Review Mon Ami - Fitzroy

A truly delightful place to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Unpretentious in every way, setting, menu and service. Our favourite for special occasions.

My workplace had our Christmas Dinner. As a group of 13, we had Mon Ami to ourselves. Ulla was fantastic to work with planning our dinner. Atmosphere was just perfect, we started with sparkling wine and canapes in the courtyard before moving inside for dinner. The food was sublime, the duck was just perfect. Definitely one to come back for

Super cute bistro with one of the best foie gras around here. Cute decor and strong Parisian vibe. The food is homely and authentic. Super tasty too!

We have been coming to this absolutely gorgeous restaurant since it first opened in 2003. Every meal here has been top class, along with the friendly service and cosy ambiance. It is a tiny slice of wonderfulness. It is Paris in Fitzroy; just so beautiful and the food is so delicious.

Fantastic dining experience. Food was sensational. Service was exceptional. The wine selection was fabulous. A very intimate dining experience. My partner and I could not fault it!

Awful. Expensive. We had escargot, they were canned! Served on oily chewy toast. The crepes tasted pre-cooked by a couple of days. Disappointing. Menu has since changed. Would never go back. The passive aggressive responses from the owner should be evidence enough of a need to avoid.

Delicious and delightful — this is the place for a perfectly authentic French experience in the heart of Melbourne. The atmosphere is beyond charming; the food wonderful and delicate. Likely to be the best duck I’ve ever eaten. Yum!

Was taking a leisurely walk and stumbled upon this nice French bistro tucked into the corner of a quiet neighbourhood. Didn't get to try their food, but the martini was spectacular. The lady was also really nice and attentive, and the food I saw the other patrons have looked mouthwateringly seductive. I will definitely be back to try out the food 🤤

First night out after restrictions lifted and Mon Ami didn’t disappoint!! Everything about that place is fantastic. A perfect night out!

It’s a 3.6 for me. Cute little place that I must have passed hundreds of times in the tram or in the car. It is small. But small in a cute way and it’d be a lovely spot I imagine for a romantic dinner on a nice night. But, one chef and one server will give you an idea of the scale of the operation. It’s tight. There were some lovely features to the night, a special birthday where an old friend had booked the whole place out. My highlights are unusual ones. I loved the bread here and the truffle butter. The bread was superb and the butter richly flavoured and not overpowered by the truffle. The main dishes were interesting. The world’s most beautiful woman loved her gnocchi whereas my French onion soup likely didn’t reach the heights of her dish. We both had the fish for main which was beautifully cooked with a lovely sauce and boiled potatoes. It was a tiny bit on the economical side for me. The accompanying vegetables were spectacularly good. You can’t cook beans better than they cooked them here. They had a little crunch but weren’t hard in the slightest. I can’t imagine the skill that went in to getting them just right like this. They were delectable but with the broccoli and beans just a little on the slight side for me at one floret and four beans each from the share dish. The tart for dessert with ice cream was lovely. Just the right size this time and very well flavoured and cooked with a nice ice cream as well. Service was good throughout the night. All in all, a lovely night and enjoyable for all.

The place is cute and quirky but we found the food to be quite hit and miss. My entree was the marinated herring which was basically a piece of herring on a Fincrisp cracker (you can buy the box for $2 from a Deli) and a boiled egg. The size and skill involved in preparing this underwhelming starter does not deserve the price tag. My main was the tarragon chicken which was good but once again not worth the price tag considering you can easily prepare this at home. The chicken was supposed to be served with burnt pear but it came out with grapes. No warning from the waitress in regards to the ingredient swap. <br/><br/>My husband had the tartare for entree which was nowhere near authentic having had the egg mixed into the mince along with vegetables. His main was the duck which was a tiny piece of grizzle and skin, that’s about it.<br/><br/>Overall the service was pleasant but it took over one hour to get the food out despite the restaurant being empty. The price is exuberant.

