Asana by Pete Evans | Capri by Fraser, BRISBANE QLD 4000
A few Friday nights ago the other travel bunnie took me to Asana for a date night. Asana is celebrity chef Pete Evans first venture in Queensland. The style of cuisine places a huge emphasis on clean, locally sourced fresh produce and paleo-inspired dishes. The restaurant is situated in the Capri by Fraser Hotel on the corner of Albert and Mary streets, and the first thing you'll see is the beautiful green live wall contrasted by the bright yellow tables and chairs. Walking into the Capri Hotel, we couldn’t help but notice the gorgeous smell at the reception area and the beautifully finished foyer decorated with rows of books. A nice touch I thought, as Folio Books once occupied the space that is now Asana.
The restaurant is sleek and colourful with an open-plan kitchen featured in the center together with a long, wooden chef’s table. Our table was by the window providing views onto the streets which were already crowded with Friday night party goers. The other travel bunnie and I clinked our glasses, making a toast to the weekend – I had a mocktail made with coconut cream and fruit juice, and the other travel bunnie ordered a lemon, lime and bitters for something different.
I was slightly disappointed to see that they had removed the roasted bone marrow, native heard and chia dressing with paleo bread soldiers as I had wanted to try it for a while, but I ordered the grass fed Manning Valley Rib-eye with bone marrow chimmichurri ($36) instead. Cooked medium rare, the rib eye was extremely tender and juicy, with a hint of smokiness and I would’ve definitely loved more of that salty, creamy bone marrow. Equally tasty was the other travel bunnie’s dish: the special of the day, Cape Grim grass fed hanger steak w’ smoked garlic & beetroot puree, kale, saltbush and asparagus, dressed with forestiere sauce and picked onion ($30). Feeling greedy, we also shared a confit leg of duck with papaya, lychee, walnut and orange salad ($20). We nodded in agreement that the dishes were beautifully executed as we wiped our plates clean. The salad that came with the confit duck was light and refreshing, providing a wonderful balance to our heavy, meaty mains.
Before we left, we decided to try the cacao and coconut mousse with warm brownie and nut bark ($14) to put some sweetness into our tummies. The dessert was nice but overshadowed by the deliciousness of our mains.
We both felt that the service was hit and miss but perhaps that can be expected from a new opened venture. Our waitress, albeit extremely nice, had limited knowledge of the menu and seemed quite rusty with her service. That was a major let down given the fact that we actually really enjoyed the food.
Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $120.
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