Photography: Markus Ravik
Is there a better sight than a French restaurant in full flight? Aproned waitstaff gliding through a buzzing dining room. The heady scent of beef Bourguignon wafting while en route to another table. A wine list brimming with Champagne, Burgundy and Bordeaux. It’s the kind of Gallic magic that has transfixed chefs – and diners – for centuries.
In Brisbane, few do it better than Montrachet. It’s been this way since 2004, when Thierry and Carol Galichet first opened the restaurant in Paddington, before being taken over by Shannon and Clare Kellam in 2015 and relocated to Bowen Hills in 2017. Now, Montrachet settles into its new chapter under chef-owner Clément Chauvin, also behind Canberra’s Les Bistronomes.
So, what’s changed? Not everything, thankfully. The signature double-baked soufflé with crab meat, Comté and creamy bisque is still here and still excellent. Ditto the garlic-loaded escargot, textbook steak tartare and silky crème brûlée. The elegant dining room – all white tablecloths, brass detailing and deep red banquettes – remains untouched. So does that sense of old-school hospitality, embodied in the form of complimentary sourdough and smoked tomato butter that lands on the table unprompted.
But Chauvin brings fresh energy to the table. Take his croque-monsieur, which swaps ham for a mousse of prawn, scallop and salmon. Sandwiched between a small rectangle of toasted brioche and served with a prawn oil beurre blanc poured tableside, its richness is balanced by light avocado crème and fresh orange segments. Dessert gets playful, too. An airy passionfruit soufflé comes with coconut sorbet and a “chilli explosion” – a white chocolate sphere that’s dropped gently on top, where it melts and releases chilli-infused passionfruit sauce from within.
There’s no shortage of theatre, either. Beef Wellington, an ode to Chauvin’s time working at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s, is wheeled out and carved to reveal rosy-pink eye fillet wrapped in mushroom duxelles, foie gras, herbed crêpe and golden pastry. Duck à
l’orange, also finished at the table, comprises both confit leg and grilled breast with sweet red cabbage and an excellent, citrus-forward duck jus.
It’s the interplay of tradition and innovation that defines Montrachet’s new era. Still unmistakably Gallic but now carrying Chauvin’s own stamp. One of Brisbane’s enduring French restaurants now feels reinvigorated and refreshed. Vive le Montrachet!
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