This is article is sponsored by Crown Melbourne.
“You have to have them with a glass of Sancerre, a piece of baguette and some good butter,” says Guillaume Brahimi on the matter of oysters. Specifically, the oysters at Melbourne’s Bistro Guillaume, the flagship of Brahmini’s eponymous bistros.
We may be some 16,000 kilometres from his favoured Parisian seafood haunt, L’Avant Comptoir de la Mer, but you get the sense that he’s bottled some of that Gallic charm and reverence for mollusks and transported it back to Southbank, straight to the top of his à la carte menu.
Oysters at Bistro Guillaume.
Under his counsel, the twice-baked Roquefort soufflé should follow next. “Be sure to eat with a little bit of the in-house smoked salmon and a toasted brioche,” he advises. Yes, chef.
Moving on to mains Brahimi finds it hard to overlook a roast chook, especially when it’s accompanied by Paris mash and a tarragon jus.
The French-born chef has been vocal about his love for the humble dish, even going so far as calling it his “security blanket” after a bad day at school. Diners will be pleased to hear that this iteration boasts a similar sense of comforting familiarity that a young Guillaume found in the dish, teamed with an elevated richness in flavour (let’s call it je ne sais quois) that you’re unlikely to master at home.
Of course, it would be remiss of Brahimi not to mention another signature main. “You know, the DNA of a bistro has to be a steak frites with béarnaise sauce,” he says.
In true French spirit, Brahimi believes dessert is all about abundance and never to be missed.
His current favourite? “The Poire belle Hélène; poached pear with a warm chocolate sauce and vanilla bean ice-cream. It’s a French classic,” he attests.
But wait, there’s more. “I also love the lemon tart, the sorbet, the crème brûlée and the cheese selection.”
So there you have it; the lowdown on what to order at Bistro Guillaume from the man behind the menu.
The sweet spot: Rhubarb Crème Brûlée at Bistro Guillaume.
Bistro Guillaume. Crown Melbourne, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank, Vic, (03) 9292 5777, crownmelbourne.com.au
