Montrachet dining review: First look at reincarnated restaurant after going into voluntary administration

This lauded and loved Brisbane dining institution is back in French hands and has mercifully been brought back from the dead, but what does the reincarnation of the pinnacle of Gallic fine dining in the city look like now?

Montrachet restaurant Shop 1/30 King St, Bowen Hills. Photograph David Kelly

Crab souffle? Snails? Bouillabaisse? Never fear, these long-time customer favourites are still here at the newly rebooted Montrachet in Bowen Hills.

So too is the traditional French bistro decor of red leather upholstery, a mirror-backed bar and brass rails but not everything is as it was at the long-time French culinary outpost. Among the menu newbies are beef wellington, a roast pumpkin and mushroom pie and an alarming sounding Gallic/subtropical mash-up of passionfruit souffle with coconut sorbet and a “chilli explosion”.

Chef/owner Clement Chauvin opened the door to this third iteration of the restaurant on October 1, buying in after the business operated by Shannon Kellam was placed into voluntary administration in July.

Montrachet was opened 20 years ago by Thierry Galichet in Paddington, before Kellam bought it in 2015 and two years later moved it to King St, near the RNA Showgrounds.

Chauvin, who was born in Paris and grew up in Lyon, trained in Michelin-starred restaurants then started at the bottom again at Claridges in London under Gordon Ramsay before moving to Australia and eventually opening Les Bistronomes in Canberra, which he still owns.

Duck and foie gras terrine with pickled rhubarb. Photograph David Kelly

After opening with a set two or three-course structure, which was the case when I visited, diners can now order a la carte or choose a six-course degustation ($140).

We kick off with the complimentary excellent house-made sourdough with a small pot of smoked tomato butter and a trio of amuse-bouches. The star of the line-up is a matchbox-sized piece of grilled brioche crowned with richly delicious duck liver parfait artfully piped around little blobs of cherry gel. There’s also a puffy beetroot macaron sandwiching herbed goat’s cheese and a tartelette of smoked trout mousse topped with a thin disc of almost too intense lemon gel. These treats will still be on offer for those ordering two courses or more.

Smoked trout mousse, lemon gel. Photograph David Kelly

Confit ocean trout and scallop mousse pressed together, topped with a couple of pipis and surrounded by champagne veloute is a fine entree and the can’t-be-moved-from-the menu double-baked souffle with crabmeat and gruyere surrounded by a moat of cream bisque remains a rich, cheesy indulgence. Asparagus soup, duck and foie gras terrine and steak tartare are among the alternate starters.

Crab souffle. Photograph David Kelly

Bouillabaisse or barbecued lamb rump
are among the four main courses, or two can share steak with fries and bearnaise sauce,
duck a l’orange or beef wellington, which Chavin developed a passion for during his time at Claridges.

An amuse bouche of goat’s cheese Boursin and beetroot macaron. Photograph David Kelly

The upbeat Chavin, who seems to enjoy working the floor, delivers the wellington on a board to be admired in its golden pastry glory. He carves it at the table, pours on the red wine jus and then proffers an array of mustards and horseradish. The lushly soft black angus eye fillet is perfectly pink and encased in very thin layers of mushroom and foie gras, herbed crepes and butter puff pastry.

The flaming creme brulee. Photograph David Kelly

The chef’s signature dessert involves an airy passionfruit souffle, a scoop of coconut sorbet and a white chocolate ball filled with chilli-enhanced passionfruit sauce that “explodes” when popped in the mouth. They’re a surprisingly good match. Creme brulee appears aflame with a Cointreau/spirit mix and is a decent, blinged-up version of the custard.

Service is excellent throughout, with the front of house in the hands of the experienced and convivial Remon Van de Kerkhof, who also looks after the wine list with its strong French accent and wine by the glass from $16 to $55.

On a weeknight a couple of weeks after the reopening, the restaurant is almost full, a testament to the ongoing appetite for this traditional style of French food, especially when it’s married with top-line service.

MONTRACHET

1/30 King St

Bowen Hills

montrachet.com.au

Open

Lunch from noon
Wed-Fri

Dinner from 5.30pm Tue-Sat

Must try

Beef wellington

Verdict

Food

4 stars

Service

4.5 stars

Ambience

4 stars

Value

3.5 stars

Overall

4/5 stars

delicious.com.au/eatout