Last week we enjoyed an evening at Bistro des Artistes in Subiaco. I felt like I was back in France! The menu was in French, the wait staff were French and the owners are French!
The welcoming bistro is owned by Alain Fabregues and Emmanuel Mollois. Fabregues was the owner of the “Loose Box” in Mundaring, up until July last year when he closed the doors to concentrate on his new ventures. In 1991 he was awarded the prestigious ‘Meiller Ouvrier De France’ (one of the best craftsman in France), this is the highest honour any craftsman can attain and Fabregues is now barred from entering any individual competition! Mollois, specialising in patisserie, worked at the Loose Box for 2 years as head pastry chef, but most recently will be known for his restaurant “Choux Café ” in Swanbourne.
With this combined experience and expertise it is no wonder that Bistro des Artistes is a delightful place to dine.
The atmosphere was relaxed with a hint of elegance. The first thing I noticed was that there were tablecloths! One of my biggest pet hates with restaurants these days is the lack of tablecloths…when did we become too time and money poor to spoil our diners with a tablecloth? A tablecloth is like a big fluffy bathrobe in a hotel, it just makes you feel that little bit more special.
I then discovered that there were no side plates or side knives, not a huge fan of this as I like to make crumbs, but it’s not a deal breaker.
The menu was in French with the English translation underneath. The dishes read beautifully with a modern French feel.
Our French waiters were very friendly and polite. The restaurant was half full and lively with only two staff on the floor which meant that we had to wait a little longer than hoped to have our water glasses topped up but overall the service was charming.
As for the meal, I won’t go through every dish, what with the amuse bouche and palette cleansers, you’ll be reading for pages, so I’ll give you an overview of the meal.
In three words I would say “inspiring”, “flavoursome” and “colourful”.
My entree was the “Oeuf Cocotte” which was a flamboyant egg & soldiers served with mushrooms. The textures were very complimentary of each other, the mushrooms were not too salty or overpowering; they got the balance just right.
All of our main courses looked fresh and well presented. The portion sizes weren’t overwhelming, which meant you had room for dessert.
Between main and dessert we enjoyed a duo of palate cleansers which consisted of a cheese selection of blue, cheddar and brie, served on a small wooden paddle board. This was then followed with a mini ramekin of creamy rice pudding; just a taster of things to come!
Our desserts were generous in size and flavours. I had the “Ile Flottante” (floating island), it is a European dessert with French origin. Pieces of soft poached meringue were served floating on a thin vanilla crème anglaise, very light and enjoyable.
For all of this, the price was a reasonable $75.00. Very happy to pay this for the experience.
If I was to suggest an area of improvement, I would recommend that they leave a jug of water on the table so that we could help ourselves and not have to ask.
They are also quite big on reservations, so make sure you book your table in advance!
If you’re still looking for a valentines day night out – I would recommend Bistro des Artistes.
http://www.bistrodesartistes.com.au
Until next time mystery diners…
Mystery Diner Perth 