Maz August 5th, 2011
Our previous Executive Chef Bruno Loubet, returned to London in 2009. His arrival heralded keen interest as he had made his reputation in London in the 1980s and 1990s, gaining his own Michelin star at the age of 29 years. His restaurant, in the hip boutique hotel called the Zetter, has been a success from the start. And he has won significant awards already.
Recently we stayed with Bruno and his wife Catherine at the house in Fulham, and it was lovely catching up with them. We had a wonderful meal at Bistrot Bruno Loubet and here are a couple of the dishes sampled: Suckling Pig and English strawberries, lemon marshmallow and green peppercorn ice cream.
Their life in London seems very glamorous compared to Brisbane, but they still love Australia and intend to retire here.
If you are visiting London, drop in and say hello to Bruno (his kitchen is totally open to the restaurant). But make a booking because it is hard to get in. For menus go to: www.bistrotbrunoloubet.com
Maz July 15th, 2011
It’s hard not to be impressed with Heston Blumenthal’s new London restaurant Dinner … an $8million fitout will do that. Housed in the venerable Mandarin Hotel this is definitely ‘Restaurant as Theatre’. We were visiting Bruno Loubet and wife Catherine, and despite Dinner being booked out 3 months in advance, Catherine pulled some strings and suddenly there we were on a Saturday night. It was very glam and we were made to feel quite special, with complimentary
Champagne and extra dishes — Bruno’s name on the booking worked wonders — poor guy could not be with us as he was beavering away at his own restaurant, Bistrot Bruno Loubet .
The premis for Dinner is Blumenthal’s interest in modernising medieval English recipes, so the mandarin entree here is actually chicken liver parfait encased in mandarin jelly, and called Meat Fruit.
Hard to see where the 8 mill went as the decor is tasteful but not over the top. However, the giant clock “pasted” onto the glass kitchen walls,whichd drives an open-fired rotisserie … was pretty amazing. The Loubet’s 13yr old daughter Chloe dined with us. Heston asked if she would like to visit his Laboratory. That’s a definite YES!
To see the full menu go to: www.dinnerbyheston.com
Maz April 15th, 2011
David Pugh (owner chef of one of Brisbane’s foremost restaurants Restaurant Two) and Francis Domenech (Baguette) deep in conversation at a recent Queensland
Winter Produce Showcase at Restaurant Two. David used to be Head Chef at Baguette many eons ago.
These produce Showcases are held regularly by DEEDI a government department that encourages development and innovation. Small producers of all sorts of fascinating fruits, olives, wines, cider, seafood etc can display their wares for restaurateurs and the food media.
Maz April 13th, 2011
Where did this sudden interest in cider come from? Was it a spontaneous groundswell from the drinking public bored with the current “flavours of the month” – or a clever PR campaign? Never mind, it’s happened. Scott Durietz, our sommelier at Baguette Bistrot+Bar, has been having fun tasting the now numerous ciders available and researching why some are really worth trying … and some are, well, just lolly water.
Some ciders are made with fruit concentrate and what else? Whilst the good stuff is made from fresh juice and naturally fermented to produce a slight fizz. Anyway Scott has done all the hard work and you can now sample a:
Flight of 4 Ciders in the bar at Baguette for $23
* Anneville cidre comes from Normandy in France, is semi-dry and has enough acidity to finish cleanly. It’s got full apple aroma and only 2% alcohol by volume. It’s made from a single apple variety, Binet Rouge.
* Manoir du Kinkiz in another French cidre from Brittany and is 5.5% alcohol. It is the most complex of the four offerings. Although semi-sweet, the combination of bitter-sweet and sharps allows it to be matched with weighty food. Notable feature is the barnyard aspect of the nose and Roquefort like character of the finish.
* The other two are Australian ciders, both from Bress — a winery/cidery in Harcourt Valley which is an old apple growing area just north of Melbourne. Adam Marks the cider-maker is a Francophile; hence the French chicken on his label. His sweet style (great with desserts) he calls Bon Bon and it is made from pink lady apples and perry (pear cider). His dry style is called Bress Harcourt Valley Cider Brut. They are both 10% alcohol, similar to wine.
So come to Baguette and try these ciders. Scotty would love to chat with you about them. Also in June we will be having 2 weeks of a Suckling Pig and Cider Menu. Cider can be great with food!
Maz March 13th, 2011
In Brisbane there is an incredible variety of restaurants, food and decor styles.
Over the years we have found that what we want to eat in a restaurant, and the style of that establishment has radically changed. For many years we went to France on pilgrimages to Michelen starred restaurants, delighting in the precision of the food, the formality of the exquisite settings and the whole experience. Now we prefer more casual settings (with personality) and tasty ‘real’ food that highlights the produce. (I am a fan of Rick Stein for that reason.)
But what do you look for? Do Degustation menus turn you on? Are you interested in molecular cooking (a la Heston Blumenthal) where chefs experiment with changing the structure of the food? Do you go for a particular nationality of cuisine? Is wine an important part of the restaurant experience for you? Does the service matter?
This information is really interesting for restaurateurs, some of whom are dedicated to serving their customers only what they like, and others who try to gauge what customers are into. Of course there are always fads and fashions, but looking beyond that what style of restaurant will you go to next?
