Philippe, Melbourne Favourite French

European Elegance Dining at Saros Bar & Dining in Moonee Ponds

Since the outpour of tributes for the legend Paul Bocuse, it seems like a perfect time to dine at Philippe – by Philippe Mouchel. He is notably Melbourne’s favourite French chef who trained with the great Paul Bocuse.
Photo source: www.philipperestaurant.com.au

The Chef

We have had the honour to work with Philippe Mouchel at several Dining For Charity and Cooking For Charity events in recent years, therefore we have an immense respect and affection towards this local culinary icon.

“From an early age, I learnt that cooking was a pleasure. Where cooking is a pleasure, eating will be, too.” Philippe Mouchel.

Chef Mouchel has his unique way of interpreting formal French cooking. This skill most probably arises from his experience of working in Southeast Asia, especially Japan. His experience is of many countries and many cuisines, yet he is just as at home with traditional as contemporary cooking.

“My mission is to serve food that people understand, and that is always interesting to eat.” Philippe Mouchel.

The Restaurant, A Melbourne’s Treasure

A small blue sign just off Collins Street led us to Philippe’s front door. We walked down the steps, admired the rotisserie and were brought to our table in the middle of a nouveau bistro-style dining room. The avant-garde zinc “raw bar” was on the left (shucking $2 per oyster fresh to order!) and a busy yet orderly kitchen equipped with charcoal ovens was straight ahead. The restaurant was filled with a sensational aroma from the roasts.

Philippe’s Menu

The well-crafted menu showcases traditional yet innovative French cooking that features high quality seasonal and ethically sourced local produce. Philippe’s clear vision for the restaurant shines through, “I want the dishes to be a gourmand, generous and affordable”. The wine list showcases premium wines by the glass (petit, larger or carafe), featuring a range of new and old-world offerings with an emphasis on all things French.

The French Dinner

Our feast started with a welcome appetizer – Tomato Gazpacho courtesy of Chef Mouchel.

Entrees

For entrees, we selected the quail & foie gras parfait, red currant & orange jelly, toasted brioche followed by a pâté croûte, pork, veal, foie gras, pistachios, mushrooms, pickled vegetables. We also indulged in the signature escargots, garlic & parsley butter, croûtons. The highlight for us was the parfait, it went so smoothly with the brioche, we wanted more!

The Mains

The aroma of the roast had us ordered the duck breast rotissoire, figs, turnips, confit duck leg “Parmentier”. Chef Craig Dowling had the bannockburn chicken rôtissoire, mushrooms, potatoes, natural jus. The duck was outstanding, we could not fault this dish and the serving was huge that I think it can serve 3 people! The meat was perfectly cooked, the sauce was simply divine, I could somewhat taste some Sichuan peppercorn or similar spice in it.

The Desserts

Three spectacular desserts concluded our feast: Michel Cluizel chocolate caramel fondant and vanilla bean ice cream; lemon vacherin with citrus crème glacée and the poached peach, ginger, hibiscus granité, crème légère courtesy of Chef Philippe Mouchel for Dion Daniel’s birthday! As usual, I dug very happily into the chocolate fondant, remembering the same dish I have had from Chef Philippe Mouchel’s previous restaurants as well as a version of the same recipe by Ironchef Ikuei Arakane – which shows the true brotherhood amongst the chefs when they share their perfect recipes with one another! In addition, I have fallen in love with the lemon vacherin, the burst of citrus was somehow exciting yet graceful on the palette. If you prefer a light refreshing dessert to end a big meal, this will be a great option!

Photo source: www.philipperestaurant.com.au

Happy Foodies Ending

In conclusion, patrons can enjoy good food based on time-honoured recipes from France. This is what we will do on our next visit, to sit at the “La table des chefs” and watch the chefs prepare 5-course menu at the “pass”!

We cannot wait to return, what a spectacular French dinner we have savoured. Thanks to the team at Philippe Restaurant – we had a sensational dining experience!