Mon Ami was very special, the decor is adorable and really does feel like you've been transported to a small bistro in France. The food was absolutely delicious, we ordered the main duck dish and the chicken, with vegetables and crème brûlée and pot au chocolat for dessert. It was a bit pricy for us but very much worth the price for a special occasion, I felt very spoilt!

Very nice and authentic French restaurant! Love the food! Although is quite 'petit', the environment is cozy and quite, it's right opposite to the garden. It's been quite many years since last time I came. Still love their duck dish (my favourite),beef tartare, and the scallop entree is also amazing! You need to try their duck dish, it will disappoint you :)

We could not have picked a better place for a romantic dinner. Food looked and tasted delightful, ambience was classic and very intimate . We had entree, mains, wine and dessert. Stunning evening that we both really enjoyed. Only feedback I would say is, as we are coming from a background that like our bellies full, would of been a 5 if portions were a bit bigger but as a fine dining experience, that would be the compromise. We will definitely come back again!

An extremely cute French restaurant hidden in popular Fitzroy. We came Thursday night a little late after getting through the traffic, and found there were only 2 guests there. Then we became the only 1 table which was near the window where I could watching through the outside~ the French wine is nice and we ordered homemade bread, figs and scallops to start. Scallops were not over grilled coming nice with the purée. For mains, we had dish of the day and confit duck legs. It is the best duck leg that I had ever had! Juicy but no duck 'smell' at all! The sided cabbage was highlight! The dessert brûlée was nice but suggest on top was a little over burned~ never mind the whole night was nice! This is definitely a good spot for date! Bring your special one and have some nice chat!

What a gorgeous little restaurant. Lovely layout and decor, small but beautifully intimate, very attentive and friendly waitstaff and gorgeous food. Our table ordered 2 different types of duck and the risotto - all of which were superb. The desserts were delicious as well. It's clear that the chef puts a lot of time, effort and love into his/her work, and the fact that this is a family-run business makes it even more special. Highly recommend for a romantic evening.

We had a beautiful night at Mon Ami last night celebrating our anniversary. This is a such a delightfully romantic place with amazing food and service. We will be back!

The Trough has contemplated this review for a few days. He is cognisant of the fact that here are a lot of reviews already out there for this establishment, and asked himself whether he had much to add beyond a (high) rating.<br/><br/>Well here goes. <br/><br/>The Trough thinks reviewers overuse the word romantic to describe Mon Ami. Perhaps this is because The Trough has eaten there more in groups than as part of a couple.<br/><br/>The space at Mon Ami is certainly small and intimate, and part of its charm lies in its small scale. One does not have to be planning a Batchelor/Batchelorette style interaction to go to Mon Ami, however, and the linking of 'French' with 'romantic' is a bit of a tired old trope ITTHO. One look at Francois Hollande should be sufficient to lay that old stereotype to rest.<br/><br/>The duck dishes are all excellent, well cooked and with a lot of flavour and technique. The confit fell off tbe bone beautifully the other night, and the Famille Trough all recorded their appreciation of, variously, the duck breast w spicy red cabbage and the duck poivre w mash. In fact it is so hard to go past the duck that The Trough does not feel able to comment on other parts of the menu apart from the desserts.<br/><br/>The other night saw exploration of the creme brulee, crepes w berries and an apple tarte. The only real criticism that can be made is that the tart was a little blackened on the corners -ok, burnt to use some anglo saxon bluntness. To be fair it was still very edible and the Trough found he had eaten it all up anyway without complaint, so it is not like the Mon Ami proprietors were given an opportunity to deal with the issue at the time. <br/><br/>It is probably a mark of the quality of the meal that The Trough views the burnt but unreported tart as trivial albeit providing a valuable chance to be critical in a review. The general excellence of the service also leads the Trough to suapect any reported dissatisfaction would have been addressed appropriately.<br/><br/>The Trough's assessment is the prices at Mon Ami are fair to good value when assessed against the quality.<br/><br/>Lastly, The Trough is not a big drinker but in the past has had occasion to sample the 'wine wall' at Mon Ami and found it impressive. Mon Ami has a standard drinks menu but not a wine list. Instead it has a bottle storage rack covering a wall and patrons are invited to select from it This arrangement fits beautifully with the intimate ambience, and makes wine selection akin to browsing for a book in a library, which the Trough used to enjoy doing in the 20th century.<br/><br/>The Trough highly recommends Mon Ami for special occasions. Feel free to troll me if I start bringing in references to Proust in any reviews.

