Dinner at Atalanta

Atalanta Bar and Greek Restaurant
http://atalanta.com.au/

Greek food is one of my favourites and although I can name a number of reliably delicious options in Brisbane (mostly around the West End area), it always excites me to see new additions to our dining scene. Atalanta opened a while back in Portside Wharf and at first I was wary because I heard some mixed reviews but then my friend Jenny said it was good and I trust her opinion more than anyone else's. We arranged to have a group dinner there last Saturday night.

The restaurant is large and quite easy to find. It's located near the entrance of Portside Wharf, directly opposite IGA. It was busy on a Saturday night and very, very noisy. A large portion of our night was spent yelling "hey? Sorry, what?" and smiling and pretending to hear what others were saying when all we (or at least, all I) could hear was the persistent drone of a very chatty crowd. As the night progressed this became slightly less of a problem, I think because we naturally got louder the more we drank.

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.

Crustacean Feast at St James Crabhouse

St James Crabhouse and Kitchen
22 Baildon Street, Kangaroo Point

This was my MOST anticipated restaurant opening of 2016. I heard about these guys around the start of the year when they announced they were opening Brisbane's first American-style crabhouse. Since then, I've been following them religiously on social media and listening out for news and updates. St James opened its doors not that long ago and already, it's generated a lot of hype. All of my friends were talking about it and all the Brisbane lifestyle news forum I followed were raving. I couldn't wait to try it out.

I gave it a couple of weeks for the restaurant to find their footing and for the initial chaos to cool. Tidbits of information were flowing through my food network from people who had tried it or wanted to try it and the word on the street was a) they don't take bookings and b) it's a small restaurant so be prepared to wait. Marc and I are really impatient and have a general principle of not waiting for food. We decided to only go on a weekday when it was less likely to be busy.

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.

Thai Terrace for Dinner

Thai Terrace
http://www.thaiterrace.com.au/

I was in a burger mood a couple of weeks ago and Marc suggested we try this burger place we saw that had just opened in Rosalie. When we got there, we realised it had already closed down and after lamenting over how fickle and competitive the hospitality industry is, we settled in for some Thai instead.

Thai Terrace is a restaurant I've walked past numerous times and always found inviting but never actually ventured into before. The external wall has these lit up pink window panels that I really like the look of. It's like... a classy lounge bar setting for Thai food.

Dinner at Spaghetti House Trattoria

Spaghetti House Trattoria
http://www.spaghettihouse.com.au/

Marc and I stumbled across Spaghetti House once, many years ago when it was in West End. I enjoyed the food we had that night and kept meaning to go back but things got in the way and suddenly there were all these new other restaurants to try. Before I knew it, Spaghetti House had relocated to South Bank.

Revisits continued to alude me and once we then moved to Sinnamon Park, South Bank was a chore to get to. Last weekend, our group of friends caught up over dinner. When brainstorming for dinner locations, dozens of new establishments jumped into my brain for attention but for whatever reason, I got hooked on the idea of Spaghetti House. It was an irresistible combination of nostalgia, promise of carbohydrates and their limited edition lobster gnocchi that drew me in and blocked off all other suggestions.

Spanish Feast at Toro Bravo

Toro Bravo
http://torobravo.com.au/

Last week my close friend Blossom had a showcase at the RAW artist exhibit. We all hopped along to show our support and afterwards, wandered through the valley for a bite to eat.

Tapas and Drinks from Gerard's Bar

Gerard's Bar and Charcuterie
http://gerardsbar.com.au/

Earlier this year I was in a bit of a Gerard's frenzy. After an amazing dinner at Gerard's Bistro, I pulled together another group of friends to try small eats at the bar the following week. I started writing this review post a few weeks ago, closer to when we actually visited but somehow in my recent travels the draft has gone missing. Luckily, the time we had left a strong enough impression that I can still recall details today.

We got there just before 9pm on a Friday night so as expected, the place was busy.  We hadn't made a booking so we hovered around the front of the restaurant unsure if we could even get a table. Surprisingly, the security guard on duty spotted us looking confused and pointed out a spare table. He even went and found extra chairs so that we each had somewhere to sit. Talk about above and beyond service!

