Combine a heritage building with a touch of stylish European decor, sprinkle with some attentive waitstaff and the best sommelier we’ve ever had, finish with innovative French cuisine and you have a recipe for the perfect Brisbane dining experience at C’est Bon Restaurant at Woolloongabba. The contemporary French cuisine comes courtesy of Chef Andy Ashby who creates dishes that captivate and deliver when it comes to taste and style. And at C’est Bon Restaurant there is a lot of style.
After a quick check of our reservation (yes, you will need one), a charming waitress shows us to a romantic table for two in the window. We’ve opted for the C’est Bon Chef’s Tasting Menu which is waiting for us on the table, sealed with a red wax seal. When we open it, we discover not a list of dishes but beautiful black and white drawings of food items like an onion, a kangaroo, a duck and an artichoke. We are intrigued, then the secret behind our menu is revealed by our charming waiter. With this pictorial degustation ‘menu’, each dish is a surprise, produced in collaboration with local farmers and other producers.
There is also wine matching available with the seven course C’est Bon degustation dinner at an additional cost which I would highly suggest that you do. This turned out to be one of the most enjoyable wine matching experiences we’ve ever done as our sommelier was charming and knowledgeable and introduced us to multiple interesting and delicious wines. Add in a dash of storytelling about the wines and the winemakers, and the wine matching turned this already great dining experience into dinner and a show.
Our first wine match, a glass of Lacourt Lacourte Godbillon from a boutique Champagne house that has been making Champagne for more than 80 years, is presented with flair, together with an excellent multi-part amuse bouche that sets the scene for what’s to come. To start, there are two ‘cigars’ of French onion creme with a delicate, crispy shell. Sophisticated and classic yet creative, it’s obvious we’re in for a good night. Things get even better when the next elements of the amuse bouche arrive. There’s rich duck parfait served atop a savoury macaron, barbecue snails accompanied by a bearnaise sauce and two deliciously soft brioche with a side of smoked butter. My husband and I agree that we need to visit C’est Bon for breakfast next time and indulge in some more of their excellent bakery treats.
From here, we move to the first official course which Andy comes out of the kitchen to introduce (something he does for every table at some point, a lovely personal touch). It is a savoury take on a classic creme brulee, and features charred corn topped with shaved truffle. This dish was surprisingly light but full of delicate yet intense flavours and accompanied by a glass of Chardonnay from Domaine Coteaux des Margots. Both the dish and the wine were terrific.
Finishing the crumbs from the brioche bun, we arrived at the second course which was a kangaroo tartare assembled tableside. We really enjoyed the service and explanation and the dish popped with colour. The rich, jammy flavours of the wine, a Beaujolais that had been farmed organically and made with grapes from old vines, were a big hit and the perfect match for the dish. Other people seemed to really enjoy the kangaroo, but neither my husband nor I are fans of tartare so it was a miss for us. Just a case of personal preference.
From here, we moved to a delicate roast chicken served on a bed of mushrooms and corn. The dill garnish really added to this dish which was delicious, and shown off to the full with a perfect wine match, a unique vin jaune from the tiny Jura region in France. I’d never tasted a wine from the Jura and loved the gentle fizz and crisp apple and citrus flavours that reminded me of a classic French cider. This ended up being one of my favourite dishes of the night, but there was some tough competition.
Next we were presented with a waygu served with black garlic and a pretty green puree. This was a replacement for the poached cod course that was on the menu as we don’t eat seafood. This was served with a glass Coates ‘The Malbec’ from 2022 which is made by a winemaker who is also a Master of Wine. It showed – this was my favourite wine of the night!
Dessert was a bitter chocolate mousse served with artichoke ice cream. I wasn’t sure about this dish when I heard the description (chocolate and artichoke, really?) but it turned out to be one on the best desserts I’ve had in years. The wine was a classic Rutherglen topaque that was packed with malty, butterscotch flavoured goodness. This was a terrific wine match. Loosening a belt notch, we prepared for the encore, a trio of petite fours introduced by our fabulous sommelier. On the night we dined, these were a bitesize apple mead tarte tartin, feijoa canele (a nod to Andy’s Kiwi heritage) and a sweet pate de fruit. When you dine at C’est Bon Restaurant & Bar you certainly won’t leave hungry or disappointed. This is a stellar dining experience – don’t miss it!
Disclosure: The writers dined as guests of C’est Bon Restaurant and have already booked a return visit at their own expense.
If you’re looking for accommodation in Brisbane, we have reviewed the Treasury Hotel, The Calile, Ovolo The Valley, W Brisbane, Capri by Fraser Brisbane, Hilton Brisbane, The Johnson, NEXT Hotel Brisbane, Sage Hotel James Street, The Westin Brisbane, Oaks Brisbane Festival Suites, Royal on the Park, Ibis Styles Elizabeth Street, Sofitel Brisbane, Crystalbrook Vincent, The Inchcolm, Alex Perry Hotel & Apartments, and Pullman Brisbane Airport.