Nothing short of superb. Tasteful decor, fine service and consistently (scallops, risotto, lamb, tarte aux pommes) excellent food. A memorable dining experience from the hands of a pair of seasoned professionals. Highest recommendation.

<br/>A perfect find<br/><br/>We were introduced to Mon Ami by friends who visit Melbourne regularly. <br/><br/>What a find. We love French restaurants and Mon Ami must be one of the most special in Melbourne. <br/><br/>It is small intimate and oozes with charm , you feel so much like you are back in Paris in one of your favorite French spots <br/><br/>Duck is their speciality , and special it was. We can't wait to come back to Melbourne, Mon Ami is top of the list for a repeat visit <br/><br/>A special evening at a special place<br/>

Simply French and simply wonderful. The small intimate setting is fantastic and romantic. They serve exceptional food and great service is equally fantastic. Will definitely be returning and highly recommend.

Took my partner here for a birthday dinner and love the food which was delicious, the lady who runs the floor was amazing and remembered that i had emailed her asking for a cake-candle for my partner and the fact that is is very well priced was just an added bonus. Would i go there with a group of friends, no, would i go there for a date night, absolutely.

Jan'16 update - went to have a wine in their terrace. It has sun for a long time and there always seem to be space. Had a lovely wine and ended up having dinner as well. Had steak and risotto, and some bread to start with. It was $60 per person. Not cheap, but very nice food!! Still love this place lots!<br/><br/>Jul'15 - Delicious & great! What a lovely lady serving the food and some of the dishes were the best we had in ages. The foie gras; simply divine! My boyfriend's 2nd favorite was the scallops entree, mine the special duck main. The courses were fairly small, but with three courses we were full enough. All together it was about $200, which is a lot of money but good value!

Great. The best restaurant experience i have ever had. Worth every cent

A bit pricy but worth the money

After a recommendation, we dined at Mon Ami tonight to celebrate our second wedding anniversary. The whole night from the initial greeting and right through to desert was just amazing!! My husband & I shared the gnocchi entree, I don't usually eat seafood but will definitely be ordering this meal again. Main: I had the duck citron which was probably the most amazing meal I've ever eaten, my husband had the peppered duck which he says was spectacular! We had creme brûlée & chocolat pot for desert, both were delicious. Mon Ami has a lovely, intimate atmosphere, seating for under 20 allows for personalised service for each diner. We will definitely be back, in the not to distant future.

We decided to choose a dish from the petit range. At that point, nothing sounded more appetising to me than the kingfish ceviche. Topped with caviar, a drizzle of lemon, pepper and sauce gribiche, every slice of kingfish was a delightful mouthful. Both the presentation and flavours of the fish were fresh and elegant. Unfortunately, the dish was quite small so I found myself slowing down towards the end and taking the time to savour each slice. That's what good food should be like, in adequate amounts, always leaving you wanting more.  Quyen had the gnocchi, and I can't remember the exact details but I know there was cream, onion and the fancy Gruyere cheese. Needless to say, she loved her dish as well. We both agreed that we absolutely had to come back for dinner, or at least a more substantial meal in the future. What a gem! We sat in their lovely outdoor area, pampered with food of such fine quality. We couldn't ask for more!

