Brisbane restaurants: Madame Rouge Bar+Bistro closes suddenly

ONE of Brisbane’s best-known French restaurants has closed its doors unexpectedly, the owner citing a need for work-life balance.

Madame Rouge Bar+Bistro in Fortitude Valley

ONE of Brisbane’s best-known French restaurants has closed its doors unexpectedly.

Fortitude Valley’s Madame Rouge Bar+Bistro today announced it had completed its last dinner service, with owner Mary Randles — the partner of well-known Brisbane chef and E’cco owner Philip Johnson — deciding not to renew the restaurant’s lease.

“I struggled to manage my work-life balance while running two restaurants,” Ms Randles told The Courier-Mail.

“Also, recently I’ve have had some close friends suffer from stress-related health issues, which made me decide health and wellbeing come first.”

Madame Rouge Bar+Bistro in Fortitude Valley

The restaurant had been open less than two years, going into a site on McLachlan St that has seen many restaurants and bars come and go including Gordita, Papa Jack’s, Locanda Osteria and Mighty Mighty.

Boasting a lavish fit-out and traditional bistro-style food, the eatery had received acclaim from restaurant critics and the public alike, even ranking in last year’s delicious. 100, which highlighted Queensland’s top 100 restaurants.

Ms Randles said she would now focus her attention on E’cco at Newstead, with many of the Madame Rouge staff moving across to the Modern Australian restaurant.

“We are opening a 55-seat outdoor area which will be a completely different concept by E’cco,” she said.

She is keeping mum on the exact details of the new project for now, but said she would reveal details soon.

Mary Randles with partner Philip Johnson