadlines were not so far back it may have gone to another restaurant outside the casino. I think it is a shame that casino is tending to take the limelight and when people come to Melbourne they think that that is all food is about here when there is so much more to explore. I think that perhaps us bloggers should do something about it.
Hi Geraldine,
I have often written about the biases displayed by AGF and Gourmet Traveller, which is only a pale imitation of AGF as far as Melbourne is concerned. There is NO restaurant in Gourmet Traveller that is not also in AGF and with an almost identical rating.
If Bistro G was really the best restaurant of the year it would be a sad reflection on Melbournes restaurants. It fails in so many areas. The two hats is a great promotion but give it a little time and diners will get its true measure.
We need something like the Zagat guide. Meantime I find word of mouth and consulting food blogs quite useful.
Better luck with your future culinary adventures
I booked 2 weeks in advance and was given the table right beside the kitchen door. The Maitre D is a disgrace. I was dressed in a suit and tie and my sister was also appropriately dressed. We were looked up and down as if we were hobos.
John Lethlelan did the review for Gourmet Traveller and ‘The Age’ enough said. I will try the other crown offerings before returning here.
The wine prices absurd, and my boned Chicken Supreme Duxelles had bones. Phillipa Sibbley was my main reason for going to Bistro G, and with melted ice cream with the Pears Belle Helene it confirmed that once again John Lethlelan and I are just going to have to disagree on what makes a fine dining experience.
The last place I tried on his recommendation was Bottega one of the worst dining experiences of my life, on 2 separate occasions. It wasn’t going to get my money a third time.
Bistro G got one thing right … the bread and butter.
PS Great Blog.
Giving BG a fantastic write up and two hats has been a short term favour but the place simply does not live up to expectations. If we didn’t expect so much we wouldn’t be so disappointed. After the boring Age Readers Dinner and my previous dinner BG is no longer listed for return!
Thanks Decccles, Elliot is right of course. I’d be interested to hear what went wrong at Bottega. I went there recently and although the menu was boring and the wine recommendations pedestrian the food was well prepared (apart from the paper in the flat white).