Paris-born Guillaume Brahimi’s playful French bistro on the Yarra’s left bank is a chic affair, with noir bentwood chairs, a jaunty green interior trim, and show-stopping lightshades that hang like silk bloomers (Moulin Rouge, anyone?). Waitstaff in smart Lacoste tees work the riverside room with easy professionalism and savoir-faire; dishes are no less accomplished, from a velvety chicken-liver parfait, to beautifully trimmed and roasted duck legs, to the ever-popular steak frites with satiny bearnaise sauce. Think roll-call of Gallic classics – cheesy onion soup, escargots bathed in vibrant green, garlicky sauce, a signature Paris mash (best not ask how much butter) – then add a standout braised octopus salad, dancing with watercress and finished with grilled lemon. As with the fresh raspberry macaron – as festive as Bastille Day – Guillaume charms with its uncomplicated elegance and its enduring respect for ingredients and the French way of life. 

And … They’ve plats du jour and a lunch special: any two courses for $49.50.

THE LOW-DOWN
Vibe Paris bistro goes modern. 
Best bit Valrhona chocolate and salted-caramel tart, if it’s on.
Worst bit The kilojoules.