Bistro Guillame- Age Readers Dinner

About 60 people dined at the $130 a head Age Readers Dinner at BG last night. The evening began with canapes in the downstairs lounge area before moving to the main dining area for a three course meal at shared tables. The initial offerings of oysters with salmon caviar, cheese gougere and tuna tartare were plentiful and accompanied by free flowing NV Mumm. A fine way to start any meal.

The entree was an assiette of charcuterie - jambo,pork, rabbit and duck rilletes, a small dollop of exquisite duck liver pate, several terrines, sausage with baby gherkins, mustard and a fruit paste

This was quite a nice looking dish but not very exciting. The accompanying Chenin Blanc from Vouvray was fresh and fruity, well balanced and specially pleasing.

The main course was another unexciting dish - Barossa Valley chicken on a bed of mashed potato with a chasseur sauce served with green beans, spinach and a green leaf salad.

The The 2006 Bernard Moreau Borgogne Passetoutgrains was another lovely light red from Burgundy. The dessert, a pavlova!, was spoiled by the unripe mango and the very sour unripe passionfrui. The delicious 2004 Alain Brumont Pacherenc du Vic Bilh from Sth West France almost made up for it. Tea/coffee and petit fours completed the meal.

Comments: This is a beautifully appointed venue, even the seats in the waiting area by the toilets are so very chic but I was saddened to come to a supposedly top French restaurant and find such a dull main course and a pavlova for dessert.
Value for money - certainly, specially if you enjoy the wines, which I certainly did but the food so so dull.