Bistro Guillaume (Return Visit)

6th April 2012

Before catching a flight up to Brisbane to catch up with the family over Easter, i headed into the city early before catching Sky bus to the airport. However forgetting that on Good Friday everything pretty much shuts down left me with little to do. So after looking at a couple of restaurants that i still hadn't been to yet (which were also not open), i decided to go back to a restaurant i had previously visited, Bistro Guillaume.

Located in crown, i knew that it would be open and had one of my favourite deserts from my lists (raspberry macaroon). The restaurant was fairly full despite the day and time and always seems to have a flow of people in the restaurant. After being seated i choose a Kronenborg on tap without seeing the wine list. The menu had a selection of 15 or so wines by the glass of good quality.

After being served the beer, i also received some amazing french bread served warm with a crunchy outside and soft inside and served with rich french butter and rock salt. Excellent quality.

For main course (no entree) i went with the Berkshire pork belly with lentils and tarragon vinaigrette. A big single slab of perfectly cooked pork belly with a reasonably crispy top and great flavour. Combined with the well cooked lentils and the tarragon vinaigrette provided a strong contrast to the pork belly. Accompanied with a side of fries (which i was advised i would need but probably didn't) that were crisp and very good quality.

For desert they didn't have the raspberry macaroon on the menu (i would assume it would be seasonal) so i went with the chocolate delice with hazelnut praline and coffee ice cream. The delice was good with a chocolate brownie base, chocolate mousse middle and a chocolate glaze on top. Topped with sprinklings of crush hazelnut praline and the rich coffee ice cream. Quality desert and technically perfect even if it wasn't at the heights of my preferred desert.

Again perfectly executed, assured and confident french cooking. Great dishes and very sizable portions and value with mains at low $30s and deserts at $15. I enjoyed my second visit to Bistro Guillaume nearly as much as my first.