As Gerard's Bar is a bar first and foremost, we started the night by tackling the cocktail menu. Throughout the course of the evening we covered several rounds of drinks, which definitely added some pep and liveliness to our group.

Dinner at Halims

Halims Indian Taj Restaurant
http://www.halimsindiantaj.com.au/

I'm a bit surprised there isn't already a post about Halims on my blog. If I rewind back a few years, I can recall going to this Rosalie establishment fairly frequently. It left a really solid impression in my mind for tasty and affordable Indian food. Marc and I went for dinner a few weeks ago and so I can now give a recent review.

We arrived on a weeknight and it was quite busy at Halims. We managed to get a table out on the large front deck but later on, we noticed some other diners waiting for a table. The menu is your typical Aussie-Indian affair with special mention of biriyani that we didn't order but I'm curious to try one day.

Willy Wonka Themed Pop up Degustation

Willy Wonka Themed Pop up Degustation by Cody McKavanagh
http://wanderingcooks.com.au/cody-mckavanagh-the-chicken-pen/

Late 2015, I announced an exciting pop up event hosted and created by chef Cody Mckavanagh. This was to be a Willy Wonka themed degustation that sounded so intriguing I convinced both Marc and Jenny to come with me. It happened last Sunday and now,  I can finally give some insight to our experience.

Wandering Cooks in West End hosts many food events at their Fish Lane location. I had been there once for a food truck cook off that was so popular there was no food by the time we got there. Because of that, I knew where it was but hadn't had a taste (excuse the pun) of what it was like to eat there.

I imagine the venue space is very adaptable. For this degustation they transformed it into a lovely fine dining hall with candles, hanging bulbs and long tables for groups to share. We three took up a table with three other ladies but it was spacious enough to still feel like we were at our own table.

Breakfast at Morning After

Morning After Espresso and Eats
http://www.morningafter.com.au/

It's just my luck that seemingly, once I left West End, it becomes the suburb to sprout dozens of new dining establishments. Morning After opened almost immediately after we moved away. I saw mentions of it everywhere online and made a special trip back to the old hood to try it.

Jenny and I met up for breakfast on a Sunday. For whatever reason, I was awake and active super early that morning and when we got there, most other cafes etc were closed and Morning After was buzzing. By the time we had finished, there were queues for tables. I appreciate that this place is relatively new and very busy in the weekend rush but the service felt efficient and organised.

Dinner at Full Moon Bar and Restaurant

Full Moon Bar and Restaurant
178 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley

I'm getting to that ripe old age where I almost never leave the house unless there's a social event on that someone else organised. If you're wondering how this blog got so boring all of a sudden, that's why! Luckily I had a party to attend a couple of weekends ago that fulfilled my dose of social activity for this month. Brothers Garthritis and Knobles (often mentioned on this blog) had a joint birthday dinner at Full Moon Bar and Restaurant. Prior to this event, I didn't even know this place existed but it turned out to be quite a fun discovery.

Our group took up a whole row of tables by the left wall of the mezzanine level. By the end of the night we were the only ones up there and it felt like we had private function hire. That was pretty cool.

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.

Sugar highs from Mister Fitz

Mister Fitz, Fortitude Valley
1 Little Street, Fortitude Valley

I can think of few examples of social media campaigning more successful than Mister Fitz. Even before it had officially opened, there was online hype everywhere. I would suggest that part of why the message spread so loudly is that Mister Fitz produces some of the most Instagram-worthy desserts imaginable. It's interesting that the most popular uploads, at least on my feed, are a combination of new and trendy green/raw/organic #fitspo diet dishes and the most diabetic amalgamations of donuts, ice-cream, sundaes and more. These monster desserts are taking over the world and in a year where every form of croissant hybrid has been and gone (cronut, cruffin etc), Mister Fitz managed to intrigue us with something that hasn't been done to death... the humble ice-cream sandwich.

Except, here, it isn't a simple vanilla-between-two-wafers affair at all. These are the ice-cream sandwiches of your wildest dreams and its easy to see why posts with people proudly selfying with their Mister Fitz creations garnered so many likes and online interest.