Thursday, 19 February 2015<br/><br/>REVIEW OF<br/> ‘MON AMI – PARIS GRILL’<br/><br/>I discovered Mon Ami a couple of years ago and fell in love, here was a bit of France in Nicholson Street opposite the Carlton Gardens and so reminiscent of the little bistros I have had the good fortune to find in Paris and the other towns and villages across France – progress has seen many put up their shutters but at Mon Ami the tradition remains in fact Melbourne is fortunate in having several such bistro/cafes which have stuck to the great traditional French cuisine with each chef putting his if her own signature on their dishes.<br/>Often reading reviews and recipes from the latest cooking book we seem to lose contact of these great cooking traditions which are dismissed as being old fashioned. But when cooked with care in the traditional manner can be heavenly and it is no easy task to create the perfect ‘Coq au Vin’ as the legendary chef/restaurateur Gay Bilson once remarked in her pivotal book ‘Plenty: Digressions on Food’ .<br/> While I adore the idea of innovation and originality unless it is in the hands of a chef who understands flavour then it can often go wrong in leaving the hapless diner with a dish(s) that is incoherent, maybe if your lucky there will be a flash of brilliance but more often this marred by the addition of to many conflicting sets of flavours. As my father used to say “The problem with most painters is they never know when to stop” <br/>Thankfully the tradition of serving well thought out food has been maintained with flair at Mon Ami situated on busy Nicholson Street, its tiny seating less than twenty. Mon Ami is relatively quiet so one can engage in conversation of a glass of wine or two; also the lighting is sufficient to be able to see your friends and importantly the food<br/>The décor is reminiscent of those tiny places you find in Europe with a small bar with a couple of tables rather than a great cavern full of noise; there is even a garden where on a warm evening one can enjoy the charm of the Carlton Gardens opposite, the peace is intermittently interrupted by noisy trams clanking up and down.<br/>The two proprietors are from Scandinavia will Jon Langevad was born in Australia but retains the heritage and his partner Ulla is Finnish. Both are a delight Ulla is friendly and importantly knowledgeable, without the pretensions of so many modern day sommeliers who seem to like to stare down the customer. Jon stays in his kitchen occasionally popping out to say hello to a regular or to grab a glass of wine for cooking??<br/>The specialty is duck – the blackboard outside claims that xxx ducks have fallen victim to the chef’s pan, while I have eaten duck here, usually a the breast or occasionally a confit of the leg, with an assortment of sauces. I also have had his Cassoulet which is excellent and cooked in the traditional way so the flavours mingle happily through all the component parts. Happy is a good tag for his cuisine serious but happy and accessible to the diner.<br/>But away from idle conjecture and to my most recent meal.<br/>To prepare my palate I ordered a glass of a sparkling blanc de blanc from Burgundy – don’t much like these low end sparklers from France I find they are too round and lack the acidity and bite of real champagne or for that matter the better Australian equivalents which are much more to my palate.<br/>On this particular evening I decided to try the Deep sea Atlantic scallops sautéed in butter with sweet onion and herbs, gnocchi Parisienne [choux] muddled with parmesan cheese, Tasmanian crayfish bisque and a touch of cream served with fresh dill. The description of the dish was a mouthful in itself – but as the say it is in the eating and flavour that counts no matter the pretty description.<br/>It was indeed a delicious mouthful, instead of using the rather heavy Italian potato based gnocchi the chef has turned to the French style where they use gnocchi made with a light and creamy dough redolent with butter, flour and eggs similar to that used to make profiteroles. The standout were the delicious scallops fat and flavoursome all dressed with a creamy thick but delicate sauce flavoured with crayfish and dill.<br/>I also ordered a serve of his homemade bread that came out warm with a deliciously crisp crust, just the thing to soak up the sauce to leave my plate clean.<br/>One of the great charms of Mon Ami is Ulla and the wine wall – instead of a huge wine list with seemingly more pages than the Bible. If one is of a want you can select a bottle or ask for a glass from the extensive range that are already open.<br/>On this occasion I chose the Tulloch’s Verdelho 2013 from the Hunter which married well with the Gnocchi. <br/>Almost every time I go out and see duck I order it, be it in a Chinese or French style restaurant, in my youth we kept ducks and I remember slipping over in the yard and getting coated in the their mud and slime so since I have carried out a personal vendetta to get my own back by eating them, not to mention the fact that when properly cooked the meat is delicious. But no on this particular night I decided on the “Gippsland Lamb Noisettes pan sautéed in butter served on spicy red cabbage, sweet roasted butternut pumpkin and Paris smash then topped with a butter ‘Colbert’ loaded with duck jus and the cooking pan juices.”<br/>These delicious little Noisettes bore no relation to the ‘English Indie Rock band’ except that to an old fashioned gourmet like me they were very pretty and elegant with a nice crust, pink and quite moist on the inside sitting atop of the Paris mash which was very smooth and some might say sexy, the butter ‘Colbert’ added to the delight of the dish especially as the chef had substituted duck jus in lieu of more usual beef. <br/>I am afraid that the red cabbage was to me a blight on the table, I seem to remember reading somewhere that the French regarded cabbage as only being fit to feed to their stock a thought I have some sympathy with. Normal cabbage is fine but the red stuff is yuk in my book.<br/>With the main course came a small salad of cold crisp Cos leaves dressed with a well-balanced herbed vinaigrette, crisp cos is bliss some much nicer than all those trendy salad greens that bedevil most salad bowls these days. It is the simplicity and crispness I like more than anything else.<br/>Back to the wine wall in search of a suitable red to go with lamb there I espied a bottle of Voyager Estate Girt by Sea Cabernet Merlot 2011 from the Margaret River- a lovely full flavoured balanced wine which blended well with the lamb.<br/> To finish my dining I choose a slice of a multi-layered ice cream ‘parfait’ of ginger, honey and lime topped with sour cherry confit and a red wine glaze perhaps a little sweet but that was partly offset by the acidity of the lime.<br/>To finish an espresso followed by a Calvados and my evening was complete<br/>Sigmund Jörgensen

