Now Open: Parisian Bistro Mademoiselle Is the Latest Restaurant to Join Portside's Hefty Revamp
French gastronomy is in the spotlight at Hamilton's latest addition, which hails from Rise Bakery's Harry Ohayon and Maxime Bournazel.
Every precinct packed with eateries and bars wants patrons to head by more than once. At Portside, Harry Ohayon and Maxime Bournazel have fulfilled the restaurateur take on that concept: they've opened two venues in this riverside patch of Hamilton. First came Rise Bakery. Now arrives Mademoiselle. Both adore France — which is what happens when two French friends go into business together.
With croissants and pains au chocolat staples of its menu, Rise Bakery has been serving up French fare for years, baking that affection not only into its OG Sanctuary Cove venue, but into the patisserie's Portside spinoff since mid-2023 as well. At Parisian-influenced brasserie Mademoiselle, which was first announced earlier in 2024 and opened in October, replicating classic French bistros is now in the spotlight.
Bastion Photography by Paul A Broben
"We are proud to introduce Chef Laurent Hoffarth, whose extensive culinary background spans both Michelin-starred kitchens and the vibrant Melbourne dining scene," says Ohayon.
"Our menu offers a dynamic selection of French classics, from our signature braised wagyu beef daube à la provençale to the delicate oeuf mimosa. We aim to provide an unforgettable dining experience, where every bite is a celebration of French gastronomy."
In a place that Ohayon described as "a warm, inviting space where people can enjoy long lunches, hearty dinners and Sunday roasts with their loved ones" prior to opening, Mademoiselle is serving up traditional French dishes given a modern twist. Rotisserie meats and gourmet salads are a feature of the comfortable and cosy 245-square-metre venue, which takes its design cues from France, of course, under Sydney-based architect Tom Mark Henry.
Alongside the devilled eggs with fennel cream and confit prawn, the appetisers include French salami served with ribbons of carrot picked in rosé, plus mussels in garlic and chervil butter, while the entrees range from ham hock terrine and skewered scallops to flash-seared sardines and a cured meat board. For something more substantial, steak frites made with a 300-gram grass-fed sirloin sits alongside duck breast with blackberry and juniper reduction, gnocchi, and the catch of the day poached in an aioli-infused broth with mussels and prawns.
Fancy sharing? That's where the rotisserie chicken, which comes in half and full serves, is a handy option. Mademoiselle also does a set menu featuring its showcase chook as one of the mains choices, alongside three entrees for the table and a choice of two desserts. Both the crème brûlée and dark chocolate sauce-topped vanilla ice cream are on offer in the group meal and the standalone menu, with Rise Bakery cakes by the slice and a selection of French cheeses also on the latter.
Stop by for lunch from Monday–Friday to pick from a one-, two- or three-course spread from a condensed listing, including Julia Child's salad niçoise, a black angus burger with fries, and warm goat cheese and prosciutto on toast.
The drinks selection boasts four pages of wine — champagne, sparkling and rosé included — plus black raspberry margaritas, French martinis, Chambord spritzes and mimosa among the cocktail choices. For a non-boozy sip, two mocktails are available.
For seating, you can choose from booths indoors or to go al fresco — and if the concept is a success, the hope is to roll it out beyond Portside, including more Brisbane locations and at the Gold Coast. But each won't be exact copies of the other, with tailoring menus to suit each community that Mademoiselle calls home also the plan.
The French restaurant joins an ever-growing list of new additions to Portside as part of the inner-north spot's current $20-million revamp. Not just Rise Bakery but also Fosh, Rosé Gelateria and Birds Nest Yakitori set up shop at the Hamilton precinct in 2023. Portside Social, a gastropub from the Newstead Social crew, has opened already in 2024, as has burger joint Dumbo and baseball-loving bar The Ballpark Portside (complete with its own batting cage), while Italian restaurant Sbagliata is on the way.
Find Mademoiselle at Portside Wharf, 39 Hercules Street, Hamilton — open from 11.30am–9.30pm Sunday–Thursday and 11.30am–10pm Friday–Saturday. Head to the restaurant's website for reservations and more details.
Images: Markus Ravik.
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