A small, old-fashioned yet comfortable restaurant. The fireplace is cosy and a nice touch especially now as the weather gets cooler. We also noticed a wall-mounted air-conditioner which would presumably serve for warmer months.

We went on a weekend and the restaurant was absolutely packed. There was just one waitress on duty but the service was not affected - still friendly and efficient!! She even took the time to speak to us, rather than just setting down our meals and leaving.

The menu is simple and a little limited, especially in terms of vegetarian options, but the food tastes nice. With regards to dessert, the chocolate pudding with praline parfait was a standout - the pudding is moist, the parfait subtle, and the dish overall is well presented.

Cost is a little bit on the expensive side when compared with some other restaurants, but this restaurant would make a great choice for a birthday or other special occasion - just make sure to book ahead of time.

The only downside is that they do not seem to have any ice buckets. Every time our wine glasses needed to be topped up, the waitress had to run back to the kitchen to fetch our bottle & refill them. After this happened a couple of times, we asked that the bottle be left on our table, so we could pour it ourselves and save her a few trips. However this meant our wine remained unchilled, which was a bit disappointing.

Approximate cost: $30 - $50

Bouchon is a very small and cosy restaurant in a good location in the Bendigo CBD. We made a booking and were seated straight away at our table. Our waiter came over and took our orders and suggested a couple of wines to go with the food we had chosen.

The meals were all neatly presented and tasted delicious. The steak was cooked exactly as ordered, and the duck was just as great tasting with a rich flavour. The desserts were delicious - we ended up sharing a pudding and creme brullee.

Service was warm and friendly, and added to the ambiance of the restaurant.

Street parking is available but can be difficult during lunch times when other shoppers are parked on the street.

Approximate cost: $25