C'EST BON

It's a tough job I know, but someone has to do it. How could we possibly share with you the secrets of Cairns' dining scene unless we tried it first hand. We are forever exploring the local Cairns restaurant scene, and new venues will be added to this page as we discover them.

RESTAURATEURS: IF YOU HAVE A RESTAURANT IN CAIRNS OR THE NORTHERN BEACHES - OR ANYWHERE IN TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND - AND WOULD LIKE TO BE FEATURED ON THIS PAGE, DON'T HESITATE TO .

C'EST BON FRENCH RESTAURANT, 20 Lake Street, Cairns

In our travels through thirty-something countries on five continents, Maria and I have had the pleasure of dining in some great restaurants and sampling some terrific food. But sometimes - rarely - the dining experience ends up being about so much more than just the food; you find yourself swept away into a total experience.

That is exactly what happened to us when we entered C'est Bon, Cairns' award winning French Restaurant.

It was an unusually chilly Tuesday night, and the pleasant balcony of the Lake Street restaurant was all but deserted. But inside, most of the tables were full and an ambience of relaxed dining prevailed. Maria and I were greeted promptly, and given a table by a window, away from the cool breeze. We started with a champagne cocktail (when in France...) and surveyed the fixed price three course dinner menu. A simple choice of three starters, three mains and three desserts became more difficult as everything souded so delicious. Immediately we knew we were in for something special, and the price of $42.50 seemed excellent value.

As an entree, Maria ordered the Spanner Crab and Avocado Tian with Horseradish and Salmon Roe. I opted for the 'Soupe du Jour', a carrot and ginger soup. Soon after ordering, I saw other tables being served white bowls topped with a bulging casing of golden puff pastry. It looked extraordinary, and I immediately wished I had ordered that. Imagine my delight when I discovered that I had! That was my soup...



I punched a small hole in the top through which to eat the soup, and ended the course with the delicious pastry soaking up the last of the hearty carrot and ginger soup, with its subtle flavour of herbs. Maria enjoyed every morsel of the tasty crab and avocado entree.

I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the serving. It was a generous bowl of soup, not just a 'taste' as you too often find at many upmarket restaurants.

The dedicated driver for the evening, Maria had to be satisfied with the champagne cocktail, whereas I enjoyed a crisp, refreshing Tasmanian Sauvignon Blanc between courses. For main course, Maria ordered the Atlantic Salmon. It was perfectly cooked, topped with a walnut salsa and accompanied by a remarkably attractive swirl of spiced grated potato.

By now it was obvious that whoever prepared these dishes possessed a genuine passion for food... and art.
I couldn't resist the 'Poitrine de Porc', a thick slice of pork belly on a bed of slow cooked lentils, carrots and bacon. On chatting with the owner, I learnt that this delicious slab of pork belly had been cooked in duck fat for three hours, and then rebaked for extra crispiness. It worked!



On first glance, the pork looked rich and fatty. But it was meaty and juicy, and I didn't leave a morsel. Topped with poached pear, and with the smoky flavour through the lentils, this was a dish you could lose yourself in. The crispy crackling proved a terrific finale to a memorable dish.

I ordered a glass of house red (a Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon, I believe) with the pork, but on reflection it may not have been the ideal choice. C'est Bon offers a Beaujelais which is available chilled, and that would probably have been the perfect accompaniment to the rich, robust flavours of the dish.

Maria always looks forward to dessert, a course that I can often do without. But after peeking at the dessert plates coming out form the kitchen, I wasn't missing out on this. I selected the 'Mille Feuille' (literally 'a thousand leaves') which put simply was a vanilla slice, accompanied by a zesty, refreshing passionfruit sorbet. Deliciously thick vanilla sauce oozed from the flaky layers; this was a dessert that tasted every bit as good as it looked.

Maria went for the Creme Caramel, which almost brought tears to her eyes, as it reminded her of her mother's homemade Crema Catalana back in her native Spain.



The food at C'est Bon was - in my opinion - above criticism. The portions were generous - not 'downsized' as you sometimes find on a discounted 'fixed price' menu. Nicolas, the owner, floated effortlessly from table to table, ensuring that nobody's experience was lacking that special French charm. He told us that this special three course menu changes weekly. This goes to explain why C'est Bon is so popular with locals; they can rely on their old favourites week after week, but can also discover new culinary treats with every visit. While many Cairns restaurants have struggled to cope with the downturn in tourist numbers earlier in the year, C'est Bon goes from strength to strength, riding proudly on its impeccable reputation among locals.

As more Cairns residents experience this charming little slice of France in their tropical city, and discover that French food can be so varied and affordable... well, you may want to book ahead!









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