Sydney Weekend in May 4 - Dinner at Master

Master Dining
http://masterdining.com.au/

Our dinner at Master was something we had planned with Sydney friends many months before the actual trip. That shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone since I only mentioned recently how meticulous I am about planning things in advance. I'm sure some find this approach to life to be stressful but for me, the earlier I plan something, the longer I have to look forward to it. And this was a dinner I was most definitely looking forward to.

In the weeks leading up to our weekend in Sydney, I kept seeing 'Master Dining' mentioned in all the up and coming restaurant guides online. Excitement grew and it was with utter glee that Marc and I approached the restaurant when the night of the booking finally came around.

Sydney weekend in May 2 - Dinner at Rockpool Bar and Grill

Rockpool Bar and Grill
http://www.rockpool.com/rockpoolbarandgrillsydney/

Because of my anxious personality, I always need to plan things well in advance. If anyone asks me to think of a restaurant to visit on the fly, I freeze up and my mind goes blank. It's alright for when I'm in Brisbane because I live here and have a supply of general 'go to' places (mostly eateries around Sunnybank) for when I have no other ideas. On an interstate trip, it's less desirable to be unplanned because I don't know other cities well so unless I have a booking made at a restaurant pre-researched, I assume we'll sit down somewhere unremarkable.

Food and Drink at The Apo

The APO
http://www.theapo.com.au/

The older I get the more I learn to appreciate any opportunity I have to catch up with good friends. A couple of weekends ago, a group of us met up for share plates and (lots of) drinks at The Apo in Fortitude Valley.

Dinner at LONgTIME

Longtime Restaurant and Bar
http://www.longtime.com.au/

There's no shortage of Asian-themed bars in Brisbane. Just off the top of my head, Kwan Brothers and Madame Wu come to mind and both left fairly positive impressions for me. You would think my mental quota for this genre of venue would be satisfied but for whatever reason, when I heard of Longtime, I was newly intrigued. I'm not sure how long ago Longtime opened; it seems 'newish' but not brand new. When it opened, I did a spot of casual research and found that they were hosting a theme night with guest chef Dan Hong from Ms G's in Sydney. I loved that restaurant so I was super keen to try this special event but alas I was working on the nights it was on.

Fast forward a year or so and I still hadn't been to Longtime. A friend of mine was visiting from Sydney and requested someplace 'cool' to dine. I know there are funky, thematic venues littered throughout Brisbane but my skeptic's voice told me there wasn't going to be anything on par with Sydney or Melbourne. My mind went blank and I panicked momentarily until Longtime presented itself as an option. It's difficult to know whether a restaurant classifies as 'cool' when you haven't been there yourself but the website looks hip and the font is edgy so what the heck, I made the booking.

Melbourne 2 - Banquet at Rumi Restaurant

Rumi Restaurant
http://rumirestaurant.com.au/

Perhaps the most urgent meet up I had arranged in Melbourne was with Mochi, my old housemate and long ago co-eater on this blog. I told her as soon as our flights were booked to think of a restaurant we could try. Because this is such a vague request (especially considering how much Melbourne has to offer), I narrowed it down to middle-eastern cuisine.

We ended up trying Rumi which is a modern Lebanese restaurant in Brunswick East. This was a Saturday night and every restaurant we drove past was busy, busy, busy. Despite having a booking, our table wasn't quite ready but the Maitre d' was very apologetic. Honestly, we were just happy to all be catching up so there was no huge rush but I like when restaurants acknowledge service flaws.

Gerard's Bistro Revisited for Epic Feast

Gerard's Bistro - Revisit Post
http://gerardsbistro.com.au/

I feel a strong sense of familiarity with Gerard's Bistro. When I'm stuck on the question of "what's your favourite restaurant in Brisbane", it's always a response that presents itself. Imagine my surprise when I looked through my own food blog and realised I had only visited once, back in 2012. Sometimes it only takes a restaurant one go to leave a strong impression. All the same, all my friends and workmates seemed to be constantly talking about their delicious experiences at Gerard's so I knew I was long overdue for a visit.

