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I love everything about Bistro Guillaume in Melbourne. I love the outside of the restaurant. I love the lettering of the restaurant name on the outside. It is a fairly small gold sign with the letters of the restaurant written in cursive script cut out. So simple and yet so elegant.
Stepping inside the first thing I notice is how wonderfully warm and whimsical it all is. I love the balloon skirts on the lights made of French silk. It is so original yet fun. Then I notice the chairs with the delightful black and white French print on them. The warm colours of the room all complement each other.
The fit out for Bistro Guillaume came at a cost of $10 million so you would hope everything would work together!
My group and I are warmly greeted and ushered to our table. Once I sat in my very comfortable chair I looked up and noticed blazing Las Vegas style lights screaming at me. (This may be because the restaurant is inside Crown Casino). It was one thing I didn't like. It ruined the atmosphere of the room. They should have closed the dark coloured wooden venetian blinds.
Anyway...the sommelier came around to see what we would like to drink. My friend and I love sweet white wine and the sommelier suggested a delicious wine. He also chose a great wine for my other friend who was equally impressed.
Looking through the menu I noticed a favourite in the entree section - oysters, freshly shucked oysters with shallots and red wine vinegar. My friend
prefers Oysters Kilpatrick but they weren't on the menu.
Being the bold person that I am I asked if they could accommodate her and they certainly did. My friend was ecstatic and we were truly grateful. That is top quality service right there. The oysters were divine. They made my mouth water they were so good.
Our waiter who was an incredibly good humoured gracious young man helped us with the menu. It was mostly in French. Well it is a French restaurant.
For dinner I decided to try the Steak frites, (steak and fries) with la bordelaise sauce. I do believe I pointed to the barnaise sauce but I got la bordelaise sauce. I was a little disappointed. I also asked for the meat to be well done.
The meat came out looking well done but inside it was rare! My sister said she could still hear it mooing which was very naughty of her but I tried it and found it to be delicious. The meat was very tender.
Being Greek well done means cooked inside and out so this was new to me. I am happy to say it was delicious and the fries were French fries which were crisp and delicious as well. Most of them eaten by my sister I must say. I also loved the leaf salad on the side with lovely olive oil. It was all delicious. I was ecstatic.
My sister and her friend got the Risotto with field mushrooms and Reggiano parmesan which they said was very earthy, a little heavy but delicious. The other friend ordered the Duck confit with Brussels sprouts, speck and mustard sauce. It didn't look like a big meal but he said it was delicious and more than enough.
An order of pure de pommes de terre, mashed potatoes, and saut spinach with garlic and extra virgin olive oil was placed as well.
The potatoes were missing in action but the spinach which I love, I am serious I love spinach was delicious. It was also very garlicky.
It would have kept a vampire a million miles away. It would have also killed any germs I might have in the near future for one year at least!
I always look forward to dessert. Its hard being lactose intolerant to ever find a dessert without dairy products in it.
I decided to try the Marquis au chocolat, glaçe à la pistache which is a rich yet bitter chocolate mud cake with pistachio ice cream.
The ice cream was quite nice but the cake was incredibly bitter. I couldn't finish it.
My sister decided to try the Tarte au Citron which is a lemon citrus tart. It had such a sharp lemon taste. She couldn't finish it. I tried the crust as that is always the nicest part. It was delicious. It tasted like homemade Greek shortbread - kourabiedes.
Tarte aux fruits de saison, a tart with fruits of the season (to state the obvious!) with creamy vanilla ice cream is what my friend had. It was incredibly sharp as well. She loved it and finished it.
Philippa Sibley is the highly respected pastry chef at Bistro Guillaume who makes these treats. I think someone needs to speak to her! Less tart more sweet.
All up though this was a wonderful experience. I loved the balloon skirts on the lights, they made me smile every time I looked at them.
The food was incredible as well. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and what I ate.
The staff were incredibly friendly, helpful and very well dressed. The atmosphere of the restaurant was so homey yet luxurious. The colours were soft and warm. (Other than the blazing Las Vegas lights that came through the shutters.)
A little side mention are the toilets. They are a wonderful space age, James Bond design from the seventies! They are incredibly spacious and original. I was absolutely intrigued by them.
Bistro Guillaume is classy, sophisticated yet warm and homey at the same time. I can't help but smile. It is absolutely delightful.
I loved this restaurant and am sure to return and soon too!
Article by Sia.
Thanks To : French Books Willow Palin http://t20talk.com/adampassmore/