Visited for a date night after a friends recommendation and absolutely loved it here! The food was delicious, the place had a great atmosphere and the waitress was so lovely; very attentive and friendly. We will definitely return soon!

What an absolute gem! This place is a gorgeous tiny restaurant with amazing food and a fantastic wine selection. The duck confit and fois gras were delicious. Service was second to none.

On Bastille Night I joined the happy throng at Mon Ami for a delicious dinner of old favourites with a new modern twist.<br/><br/>Whenever I go to Mon Ami I am reminded of some of my favourite little bistros in France<br/><br/>I cannot recommend it too highly - the snails with gnocchi and foie gras, were exceptional<br/><br/>Sigmund Jorgensen

WORTH EVERY CENT!. I took my partner for dinner at Mon Ami after a friend from work raved about the food. To start off my review the service is second to none, we were greeted by Ulla who had a bright smile and very friendly nature, Ulla explained the menu in detail and helped us with our drink choices.<br/>Whilst waiting for our food we enjoyed looking at how beautifully the restaurant was decorated and not long after ordering, our food arrived... Con-fit duck with pork belly, If I could put into words how delicious this meal was I would but it was just too good for words!.......... Dessert (chocolate ganache) shortly followed and it was incredible! <br/>Great service, divine food and an adorable french styled restaurant that is visually very pleasing..... What more could you ask for!

Favourite Restaurant in Melbourne.. My God! we have been going to Mon Ami regularly for about eight years. The owners are dedicated to the cuisine, decor and front of house. It seats sixteen people enabling every patron to be spoiled with attention, menu explanation and discussion relating to the pros and cons of the extensive wine inventory. The chef's attention to detail is faultless and would not be possible in a larger establishment. The quail is crisp skinned and bursting with flavour. They claim to have sold over 21,000 ducks which is incredible, but not surprising. It is pointless to rave on about the individual culinary delights produced by Mon Ami because everything we've had is cooked to perfection and bursting with subtle flavours. If you wish to impress a new beau, and you have not been there, rest assured she/he will be delighted. <br/>As for being expensive!!! Not sure where you usually eat, but the prices are on their website and are a fraction of some of Melbourne's famous and far inferior restaurants.