Maz March 5th, 2011
Porteno in Surry Hills (Sydney) was an instant success when it opened last year. All the ingredients are there … robust/tasty food … busy/ buzzie (some would say noisy) atmosphere … efficient/friendly service, and it’s own distinct personality. Partners Ben Milgate, Elvis Abrahanowicz and their wives already have the very successful Bodega.
This is not a small restaurant, yet it’s busy every night and they don’t take bookings. We went at 6.15pm on a Tuesday night and were seated immediately, however it was already 3/4 full. They turn the tables a couple of times a night, and service was brisk without you feeling you were being pushed out.
Porteno is an Argentinian grill restaurant and Elvis’s Dad is the pitmaster. He mans the asador, where whole baby pigs (from
Melander Park) and lambs (Suffolk) are splayed across crucifix-like pieces of steel. The meat slow cooks over the smouldering campfire. Blood sausages, roasted red peppers, veal sweetbreads and steaks are directly cooked over coals on 2 parrillas — adjustable grills. The food here is a genuine labour of love and don’t miss the white polenta smeared onto a wooden board, or the chocolate pudding. This restaurant is fun and you also get a good feed.
Maz October 24th, 2010
30 years ago when we simply could not buy fresh herbs in Brisbane (for our restaurant), I grew what I could at home and Francis flew up the rest from Sydney. I am an avid home gardener at our 1 acre holiday property in Mapleton on the Sunshine Coast (www.french-cottage.com.au). I think Stephanie Alexander should have been nominated for Australia’s first saint, for her work in getting young people to grow vegies at school. So why am I feeling so cynical about the latest “thing” with trendy restaurants i.e. growing their own herbs and vegetables on site?
Food Detective, Michelle Rowe (Indulgence column in the weekend Australian) lists various uber restaurants around the world that are now ‘ doing it for themselves’. The new Crosby Street Hotel in SoHo in New York which has a 12th floor rooftop urban vegie patch to provide fresh produce for the hotel kitchen, or Bell, Book & Candle restaurant which has set up hydroponic growing boxes on the roof of the Greenwich Village townhouse in which it sits. And we have a growing number o restaurants in Australia proclaiming their green thumbs. But is this just another publicity stunt?
Well, I hope they have their own full time gardener with heaps of space because frankly I am skeptical as to how any restaurant could grow anything like their fresh veg requirements out the back, next to the garbage cans. If you want an example of how to do it — the ‘Sun King’ Louis XIV in 1678 commissioned 29 elaborate walled garden ‘rooms’ at Versailles, to feed the palace population of 3000 people. It covered 20 acres. Now, that’s a kitchen garden!
Maz October 11th, 2010
For the next 3 months you can taste a flight of 4 true Provencal style rosé wines, matched with some great tapas — in the Bar at Baguette. Scott and Benoit will chat to you about the different styles:
* De Bortoli La Boheme, Yarra Valley, Vic with
‘Popcorn’ prawns with garlic mayo
* Omrah Plantagenet 2009 Rosé with
Duck wings with paprika
* Chapel Hill Sangiovese 2009 Rosé SA with
Grilled sourdough with romesco
* De Bortoli Yarra Valley 2010 Pinot Noir Rosé, Yarra Valley Vic with
Spanish style meatballs
Maz October 2nd, 2010
One of the special memories of Provence in the south of France, is sitting on a clifftop terrace overlooking the blue blue Mediterranean and drinking rosé wine. It’s embedded as being the essence of the place. Light, dry, aromatic and food friendly — perfect for the hot climate. And of course Italy, Spain and Portugal have their equally addictive versions.
So why can’t we sell the stuff in Brisbane? Wine writers and critics love rosé (as they do rieslings which are also not popular), it’s perfect for our weather especially when you are sick of drinking whites. Perhaps you have to have been there (i.e. Provence) or perhaps they have tried those toilet duck pink wines posing as rosé. But my theory is that we just have to get people to taste the real thing … and they will be hooked! So …
… this Spring (Oct-Dec) at Baguette bistrot+bar we will feature a flight of 4 rosé wines matched with some yummy mediterranean tapas. Cost will be $21 (value $40). So get some friends together and experience ‘The Rosé Revolution”.
Maz August 10th, 2010
Javier Codina, Chef Patron
Last week Francis and I lunched at Moda (nee Gianni’s) in the CBD. It was an outstanding experience in every way. Javier Codina has taken over the reins with a new casual concept — very stylish Spanish bistro. I loved the decor and charming courtyard that is perfect for lunch, and pretty as a picture at night under candlelight. We had a number of small dishes first. In Spain they would be called tapas but Javier said that this name had become so debased in Brisbane, he’d rather not use it. One of our favourite Spanish dishes (Francis and Javier are both Catalans) is paella, and Javier’s version was spot on — sexy but authentic. Paella is a special on Fridays, or by prior arrangement. Prices at Moda are very approachable.
This is a restaurant that has been going for a number of years (under a more formal guise as Gianni’s) but always with Javier as the guiding light in the kitchen. And his food, either formal or casual, is superb — he has the experience, background and technique that makes him a stand-out chef. Australia tends to worship the “cult of the new” so restaurants like this can sometimes be overlooked. Don’t fall into that trap … you will miss out on something special.
Our previous Executive Chef Bruno Loubet, returned to London in 2009. His arrival heralded keen interest as he had made his reputation in London in the 1980s and 1990s, gaining his own Michelin star at the age of 29 years. His restaurant, in the hip boutique hotel called the Zetter, has been a success from the start. And he has won significant awards already. 
