French flair at Belle Epoque

Belle Epoque at Emporium invited me down to try out their new Tasting Plate today.

At a $30 it represents surprising value including a selection of six dishes including regular fixtures Escargot, Foie Gras and Salade de Chevre Chaud as well as three seasonal dishes changed daily and a dessert offer.

If you haven't been to Belle Epoque, you really should. It's very different for Brisbane and has many visitors exclaiming how authentic they find the French bistro decor. There are large red leather booths for groups and small tables for two or more. The cuisine is definitely French with a French chef, Sebastian Labbe, who came to Brisbane especially to open the restaurant.




Today's tasting plate included a tasty little lamb chop over a serving of tender gnocchi. The sauce, which I soaked up with the gnocchi, was full of lamby flavour.

There was a small piece of very rich Foie Gras and a big, fat prawnthat came with a sauce that tasted like something a Nana would make - I mean that in a good way! - it was full of authentic tomato flavour and not overpowering spices.

I often avoid garlic-based dishes on a menu as they often taste of nothing but garlic, but was very pleasantly surprised by the snails. Their sauce was well flavoured with garlic but balanced by parsley which avoided the dreaded aftertaste.

Breadsticks wrapped with prosciutto and smoked salmon were other interesting tastes as was the salad of baby mesclun leaves wrapped in prosciutto and topped with a slice of smoked duck breast and a baguette with melted goats cheese. Delicious!

I liked the tasting plate as it was fun to browse over during lunch conversation. The small portions offered plenty of different flavours and there was excitement in moving from one to the other.

Dessert was Moelleux au Chocolat, Crème Glacée Noix de Coco - otherwise known as chocolate cake with coconut and almond ice cream. It was the gooey choc centre that won me, or was it the ice cream?

The tasting plate is a great idea for a chatty lunch where you want to browse over your meal - ideal for the girls!

It's available on the lunch menu and from the bar.

We enjoyed a glass of Sirromet's Merlot with the meal - very smooth, rich flavours. Great mouth feel.

Epoque, Emporium,1000 Ann St, Fortitude Valley  p 3852 1500