I had been going past this place for a couple of years and it looked so inviting that I had to try it. First, the good things: the atmosphere is delightful, the waitstaff are informed and attentive. They have wine racks to choose your wine from which was fun. But the food just was not nice. I had overcooked and tough duck. My husband had uninspired paella. The foie gras entree was good but minuscule. The creme brûlée was very good but I needed to ask for more cream that accompanied it as it could not get any smaller. I really wanted to love this place but will not return unless the food really improves. Fairly expensive as well. :-(

Absolutely wonderful experience. We came here for the first time in Thursday night in the midst of the heat wave. We were greeted by a warm smile, a cool, cosy restaurant, and a menu filled with delicious food.<br/><br/>It seems this restaurant is owned and run by a couple. The man being the chef and the lovely lady the waitress who managed all tables seamlessly and with a smile in 45 degree heat. It seats probably 20 or so people and so feels intimate and special. <br/><br/>We shared the house cured salmon entree with cucumber, fetts, olives and tomato. It was incredibly light and refreshing with hints of dill and melt in your mouth salmon. <br/><br/>It turns out these guys specialise in duck. So I ordered the 5-hour confit duck leg, and my partner the steak. Both were just delightful in their flavours and textures. The duck was the highlight for me, served with cashews, mashed potato, gravy and more. <br/><br/>My partner loved his steak which was served with I think a peppercorn sauce and hand cut chips. We also had a side salad which was beautifully fresh with a mustard vinaigrette. <br/><br/>Dessert we shared a creme brûlée. For me it wasn't my favourite ever but it was still delicious, topped with an almond praline which was very unique. <br/><br/>This has already become a favourite for both of us and we will be back soon. <br/><br/>Also awesome wine list and reasonably priced. Thank you!

One of Melbourne's treasure. I have been meaning to write a review for ages on Mon Ami. I am in love with this restaurant and also take overseas guests to it. Absolutely superb. Thank you Mon Ami for the beautiful food, service and wine.

Duck LOrange is absolutely delicious!!! Loved it!!! Really friendly staff and cozy place, very dainty and romantic :)

Cute. Most romantic restaurant in melbourne? probably.<br/><br/>Been past this place many times, finally got a chance to go.<br/><br/>Food is fine, the ducks were all well cooked, but not amazing. The damage to the wallet is high for a small bistro restaurant, but it's really a place for dates and not fine dining. <br/><br/>6/10 does the job well for a small romantic restaurant.

All the reviews saying that is a romantic joint are 100% correct. But the food is exquisite and the service. Almost didn't go because of 1 bad review. It's funny how a bad review can deter you even when the weight of the evidence says "dude...try this." Let me reiterate: Dude...try this. It's good. Especially the twice roasted duck and the chocolate foundue

Didn't feel like a valued customer.. Waitress was so condescending, will not go back. Such a disappointment.<br/>Steak was not great - according to my husband. Duck / duckling was ok, but nothing all that special.

Amazing resturant, couldn't fault anything about this place. The duck is as delicious as other reviews have said. We had the duck l'orange and the pepper duck .... Beautiful! The desserts and entrees are just as good. Can't wait to go back! Staff are really helpful too

Yet another perfect duck breast at Mon Ami!!! Love this place

It was our wedding anniversary and thought we would try somewhere different, especially since the reviews were high. Great service and quaint atmosphere. The duck was really nice but we both agreed our usual local for special occasions (Scholars wine&bar) in north melbourne is a whole different level in the way of delicate textures and tasty flavours ...& for the same price. It was good trying somewhere new but we'll head back to our trusty local.

Shhhoosh....one of Melbournes best kept secrets. Food is authentic, well prepared and served with genuine care. Small, intimate and a warm atmosphere. We only have one nature...we live in Sydney.

