Award-winning Brisbane restaurateurs open glam new French brasserie
An award-winning restaurant group, including chefs trained at a major Michelin-starred restaurant, is set to bring French food to Brisbane with a unique twist
QLD Taste
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An award-winning restaurant team, including two Michelin-trained chefs, is set to open a glam new French brasserie and bar in inner Brisbane.
The Ghanem Group, behind big name Queensland venues such as Donna Chang, Blackbird Bar and Grill and Byblos, will launch Bisou Bisou at the luxury new Hotel X in Fortitude Valley.
Positioned along Brunswick St, the restaurant (its name means kiss kiss in French) promises to deliver classic French food made lighter for the Queensland climate and demographic.
In the kitchen will be Anthony Donaldson, who is moving over from his role as head chef for the past seven at Blackbird. He previously worked at London’s Michelin-starred The Ledbury where he cooked alongside Ghanem Group’s current executive chef Jake Nicolson.
The dynamic kitchen duo has created a traditional lunch and dinner menu that runs from entrees including steak tartare and cured king salmon, to mains such as roast chicken cooked with their signature imported French rotisserie and daily specials like bouillabaisse or a cheeseburger and chips.
French favourites such as snails and frogs legs will also make the cut.
“Jake is really excited because this is the food he was brought up with working in Europe and England, so he’s excited to bring it to Brisbane but not as heavy, not as rich because of our climate,” said Ghanem Group manager Nehme Ghanem.
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The restaurant will open for breakfast, too, offering a modern menu including a couple of French treats like crepes suzette and croque monsieur; while also handling the hotel’s room service and function spaces.
Meanwhile, the bar, which takes over the entire hotel lobby, is set to become one of the hottest drinking destinations as a half way point between Howard Smith Wharves and James St.
Billed as an aperitivo bar, it will specialise in spritzes and negronis, plus French wines, alongside small bites.
“If there’s one thing COVID has taught us is that we don’t need a big, loud, massive [drinks] menu anymore,” Mr Ghanem said. “It’s just refining to something that is easily serviceable but at the same time has variety that everyone wants.”
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Both the restaurant and the bar will have a strong non-alcoholic drinks offering too, including booze-free wine, beers and cocktails. While the restaurant will feature two enomatic wine dispensers, allowing diners to try high end glasses of vino, including Grange, without needing to buy the whole bottle.
The glam restaurant, featuring whitewashed brick walls, antique glass, open kitchen and outdoor dining area with its own separate entrance off Robertson St, is set to open on February 22.
The Ghanem Group will be launching a second restaurant and rooftop bar at the hotel, with details to come in Kitchen Confidential soon.
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