Restaurant review: Bistro Michel, Joburg

In the heart of the suburbs, Bistro Michel is small and intimate and serves hearty, traditional French fare, writes Catherine Black

Well known on the Joburg foodie scene since the days of Auberge Michel, restaurateur Michel Morand has moved onto something a touch more low key in the form of Bistro Michel. Where Auberge Michel was located in the heart of Sandton and hosted the who’s who of politics, celebrity and business, Bistro Michel in Birnam’s Blubird centre is smaller and feels more accessible – though it’s still every bit as French.

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The decor is everything you’d expect from a French bistro, with its simple wooden chairs and tables, leather banquettes and brass finishes. One wall forms a large wine rack and another is covered in a map of the Paris Metro. The interior is small and cosy with low lighting that completes the romantic ambience, but there’s also an outside balcony section – with heat lamps to shield you from the chill.

In keeping with its simple yet sophisticated feel, the menu is small but well considered. For starters, I couldn’t skip that cornerstone of French cooking, the onion soup with Emmenthal croutons, which was as rich and comforting, as you’d expect. As the perfect light counterpart, my partner chose the honey-roasted butternut pumpkin with green beans.

Although the mains contain elements of traditional French (Côte de Boeuf, veal ragout, various gratins) as well as English influences (lamb shank braised with Guinness beer and a range of Michel’s “retro” pies), there are also hints of African influences in the kabeljou fillet, Senegalese sole and the carpaccio of Mauritian sea bass (a starter). We chose the delicious beef fillet au poivre (steak coated with cracked peppercorns) with the cognac sauce, and the sole stuffed with spinach and glazed with velouté (white sauce), which was smooth and delicate. For dessert we shared the chocolate fondant with crème Anglaise, which was decadently dark and very satisfying.

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When compared with the food menu, the wine list is extensive and features a range of both French and local varietals, from modest weeknight wines through to special-occasion sparkling wines. Though you can’t order by the glass, you can order by the carafe – a much more generous Continental tradition.

If you’re looking for an authentic French meal but want something a little less formal, Bistro Michel fits the bill. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it’s as good for a weekday business lunch as it is for a special occasion on a Saturday night.

Visit: Blubird Shopping Centre, Corner Atholl-Oaklands Road And Fort Street, Johannesburg, 2096. Call 011-440-0769.

This article was originally published in Sunday Times Neighbourhood: Joburg. Visit yourneighbourhood.co.za, like YourNeighbourhoodZA on Facebook and follow YourHoodZA on Twitter