Exquisite!. A fantastically delicious meal, amazing service, and terribly romantic!<br/>Took my boyfriend as part of his christmas present and it was sensational, a small intimate place. Wish there was more places like this in Melbourne<br/>HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Pleasant, intimate decor, authentic French without being ott.<br/>Friendly, warm, efficient service.<br/>Succinct menu choices thats effective.<br/>Reasonable prices.<br/>Good quality ingredients, traditional french cooking with a twist, delicious!<br/>Enough with arty french haute cuisine!<br/>Give me classic, thoughtful french cooking any day.<br/>We will return.

Great night. Read up on the reviews on urban spoon & decided to give this place a go for our anniversary. Usually I book top class restaurants like Ezards & Jacques Reymond but thought to try something more cosy this year. My wife & I love all things French so this seemed like a good choice. We certainly were not disappointed. Very romantic atmosphere & excellent food & service. This place specialises in duckling so that is what we had. It was wonderful, definitely be coming back.

There are two things I don't like.... Being served salad that is wilted and crepes that look like pancakes. This place has both!

What happened?. My partner and I moved to the area earlier this year and we were so happy to find this adorable little place. It definitely was one our fave places to eat. Recently, the last few times we went, we have ended up being so disappointed with our food that we have agreed to not go back. Every dish we ordered had something wrong with it.. Whether it was overcooked, under-cooked or just bland, most of the dishes we didn't finish. So sad...

Mon Ami for Life. This is one of my all time favourite restaurants, which I tend to visit for special ocassions. Last week I dined at Mon Ami to celebrate my birthday, which was the perfect end to a much celebrated day. The confit of duck leg was melt in the mouth and cooked to prefection, as were the Chardonay infused pears served to compliment the duck - two of my favourite foods. I always leave room for dessert and the Orange Creme Brule certainly didn't disappoint. Despite the generous sized serving, my tastebuds wanted more..... I'll certainly be back Mon Ami, however I won't wait for my next birthday to do so.

Careful who you take. Cosy, intimate atmosphere, low lighting, this place has all the elements to transform an innocent Friday night catch-up into an explosive romantic tryst. What is it about the French and their food? <br/>Start with two gruyere souffles to get your heart racing, full-bodied and bursting out of their cups. Follow this up with a smooth, sensual pinot noir, with just the right amount of spice to melt even the strongest resolve. Then, in your weakened state: duck breast, sprinkled with black pepper, flamed with cognac and finished with pure cream. Unsuspecting, you’ll be left groaning with pleasure.<br/>You can see where a night like this is headed. There’s only one way it can end. That’s right: orange creme brulee with vanilla pod ice cream. Oh baby yes! At this point you'll be thumping the table.

Very good. I was there for my birthday, and only i can say fantastic, elegant, romantic and good food!!. 2 restaurants this weekends and both were incredible.

I'm in heaven. The restaurant was full of couples, and we were one of them. Couldn't say a bad thing about it. Cosy, delicious, great staff, wonderful food ( I had the scollops and King George Whiting .. Yum) I had a taste of my partners dish (the double roasted duck) and nearly fell of my chair from deliciousness! definitely date-worthy for those who know how to impress.

Very cosy place with classic, good quality duck dishes. Friendly yet low key service. No wine list just a wall of wine bottles to choose from. This is not super fashionable but is definitely worth a visit if you like the idea of cosy French.

Canette. The reviewers here seem a little confused. mon ami serves duckling, not duck. that is why the meat is so tender and delicious. <br/>i spotted some cute taxidermied ducklings at tarlo & graham recently, and had a flashback to the lovely meal i enjoyed at this establishment when it was named bistro riz many years ago. <br/>the name changed, but the frou frou leopard print lamp remains at the corner of the wine bar. <br/>this is certainly one of fitzroy's most romantic and intimate spots - more cosy than madame sousou, but without the people watching. <br/>the hosts are charming - it reminds me a little of mere catherine in sydney's potts point. <br/>highly recommended for a lovely night with someone special.

Amazing duck! I was back 2 days after my first visit!!! One of my favorite place!!!!

One of our favourite little restaurant. Cute setting which only seats 14-16 people so it's a great place for an intimate dinner or with a small group of friends. Good food, small but good selection of wine. All up not too pricey too compared to other bigger (and more popular) French restaurants. Duck is their specialty but caters for others as well. The chocolate Creme brûlée for dessert, yum!

