philippe

we booked philippe bistro bar for a special occasion and found it behind a heavy glass door - actually in george parade - downstairs under the longchamps boutique which is on the corner on collins street.

the french cuisine is absolutely wonderful with next level presentation and flavours. the bread was presented with a divinely flavoured mustard butter. we then had entrees of the seared scallop special of the day and the beetroot cured salmon - both of which were melt in the mouth. we both decided on the waygu rump cap for mains (chargrilled to perfection) with sides of peas a la francais (oh my god fabulous) and the parmesan, rosemary fries (wow).

we ordered the special of the day of the souffle for dessert, but as they had run out we opted for nothing else because, realistically, we were too full.

i was absolutely impressed by the knowledge, attention to detail, skill and most importantly passion and humour of all the staff .

the atmosphere was very welcoming, not pretentious - and very comfortable.

we highly recommend the philippe and will return.

had an amazing dinner with friends here last night. started at the bar with a expresso martini and then had a wonderful bottle of sancerre. oh how i love french wine.
i ordered the chestnut and porcini soup. only need one word to describe it - delicious. then the wild barramundi that was as good. so nice to see wild barramundi as there is so much farmed crap around. dessert was another winner. this restaurant is going to be my new favourite. i can't believe it has taken me so long to find it.

this one is hard to rate because i feel like the odd one out.

i got to know it as a friend had “checked in on face book” with this restaurant and gave a really good feedback for it. but like many restaurants, it was on my “need to try list”.

after a few months, another friend said they were looking really forward to try it. she raved about the chef.

so, that was my sign to try it out.

first time there: had a fish entree and charcuterie.
duck to share. potato gratin. can’t even remember the dessert. my favorite was the bread they served followed by potato gratin. nothing from entree or main. that’s not a good sign. mmm

i decided it must be us. we must of just selected the wrong dishes. chef wasn’t quite right that night. we are over picky. etc. so many people like this place. it must be good.

second attempt. entree to share. i had a chicken for main. hubby had beef. i had the chocolate fondant for dessert.. thank god i enjoyed the fondant. but there just wasn’t anything in our entree and mains that cut it for us. we were kinda shocked.

in terms of service, it’s gonna be really hard to crack a smile from the wait staff. there was a new staff/ trainee on our second visit. you can tell as he was a little clumsy, but at least he was smiling like a human being. the others were so “matter of fact” and they just didn’t seem approachable to talk to.

so after two attempts, the score is 3.
it’s really more for the fact that it is a established restaurant and are “professional” in what they do.
food and service : both didn’t get my thumbs up.

a classic french bistro with all the trimmings. if that's what you're looking for, phillipe is it. everything about this place screams "paris" with one notable exception--the service is friendly, welcoming, efficient, and helpful. as with most french bistros, phillipe shines at both lunch and dinner. the three course lunch menu of $65 including a 250ml carafe of either white or red wine (very good wine, by the way) is terrific value for food of this standard. i haven't eaten at dinner or ordered a la carte, but the menu is replete with french classics. the downstairs room is spacious and comfortable with well-spaced tables and an open kitchen. when you descend the stairs, you are confronted by the fridge proudly displaying the meat and poultry. this is not a vegetarian's paradise, although they are accommodated. i can't think of a better classic french bistro in melbourne.

the service was very good.  the food was divine.  the lunch menu is great value.  the rare steak and mash potato (from heaven) was beautiful.  an enjoyable lunch.  always share with good company and i will be back.

we recently dined at philippe, a french restaurant by philippe mouchel, located in the heart of the melbourne cbd. we had quite high expectations given his previous restaurant, the brasserie philippe mouchel at crown was pretty good.

i have visited this resturant a few times and the quality of the food is very consistent and i have not been disappointed. the staff are very good and attentive, no waiter arrogance that i have experienced elsewhere. the menus has something for every one, and the atmosphere is friendly.

walking down the stairs through this lit doorway you are met by a warm room and host. its much bigger than you realise from the outside.