Luckily friend of mine, Goldilocks, is as into food as I am and she suggested we do a double date dinner at Gerard's Bistro last Friday. What a great idea! We started the night at the bar (across the alleyway from the Bistro) and once we were sufficiently marinated with cocktails and beer, we migrated over to the bistro itself.

The London Club for a Hen's Group Lunch

The London Club
http://www.thelondonclub.com.au/

I've already mentioned this on the blog but I'm getting married soon... next week in fact! With it comes all the chaos and celebration and last minute stress that you can only expect from a wedding. I had a hen's holiday getaway in Bali but with the active volcano situation, it was touch and go as to whether we could even make it or not. On the night before our departing flight, I thought it might be wise to make a backup plan in case Bali didn't pan out.

Bali Day 5 - Dinner at Ultimo

Ultimo Italian Restaurant
http://www.balinesia.co.id/default.asp

Our last day in Bali was fun but tiring. The flight back home wasn't until late in the evening so we had a whole day's worth of activities but because check out happened in the morning, no place to recuperate throughout the day. This was softened by 2.5hrs of pampering booked for our afternoon. Hot stone massage, reflexology, scalp massage and hair treatment... life was good.

After our last session at Cool Spa, we were feeling dazed and relaxed but still had hours to kill before check in at the airport. No one was particularly hungry after our big lunch at Anika Cooking Class but sometimes dinner is more about something to do than something out of necessity.

Bali Day 3 - Dinner at Bambu

Bambu Restaurant
Jl. Petitenget no. 198, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia

While Jenny and I were rafting, the two other ladies enjoyed the sun and pool at our resort. Kat did some online research and came up with a recommendation for a restaurant near us. We knew it was in the same vicinity but it wasn't until we set out that we realised just how close it was. We must have walked past Bambu a dozen times and not noticed. It's a huge restaurant but it's hidden away behind high and private walls. Only a gold plated name and gorgeously dressed ushers gave any indication that this was a restaurant.

We hadn't made a booking but because we were early, we were given a table provided we finished in an hour and half. That didn't end up being much of an issue but I do recommend people intent on dining at Bambu to book to avoid disappointment.

Bambu has atmosphere like no other restaurant that I've been to. Within the walls, every subtle detail contributes to an air of radiant tranquility. The lanterns, pools, colourful koi fish and temple-like architecture serve to add to the incredibly peaceful ambiance. The restaurant was fully booked but with tables so spaced out, it never felt noisy or crowded.

Jamie's Italian for Dinner

Jamie's Italian
http://www.jamieoliver.com/italian/australia/restaurants/brisbane

Aside from Quay in Sydney (which I never ended up making it to), Jamie's Italian in Brisbane was the most challenging restaurant I have ever experienced getting into. I believe that in bigger cities like Sydney and Melbourne, this is a 'normal' thing. It's normal to have to book months in advance for a table. It's normal to wait in line for 30+ minutes outside for a seat at a breakfast hot spot. But, it's NOT normal for me in my expectation of Brisbane dining.

I'm an enormous Jamie Oliver fan. I own most of his cook books (I can spot 5 on my bookshelf just from where I'm sitting). Back in the day when I used to publish a lot more cooking posts, I even put up some Jamie Oliver recipes on this very blog. I tried to get into Jamie's Italian in London but we didn't plan well enough and hadn't made a booking. I thought about going to the Sydney one but I read about long waits and that deterred me. I was thus incredibly excited to see that it would be coming to Brisbane, not realising that it would be more failed attempts before I would get to try it.

Madame Wu

Madame Wu
http://www.madamewu.com.au/

It's that time of the year again, what I like to call 'my birthday week'. My actual birthday was still looming in the semi-distance when I started using it as an excuse for every unnecessary shopping/eating experience for this past month. I'm sure I'm not the only person who does this.

A couple of weeks ago, my friend PDizzle recommended Madame Wu to me and he made it sound so good that I instantly put a plan into motion to get there. This involved sending the website URL to Marc, followed by a not so subtle hint of "it's my birthday soon!" Because we had activities lined up all weekend, we ended up bringing this dinner event forward to last Wednesday night.