Very good. This beautiful restaurant offer excellent food, 100% recomended.

Amazing little french restaurant!. This restaurant is absolutely gorgeous. it is very small, but incredibly warm and beautiful inside, the food is a whole other level, you must remember it is french cusine so the duck is standard under cooked, which i personally love, however my mother let the waitress know that she cannot eat undercooked meat when we were ordering and they cooked it to my mothers liking. the food is amazing and the service is even better. highly recommend this little gem.

According to other reviews..the ducks meant to be great HOWEVER, my 2 guests and I had steak. Warning: do not order steak here. Why? 3 out of 3 steaks may be served over cooked and dry and one of the steaks may be served with melted plastic which the chef will explain came from the butter before it was sliced. I will not return to the ducks nest ever and I suggest the chef goes back to basics and masters how to cook steak and serve without melted plastic....

Quack!. This place makes me smile time after time after time.<br/>Try their duck, yes it is exquisite, ever so slightly pink in the middle and each of the type of sauces in their various duck dishes just brings out all the best flavours! The best way I can describe it is that this place is like a massive duck rainbow- so many levels combined so joyfully right! Their specials are also always fresh especially their fish.<br/>Food and wine wall aside, this place is full of quirks. Every now and then, you might catch a glimpse of their duck friends sitting behind the counter or in between the wine or placed somewhere near your table....

Cute as a button. If this was more of a cafe instead of a formal restaurant I would sit here all day drinking coffee and watch the world go by. Sitting opposite Carlton Gardens on busy Nicholson Street you get the best of both worlds - a garden outlook as well as a busy metropolis feel of people on trams and those heading to Brunswick street for a night out. In side it is like a quaint French cafe - gorgeous antique lamps on each table, palms in the corner and beautiful photographs of Montsalvat adorn the walls. <br/>There is no wine list -they have a wine wall. Each bottle is clearly priced but I always find choosing wine a little too overwhelming; prices from around $40. There is also wine by the glass. <br/>Now to the food. I found the prices fairly average (but probably on the pricey side of that). I had seen on their website menu the double cooked souffle which I really was looking forward to but this didn't appear on their menu on this occasion. They did have a crayfish omlette which my husband had and enjoyed greatly. Good entree portion and a simple but well executed dish. We also ordered bread and olives. The olives were interestingly sweet but the bread left a lot to be desired. It was cold in the middle (like it had been frozen) and was very dense. Not what I had imagined to get at a French restaurant - should have been crusty fluffy centred bread. Anyway, the mains redeemed my issue with the bread (I like bread ok). And we both ordered the house specialty of duck. My husband had the duck with drunken raisins and I had one with a macadamia crust and ginger sauce. It was really well done. The macadamia crust was gorgeous and soaked up the ginger sauce. I am pretty sure the sauce they use for the duck on both our dishes was the same with just the extra things added last minute like the ginger or drunken raisins. But considering there is only one chef and one front of house it is a smart way to do it. <br/>We also ordered a side of mash potato which wasn't as smooth as it could have been but still very nice and all food was well seasoned. Desserts sounded great but we were honestly too tired to stay for this course. Service was personal and relaxed. <br/><br/> I think this would be the perfect place for a quiet romantic dinner. It only seats about 20 so if you want a table of more than two people it might be tricky unless booking well in advance. Having said that we booked for our Friday reservation on the Monday before with no problems. I would definitely go back. But like I said - I would love this to be more a cafe than a restaurant.

Wow. What a fantastic and intimate little place this is! The room only seats about 20 people which gives Mon Ami an intimate and romantic air. The food is prepared with care and comes with heerful service. French food and wine, with a strong leaning towards duck make this restaurant a true gem. Loved it and will make my way back there soon, I hope!

Paradise for lovers of duck and french cuisine. Very romantic but homely and small so bookings recommended. Highly recommended.