Champagne & croissants: Brunch at Ô Batignolles

PUBLISHED March 20th, 2014 01:00 am | UPDATED April 17th, 2016 09:58 pm

Ô Batignolles – quaint French bistro by day, cozy wine bar by night – is how French couple Antoine and Marie Rouland is bringing good, affordable wines to the local scene. Sitting at the fringe of the CBD, it is packed with office workers coming for lunch and after work drinks. But on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-4pm, the pace slows considerably, where people come to relax over weekend brunch.

Their ‘Champagne & Croissants’ set menu $29 offers a typical Parisian breakfast – choice of hot beverage (coffee/tea), choice of bread (Brioche with Nutella, Blueberry Pancakes, Pains au Chocolate Basket or French Toast) and choice of eggs (Eggs Benedict, Eggs Pacifico, Scrambled Eggs or Eggs Cocotte); as well as free-flow of fresh orange juice and croissants.

Given the stiff competition for brunch serving eggs, expectations run high and Ô Batignolles’ – eggs tiny, sauce too tart, muffin stale – fall short somewhat. But their much raved about pastries indeed live up to its reputation. The croissants are immaculately rolled and baked to beautiful golden. You take a bite, breaking through the thin brittle crust to the lovely buttery, chewy interior; its so good! You take another three and before you know it, the croissant disappears. But fret not, your dear waiter will bring you more.

And if spending the afternoon with unlimited Yveline Prat Brut Champagne sounds like a plan, it will cost you $89. A top-up of $60 is slightly startling, but the quality of the bubbly justifies the price. Full bodied, with nutty aromas and fine bubbles; makes for a (or many) pleasant glass(es) of champagne.

After all, Ô Batignolles does pride itself in its excellent selection of wines – personally handpicked by Antoine himself. I will definitely be back to check out the rest of their wines – perhaps at night when the weather is cooler.