Restaurant Rec: Le Bistro des Gourmets

In my last coronavirus update post, I mentioned we were out to dinner with some friends when the news of the latest lockdown came out. Our “final meal” was at an incredible place called Le Bistro des Gourmets in Parnell. This small French restaurant is tucked upstairs down a side street next to Wooly For You. It’s easily missable if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

My meal started with a Kir Royal (with cassis, of course) and ended with, well, to be honest I’m not entirely sure because after we learned that lockdown was imminent, we threw all caution to the wind and imbibed. We each chose a starter (entrée if you’re in New Zealand which is confusing coming form the US where the entrée would be the main course) and a main. The three most popular starters were the terrine, the escargots, and the scallops. All three were beautifully presented, though the scallops were my favorite. For our mains, the three most popular were the market fish, the duck, and the pork. I chose the duck, and mine was cooked to perfection. It wasn’t dry at all which is an accomplishment with duck! For dessert, I enjoyed a light and refreshing shortbread. Alas, I tried to be a good dinner guest and not take pictures of our food so I don’t have any to share with you. However, the menu is seasonally refreshed and by the time this lockdown is over, they will be on to their new, autumn offerings.

The wine list is nicely curated from Maison Vauron which a deserves a post all on its own. You can choose wines by the bottle or by the glass, but you also have the option to let them choose the perfect pairings for your meal. We went this route and Alex did not disappoint! The wine pairings is not something they advertise, so if you are interested in this option, make sure to ask.

Price-wise, Le Bistro des Gourmets is fantastic for what you get. Entrées are in NZ$16-18 dollar range while mains are in the NZ$30s. Wines by the glass range from NZ$10-NZ$20. A wonderful dinner per person could easily cost NZ$75, or about US$50. Remember, there’s no tipping expected unlike in the US. The price you see on the menu is the actual price you’ll pay. This is a lovely white tablecloth dining experience with exquisite food and presentation. It is worth every penny! It made a great “last hurrah” before lockdown version 4.0.