Traditional beef tartare. Photo by Andrew Finch

Buvette Bistro and Wine Bar, Hotel Realm.

Sirloin served with pomme frites, mixed-leaf salad and truffle butter. Photo by Andrew Finch

Sweet salty crunch greens. Photo by Andrew Finch

Buvette Bistro and Wine Bar, Hotel Realm.

Salad Nicoise… spiced yellow fin tuna, kipfler potatoes, soft quail egg, marinated anchovies, olives, tomatoes and green beans. Photo by Andrew Finch

Escargots a La Bourguignonne, cooked in garlic and herb butter…  luxurious on the first visit. Photo by Andrew Finch

Buvette Bistro and Wine Bar, Hotel Realm.

Buvette Bistro and Wine Bar, Hotel Realm.

THE fitout oozes gorgeous. Beautiful tones, textures and attention to detail. Very expensive. Very Parisien. Très chic.

I’m talking about Buvette Bistro and Wine Bar, Hotel Realm. It’s the newest addition to the Realm Precinct, sitting alongside Lilotang, Maple and Clove, and Ostani.

I’ve been twice, with groups of friends each time, and put it on the table that my first experience was sweet and my second sour.

Let’s start with the sweet. We settled in and fell silent as we absorbed the menu, realising quickly there would be difficult choices to make with all dishes crying out: “Pick me. Pick me”.

The snails cooked in garlic and herb butter were luxurious ($20 for 12 pieces) and even lapped up by one member of our group who had never had escargots before and wasn’t sure whether to give them a go.

We next shared the creamy cured salmon gravlax ($21), which was delightful with pomegranate, kiwi parfait, crème fraiche and grapefruit. A perfect summer dish. Pretty on the plate and perfect on the palette.

The crispy lamb belly ($34) was exceptional. Beautifully slow-cooked lamb shoulder, served with perky fresh peas, sheep’s yoghurt and tangy preserved lemon. A tantalising combination of flavours and precise execution.

The grill options attracted oohs and aahs, as did most other dishes on our “sweet visit”.

Now to the sour. We were so excited by our first experience that we opted to dine again, this time adding two more to our original group.

We were drooling in anticipation by the time our snails arrived. We ordered two plates but after tasting the first cancelled the second. There was next to no butter or garlic making the snails dry and unpalatable. My friend remarked that if this had been her first experience with snails she would never, ever try them again.

Several mains attracted big yawns. The small handful of pomme frites served with a steak dish were nearly cold. How hard is it to make decent frites? The side dishes were exceptionally ordinary – the descriptions more inviting than the end products.

The service was hit and miss. Lots of staff and not many customers so we were bewildered. We couldn’t get prompt attention for water or wine.

So now what? Do we return and give Buvette another go, hoping three times lucky?

With the huge number of new restaurants opening in Canberra this year (and late last year) there’s no real reason to. It’s not a cheap night out. But I sense we’ll be drawn back once more, with memories of our sweet dining experience dancing in our heads.

Buvette’s wine list is extensive, carefully selective and has many secrets to reveal for the patient reader.

Buvette, Hotel Realm, Barton. Call 6163 1818. Open for breakfast seven  days, lunch Tuesday to Friday and dinner Tuesday to Saturday.