1889 Enoteca for Dinner

1889 Enoteca
http://www.1889enoteca.com.au/

Now that I'm through with my short term French food fling, my appetite has a new focus on Italian. I've also noticed a trend with dining out at Italian restaurants. If I order something other than pasta at one, I find myself craving pasta the whole following week. This happened at Dell U'go when I ordered a steak main. I had to curb my subsequent pasta craving somehow and what better way to do that than by knocking one of Brisbane's most reputable Italian restaurants off my 'must try' list. Like Montrachet, which I finally got to visit a couple of weeks ago, 1889 Enoteca has been a restaurant I've wanted to try for years and years but never got a chance to. Well, the thing with opportunity is sometimes you just have to make things happen for yourself.

I made a spontaneous booking, by which I mean I filled out their online booking request form no more than 3hrs before we actually wanted the table. Neither Marc or I was surprised that they hadn't received the booking request when we showed up. Fortunately, Enoteca was able to accommodate by offering us a table street side. We were actually glad because it was the most perfect outdoor eating weather and we were dressed a bit more casually than the guests seated inside. I think this seating arrangement worked out well for everyone.

Dell' Ugo, New Farm for Dinner

Dell' Ugo
http://www.dellugo.com.au/

Another week, another dinner date. I highly recommend planting restaurant bookings through your weekdays to break up the working week and make life more tolerable. Whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed and despondent, the thought of "at least I'm going out for dinner tomorrow night" helps perk up the mood ever so slightly.

We headed to Dell' Ugo in New Farm last week for a lateish dinner, approaching 8:30pm. As expected, the restaurant was rather quiet when we got there but that's exactly what I was in the mood for that night.

Dinner at Lutece

Lutece Bistro and Wine Bar
http://lutece.com.au/

I've been on something of a french cuisine rampage these past couple of weeks. As more reviews emerge, you'll see what I mean. The first of these was our visit to Lutece late last week. The skrimp in me is always excited when restaurants on my 'to do' list offer specials. When one popped up for Lutece, I couldn't book fast enough. The downside is we had to get there a lot earlier than we like to dine out but in exchange for discounted dishes, who's complaining?

The restaurant is located in a little complex opposite Mundo Churrasco. You want to have a reasonable idea of where you're going because we didn't, and we missed the entrance and ended up having to do a gigantic loop around the block. There is parking on site so as long as you don't miss the entrance, everything is sweet.

Delicious Shared Nibblies from Hatch and Co, Newstead

Hatch and Co, Newstead
Gasworks, 76 Skyring Tce, Newstead

Hunting for a fun place to eat and drink on a Monday night poses the same sort of challenges as trying to dine out on a public holiday. A whole bunch of venues I looked up were closed. Through some poor planning, I thought Tippler's Tap was open so Hien and I drove to Newstead only to find the whole street absolutely deserted. Because the Gasworks complex was just a short stroll away, I suggested we eat there instead.

I had been to the Garden City location of Hatch and Co previously with Kat and we both loved it. Interestingly, most people I mentioned this to claimed the Newstead original was even better. Needless to say I was excited to see for myself. I hadn't been to Gasworks at night and it's actually got a really nice feel to it. Quite a few restaurants were open on Monday night but most were very empty compared to Hatch and Co. I was worried we wouldn't even get a table without a booking but we were accommodated for without dramas.

Locanda for Dinner

Locanda Osteria and Bar
http://www.locandabrisbane.com/

I don't know about anyone else but I am personally LOVING all the new establishments that have sprouted up in the M and A centre. Whilst other girls might get excited about luxury retail precincts, my heart beats faster at the thought of all these delicious restaurants gathered in one location. Jenny told me about her visit to Locanda a few months back and the feedback was mostly positive so I was keen to give it a try. Marc and I made a date night of it last Tuesday night.

Firstly, a word of advice. We are terrible at finding parking in places like the CBD and Valley; we normally catch a bus or park far away and walk to where we need to go. On this occasion, we were running late and we drove right into the underground parking at M and A. It was $10 for 4 hours after 6pm on a weeknight, which isn't too bad but I didn't find out until after we'd come back home that we could have had our parking ticket validated at Locanda. So for others who intend to drive there, that's going to be your best option.

