Mademoiselle

Overview

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. In October 2024, Mademoiselle arrived. 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, replicating classic French bistros is in the spotlight.

Expect traditional 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.

Images: Markus Ravik.