My how time flies! I can’t believe it’s almost 5 years since my last long lunch at Bistro Guillaume – where modern and classical French cuisines collide beautifully. The Crown Perth restaurant is by celebrated Parisian Chef, Guillaume Brahimi. In his early career, he worked under legendary Chef Joël Robuchon (who has amassed an amazing 28 Michelin stars).
Bistro Guillaume is still one of the most breathtaking dining rooms in Perth. Mainly black and white, with a fresh and bright splash of green. From the bar, to the statement foyer sofa; the striking shade of green is used throughout – even down to the green bottle of Tabasco sauce on each table.
We were seated by the window, which overlooks the inviting Crown Metropol lagoon pool. This excited me, as part of our ultimate lunch deal was receiving a free pool pass!
At the bustling bistro, there are spaces for groups and intimate gatherings. There’s also a large balcony, where you can dine alfresco, overlooking the pool. We started with some freshly baked bread and butter – the perfect way to start any French meal! Gluten free bread is also available.
We had one of my favourite non alcoholic drops, a lemon Efferve’, a drink fit for a summery lunchtime. And of course there’s always room for a glass of wine too.
Bistro Guillaume – The Food
For entrée we had a tasty country style terrine, served with pickles, dijon mustard and grilled sourdough. It’s a wonderful peasant style dish.
I loved the organic steak tartare. The raw beef given even more flavour from cornichons, capers, shallot and a spicy tomato sauce. This gluten free dish was served with pomme gaufrette (crisp potatoes).
I was SO pleased with my choice of pork belly for main. The sous vide pork was tender and served on a mound of creamy mustard brussel sprouts, cabbage, and pickled apple. As a side note, when I ordered the waiter let me know they’d be no crackle, because of the way it’s cooked. While I love crackle, that was fine with me. I was really pleased the waiter had mentioned it, to manage my expectations. What a delicious dish!
The kingfish with cauliflower purée, shitake mushrooms, spinach and balsamic beurre noisette was expertly cooked.
Though we ordered from the $55 set menu, we are still able to also order sides from the main menu. We picked a winner with the sautéed greens, smothered is a garlic cream, anchovies and smoked almonds.
The Desserts
As we were dining on the $55, 2 course menu, we could have stopped there, but we thought we’d indulge a little further. A simple lemon tart (from the regular menu) was a hit.
I traded up to the 3 course $75 ultimate lunch with a decadent chocolate delice. This silky smooth dessert is served with macadamia ice cream and salted caramel.
We very much enjoyed our lunch at Bistro Guillaume and its relaxed and sophisticated vibe.
I was invited by Crown to experience the $55 Ultimate Lunch. We paid for our drinks, sides and desserts. All words and opinions are my own.
The Ultimate Lunch and Dinner menu is available at Silks, Modo Mio, Nobu, Rockpool and Bistro Guillaume until 25 November, Pool passes must be used by December 6th.
See the Crown Perth Website for more on the Ultimate Lunch and Dinner offer.