Dinner at Les Bubbles

Les Bubbles
http://www.lesbubbles.com.au/

My Korean friends told me that in Korea, rather than every restaurant serving a range of different dishes, you tend to find local establishments that feature a dish they're good at. For instance, one corner store might be the bees knees in chicken broth whilst its neighbour is the expert in bulgogi stew. When you dine there, that's what you order. I always liked that as an idea... the concept of offering one thing on the menu but doing it very well. This is probably why Les Bubbles intrigued me right from the start.

Steak and chips is a winner any day of the week but at Les Bubbles, it is the constant star of the show. Aside from a choice of three sauces, your meal is set for the day with the signature steak, soft leaf salad and bottomless fries.

Claret House Wine Bar for Dinner and Drinks

Claret House Wine Bar
http://clarethouse.com.au/

As I've already mentioned in previous posts, I've spent most of this holiday season working, which results in little time or energy for anything else. I'm now up to my eyeballs in unblogged food reviews. I was under the impression we weren't eating out as much these days, and compared to our time at West End that may be true but if all my food photos are anything to go by, my stomach has still managed to keep busy.

Drinks and Nibblies at Dutch Courage

Dutch Courage Officers' Mess
http://dutchcourage.com.au/

Passing through the silly season, there's bound to be more posts featuring alcoholic beverages with 'some food' verses the usual proper restaurants that mostly focus on food. Dutch Courage Officers' Mess is a place I've wanted to try since it first opened.

Blossom and I are soul sisters when it comes to drinking. I can recall many dreary nights when I felt like my life was a mess and the only beacon of hope came from a glass of comfort at night. Wine is my poison of choice nowadays but back then, we were big on the gin and tonic. Dutch Courage is a specialist gin bar and it made a lot of sense for us to try it together and reminisce.

Dinner and Drinks at London Fields

London Fields
http://londonfields.com.au/

In an effort to stay relevant and not fade away from the Brisbane dining scene, I figured I needed to visit more fresh and newly established venues. London Fields opened up not too long ago, ironically near where I used to live. Well, I no longer live there so it took a bit of a journey to get there but that's something we expect after moving out from the inner city ring. I had heard some positive feedback about London Fields and was curious to make my own assessment.

We visited last Friday night without a booking. There were a few functions going on (birthday? Christmas parties?) but we were able to find a spot to sit without dramas. I don't think there's too much in the way of actual dining tables but we scored a low tabletop with stools surrounding. For finger food this is fine but you would definitely want a proper table if you had something that required knife and fork.

Dinner at The Persian Restaurant

The Persian Restaurant
http://www.thepersianrestaurant.com/

I was surfing through the interwebs looking for dinner inspiration when I came across The Persian Restaurant in Bardon. Vague memories from my past started stirring. I'm pretty sure I visited a restaurant called 'The Persian Restaurant' many, many years ago but that one was in Coorparoo. It might even be by the same people because I notice the website mentions they are 'now' located in Bardon. Presumably it had a previous location. I tried to search my own blog for any previous reviews but couldn't find anything.

In any case, new location means new things to write about. We made a booking for dinner last Friday night at 8pm. It was quite busy when we got there so we were glad to have a booking. The restaurant is nice to look at with a dark interior, generically 'ethinic' decor features and pretty fairy lights across the outside windows. The lighting inside is dimmed but not so much that my poor eyes couldn't read the menu (which is my idea for uncomfortably dark).

Pop Up Degustations by Prodigy Chef Cody McKavanagh

Pop Up Degustations by Cody McKavanagh
http://experimentalchicken.com/tickets

I thought last Thursday night was just going to be another non-event pretending to be Friday night (but ending with disappointment). I was trawling through Facebook when a random message alert came up. A Sydney-based chef, Dre Kang alerted to me an incredibly special series of food events happening in Brisbane early 2016.

Chef Cody McKavanagh of Warwick upbringing (Queeeeeenslaaaanderrrrr) is not an average teenager. Rather than being proficient at sleeping in, late night Maccas runs and computer games like I was at that age, he has already trained at some of Australia's top restaurants including Quay, Aria and Rockpool. Most impressively (at least to me), he has done a stint under renowned fantasy chef Heston Blumenthal at Fat Duck, one of the most highly rated restaurants world wide. That's mighty impressive for a 19 year old.