Bistro D'Orsay, Melbourne

Tim and I celebrated Valentine's Day on the Friday afterwards by going to dinner at Bistro D'Orsay.  I have always wanted to eat there, but this was entirely Tim's idea.  It was a great pick!!!

Bistro D'Orsay, at the "Paris" end of Collins Street, conjures up the dark, smoky atmosphere that I imagine would have existed in old-time Paris (an image gleaned from historically accurate films like Midnight in Paris and Moulin Rouge): 

I really liked the interior, and especially loved the gorgeous mural painted on the ceiling.

Tim was shouting me for Valentine's Day (aww, I am lucky), so he insisted that we have three courses.  At the start of the meal, this seemed easily achievable, but by the end, all I can say is that thank goodness I have a separate dessert stomach.

For starter, I selected the brandied duck liver pate with cornichons to share ($17.50):

Whether you would enjoy this depends on whether you are a pate person or not.  I am in the "yes" camp, so the smooth, luxuriously rich pate, smothered on slices of soft baguette, and topped by a contrasting slightly sour, tangy cornichon, was devine. 

Next came the mains.  Tim ordered the pan seared barramundi with kipfler potatoes, and orange, fennel and rocket salad, and a saffron beurre blanc (Manu would approve that there was "sauce") ($36.50):

For me, it was steak frites ($27.50) all the way - you can't beat the classics:

The steak was juicy and tender, the frites cooked to just the right state of crispiness, and when slathered with a little of that garlic butter (not all of it!!) - just heaven.

Now by this stage, I was groaning, especialy as they had topped up the bread for the starter as we still had pate left.  However, being the stoic individuals that we are, we moved into dessert.

I ordered the warm rhubarb frangipani (a tart) with almond icecream and rhubarb compote ($17.50):

This dessert was nice, but not a patch on Tim's dessert, the Pear Tarte Tatin with Roasted Almond Icecream ($17.50):

I was lucky enough to be able to have a taste of this, and it was just beautiful - buttery, melt in your mouth puff pastry topped with golden caramel coated pears.  Mwah!

The service was attentive and efficient - just the way I like it.

Tim gave me this lovely tin of truffles from Haighs:

And I gave Tim this teddy bear from Burch and Purchese (said teddy bear insisted on falling off his mount, so after the warnings from the lady in the shop, I was terrified of smashing him before giving him to Tim):

It was a super Valentine's week for us.

Bistro D'Orsay

184 Collins Street
Melbourne
Phone: +61 (03) 9654 6498