Melbourne is set to welcome a new grand brasserie to the CBD as Maison Bâtard finally opens its doors this month. Taking up residence across four levels at 23 Bourke Street, the site will comprise a two-level restaurant, as well as a basement supper club and rooftop terrace.
The Chris Lucas project has been in pipeline for more than eight years and Lucas has hired a cracking team to lead the charge. Executive chef Adam Sanderson – who has worked at Noma and The Fat Duck internationally and Ten Minutes By Tractor and Bistro Guillaume Brahimi locally – oversees the French dining house. “Maison Bâtard’s menus draw inspiration from traditional elements of French cooking, but Chris and I have overlayed a Melbourne sensibility, championing simplicity with a focus on lighter flavours and natural cooking methods,” says Sanderson. He’s joined by Damien Snell (head of culinary); Michaela Kang (head pastry chef) and Loic Avril (head of wine).
Between them, the team has crafted a menu that’s big on opulence: think grand seafood towers showcasing oysters, rock lobster, Skull Island prawns, scallop ceviche, tuna sashimi and kingfish crudo. An omelette comes with Oscietra caviar, filled with crushed potato crisps (perhaps a nod to The Bear) and topped with sauce Parisienne, which centres two French flavour powerhouses, with mustard and mayonnaise plus lemon and herbs. Well-sourced seafood is also the star of the salade crab royale, which sees hand-picked Queensland spanner crab served with butter lettuce, avocado and a delicate awasezu (seasoned rice vinegar) fennel pickle. “This is a light, fresh option that I know will prove incredibly popular over the warmer months. We’re doing this dish both in the restaurant and up on La Terrasse.”
Traditional brasserie dishes will also feature, including half or whole 12-hour brined rotisserie chicken with olives. Also known as poulet rôti aux olives, it is inspired by Allard, the famed Paris bistro by Alain Ducasse. “We brine Bannockburn chicken for 12 hours, flavour it with a dried olive rub, cook it on the rotisserie and finish the dish with whole green olives and a classic roast chicken sauce,” says Sanderson. Meanwhile, confit Ora King salmon is served with sauce verte, a vibrant herb dressing. “This is simple celebration of beautiful flavours. We confit the salmon with lemon zest, fennel and garlic before lightly charring to finish,” says Sanderson.
After the great brasserie openings onslaught of 2022, some might question whether Melbourne has had its fill of big French openings. But Lucas and his team are confident the appetite is still there, as they prepare to open later this month.
Maison is slated to open on 26 November 2024. To make a reservation, visit the Maison Bâtard website.
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