Montrachet

A new era has begun at this French institution, where old-world charm meets contemporary flair, writes ELLIOT BAKER.

- By ELLIOT BAKER

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.