We got there on a weeknight after the Australia Day long weekend so things were looking fairly quiet all across the precinct. If anything, Locanda probably had the most amount of diners that night. We took up one of the outside tables to enjoy the evening breeze.

The Palms for Lunch

The Palms Mediterranean Bar and Grill
http://www.palmsbarandgrill.com.au/

I already had one epic adventure at the newly renovated Garden City shopping centre a month or so ago when I had dinner with Kat at Hatch and Co when I couldn't get to my car because the shopping centre had closed. I wasn't prepared for even more drama at my second visit, when I went back for lunch with a group of girl friends. This time, the stress was in the form of parking difficulties. Apparently October is now when people start their Christmas shopping, or maybe lunch on a Sunday is just THAT popular. There were cars lining up to get through the entrances, even the ones far from Town Square. If I thought my previous parking spot was at the exact opposite end of the shopping centre to Garden City's Town Square, I was wrong. This time I surpassed my previous attempt and somehow managed to enter a realm that was EVEN FURTHER AWAY. It was a lengthy trek to get to The Palms and I was nearly 40min late.

My failure to park aside, I was very excited to try this restaurant. The Palms is run by the same guys behind Alchemy, which I dined at once back in 2011 and enjoyed. This new restaurant is more casual but still has a refined touch. The layout is open, with the back portion looking onto the Town Square's water features. Our girls took up a table right near the water and sitting there, I felt like I was at an overseas island resort. That's not an easy atmosphere to invoke by a shopping centre restaurant but The Palms managed very well. On the downside, half the table was in the sun so I'm not sure how that will go over this blistering Summer.

Tapas and Cocktails at Peasant

Peasant
http://www.peasant.com.au/

One of the girls at work recommended Peasant at The Barracks so I dutifully filed it away in my list of restaurants to visit. I swear, no matter how often I eat out and how many venues I tick off, the list is always growing.

Last weekend was my bestie Kat's birthday and because I have always been and forever will be terrible at choosing birthday presents, I stuck to what I know best and took her out for food and drink. It occurred to me that Peasant would be the ideal location for this as the focus is on share plates and cocktails. This is the perfect combination for a girls night out.

Tukka for Lunch

Tukka Restaurant
http://www.tukkarestaurant.com.au/

This post should have been uploaded sometime in March but I've been dining out so infrequently I just forgot about this blog, including the stuff I had half-ready to go. I have a sparse piece of history with Tukka. It was one of my first 'fine dining' experiences from the days I was a little baby. My grandparents were facinated by the native menu and I remember the food was tasty and the whole experience was enjoyable.

Tukka's quirk is that they present native Australian ingredients for a refined palate. Just imagine kangaroo, emu, crocodile, wattle seeds and more, arranged in pretty, elegant and tasty dishes.

Blackbird Bar and Restaurant for Dinner

Blackbird Bar and Restaurant
http://www.blackbirdbrisbane.com.au/ 

Last night marked the break in our drought from dining out at a proper restaurant. It feels like a long, long time since we've ventured out to somewhere more upmarket than the local Asian/Indian eatery. To me, dining out isn't just about the food but about the extravagance; getting dressed up, ordering fancy drinks with descriptions I don't entirely understand, ordering way too much food in multiple courses, with sides on the side (even if your meal already comes with sides). Because most of these elements are clearly a luxury, we toned down to keep the bank balance happy but decided to splurge as a celebration for some good news.

We made a booking later on in the evening and got there later again (bus troubles) but the restaurant was still buzzing with activity. I suppose late night dinner on a Friday is nothing out of the ordinary. It was our first time visiting the Blackbird venue and we didn't expect to see bouncers out the front. I can only suppose their presence is more for the bar section of Blackbird, which we were relieved to find was a separate area to the restaurant. Why relieved? Do you realise how loud a Friday evening drinks crowd in the CBD is? I wouldn't have been able to hear myself think let alone enjoy my meal. Luckily, the restaurant was lively but not so overbearing