- quail - juicy and cooked perfectly. pumpkin mash a surprisingly delicious match
- steak tartar - **delicious - could not get enough** a must and this did not disappoint. special mention as they did not go e xtra heavy on the pickle like other places - can appreciate the quality of the meat
- eye fillet - cooked in a different way as normal charcoal steak. enjoyed the grains with the raw steak. nice to try a steak that is slightly different
- deep fried mash - balls of soft pillowy heaven.

on the pricy side but matched with fantastic servuce. not a place completely different to other french places, but great dishes that meet expectation. perfect for a date, a lazy sunday (with jazz?) or a small birthday dinner.

this restaurant is owned by the same chef that used to do the brasserie at crown.
nice comfortable place to dine with your friends and have great conversation without having to shout across the table. the ambience is perfect for a date, just saying 😉
food is delicious, but i must warn you that the entree is huge! i would suggest you get a small plate or get 1 entree to share between two people. for main i had the chicken as it is their signature dish. my friend had the steak. we were contemplating of getting the set menu. lucky we didn’t, because we were struggling to finish our main. we hardly touch the french fries although delicious we were just too full.
they have an extensive wine list from all over the world. they can be ordered in bottles, 250ml or a small glass, which is perfect for those you are like me and don’t drink very much.

located in melbourne cbd, philippe offered french cuisine in a classic elegant setting. for dinner we ordered their burgundy snails, sauté mushroom vol au vent, classic herbed rotisserie chicken, chargrilled broccolini. loved the flavourful snails and flaky vol au vent, although i found the chicken pretty average. desserts were cherry clafoutis and crème brûlée. the clafoutis was pretty tasty although on the heavier side, and was nicely paired with ice cream. the creamy crème brûlée, another favourite of mine, was nicely served with crispy gavotte. staff was professional, and overall a great dining experience.

french restaurant. melbourne de wa ichiban dewa naika. koshitsu mo aruga minimum spent ga aru. aji wa totemo yoi. funiki wa yuushou de wa nai. chef wa paul bocuse no morose shugyou shita to kiki.
aaa

philippe was recommended by my friend peter. he adores the restaurant, and i can see why!

ordered:
artisan sourdough & french butter

snacks
🦪 pacific & southern rock oysters, shallot vinegar, lemon ($5.00)
🐟 beetroot cured ora king salmon gravlax, raspberry vinaigrette ($25.00)

main course
🐟 pan seared blue eye, green asparagus, cream sauce pochouse burgundy style ($42.00)

side options
🍟 french fries, parmesan, garlic & rosemary ($12.00)

les desserts et fromages
🍮 vanilla & camomile panna cotta, citrus soup ($18.00)

review:
shout out to the oysters. we ordered 2 each, and philippe took the effort to provide us with 2 different types. they provided awesome variety and this small, simple gesture made our 'snacks' experience 2x more enjoyable.

i don't eat fish often, but there was something that called out to me on philippe's main course menu. the savoury creamy base, with the sweetness of the fish, contrasting with the assertive asparagus... a delicious combo. would highly recommend giving this dish as shot, if you want a break from the red meats.

the chips were crunchy, and gave a great umami break from the fish main. it was also really cute how they gave us the same dish, but on contrasting plate colours. philippe's attention and consideration to detail 👌.

service was incredibly friendly and professional. escorted to our table, the waiter took my jacket and placed it on my nearby coat hook - the level of service was a really nice touch and i felt spoilt!

flawless. fantastic food and professional service from all involved. we had the three course lunch and started with the terrine and soup, followed by steaks and finishing with cheesecake and creme brûlée. servings are large and includes a carafe of wine. really can’t talk this up enough. it’s so nice to have professional service staff that take pride in what they do.

amazing!!! definitely would recommend!!! staff were friendly and helpful. food was delicious. the chicken truffle was to die for!

really good experience, the customer service is really good. whisky martini is definitely worth to try.