http://www.themanhattanline.com.au/
One of my recent "discoveries" that is so obvious, it shouldn't actually be a discovery, is that I live walking distance from South Bank Parklands. Granted it is a lengthy walk, but it's very much doable and in the current weather situation (cool and sunny), it is a downright pleasant experience.
The route I take is entirely pedestrian friendly and it follows the Brisbane River so there are some decent views too. A couple of weeks ago I made the journey, stopping by at the GOMA for a spot of culture, and ending up at South Bank Parklands. I was starving by that point and wanted to reward myself so I scoured around for a good food venue and spotted The Manhattan Line.
Funky water dispenser
I liked the promise of hotdog and beer and the layout was invitingly open plan. When the weather is as good as it has been, I love sitting in a sheltered but breezy space to soak up the South Bank atmosphere. That to me, is the epitome of day time dining in Brisbane.
I ordered at the bar and chose from their extensive hotdog menu, plus a side, plus a beer. It was my first time ordering an alcoholic beverage for myself in years. I'm sure I sounded like a complete nob but I asked for what was available on tap and when he recited the choices, I lost focus and ended up going for 'the first one'. There was just as much confusion with sizes.... why aren't beer sizes just 'small', 'regular' and 'large'? WTF is a pint or a pot? I asked for 'the bigger one' and what I got is what you see in the photo.
Stone and Wood Ale
Being the beer novice that I am, I can't elaborate on what I chose but it was pretty good... I like my pale ale.
I perched myself on a high bench that was tucked away in a way that I could street watch but I didn't feel too exposed. The food was brought out to me soon after I started sipping on my beer. Everything looked enticing on presentation. I love chips in baskets. Pink and white checkered paper linings? It's nawww-inducingly cute. I tucked in right away.
The NYC - beef frank, caramelised onions, Manhattan ketchup, yellow mustard and cheddar cheese
I thought the hot dog was a good size. It's the right serving size to fill you up but still leave room for beer. I was very content throughout my entire meal and not at all overstuffed. Mind you, I've a very experienced devourer of food. I liked the quantity of tomato sauce and mustard. To me, tomato sauce and American mustard are essential sausage accompaniments. The rest of the toppings (onion and cheese) were simple but that's what I was in the mood for. The bun was soft and fresh.
Shoe string fries with Manhattan-made aioli
The chips were piping hot but a bit under for me. I like near-burnt and very crunchy! The aioli was perfectly adequate though.
I liked The Manhattan line not just for food, bev or ambiance but for a combination of all the above. I wouldn't say the food offerings (or at least, those I tried) were particularly earth-shattering but they were exactly what I expected and wanted when I ordered. It's the kind of straight-forward Americanized pub food that you can comfortably pair with beer and form the base of an excellent day out.
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