Philippe is a brand new French restaurant in the heart of Melbourne, which has taken over the space which once belonged to Brooks of Melbourne. The establishment is spearheaded by French chef Philippe Mouchel, which lends his experience from many previous Melbourne restaurants such as Deja Vue and PM24, as well as his training under one of France's most well known chefs, Paul Bocuse.
Down George Parade
Outside menu
Extensive bar
Although the bar range here is immense and looks brilliant, I can assure you that it is not here just for the looks. With an extensive wine menu and a knowledgeable staff, I found no trouble having a great wine paired with my meal.
Chefs on the pass
A lovely and modern kitchen and raw bar, which you can request seats at, faces the dining area, so you can appreciate the workmanship of the kitchen staff.
Spacious and bright dining area
Prepped chickens
Cheese and charcuterie selection
Lovely bread
Signature oysters $27.50
Selection of kitchen charcuterie $30.00
Truffled rotisserie chicken $110.00 (Serves 2 people)
As I was booking our table for Philippe, I noticed that the menu had a seasonal truffle special which required two days notice. I immediately requested one of these as I enjoy both chicken and truffle and was interested in trying the dish.
Truffled rotisserie chicken breast
Ordering the chicken proved to be a great decision. The earthy aroma and flavour of the truffle inside the chicken penetrated the meat, while the extra slices of truffle on top gave it a slightly more intense flavour. Chicken is well known as a meat that is hard to cook properly, especially when the whole chicken is cooked together rotisserie style. The different cooking times normally required left the breast slightly dryer than I would have liked, but the dark meat was still incredibly juicy, tender and flavourful.
Truffled rotisserie chicken extra serve for sharing
We were served two servings of chicken breast along with all the other mains, however as the table was being cleared the rest of the dark meat was served to the table so that other guests could sample the dish.
Rotissoire lamb shoulder, grilled broccolini, borlotti bean ragout, natural jus $70.00 (Serves 2 people)
The lamb shoulder was a dish I would love to eat on a cold day. It was a wonderful combination of hearty and warm flavours and the tender lamb which almost melted in my mouth.
Borlotti bean ragout
Collinson & Co Black Angus porterhouse 300g, cassis & red wine jus, polenta fries $39.50
The Black Angus porterhouse was the least impressive from the range of dishes we ordered. We ordered the steak medium rare however when we received the dish it was rare. The flavours of the jus and steak were very well developed, but the dish was only good compared to all of the great dishes that were served.
Rockling, shellfish ragout, soupe de poisson, celery rissoto, sauce rouille $35.00
The rockling was my favourite dish of the night. The tender fish was served on top of a bed of flavourful rissoto and sauce. The different textures of the dish helped create an enjoyable experience and made you want to keep eating more.
Grilled Belgian endive $9.00
If I did not know that the person behind this new restaurant already had huge amounts of experience, I would have been surprised. The entire dinner experience went by smoothly, from the food and drinks to the service we received. A great overall dining experience from a great French restaurant, I look forward to Philippe growing into a well known name in the Melbourne French restaurant scene.
Food Rating 9/10
Overall Rating 9/10