ARIA Brisbane launches new Autumn lunch menu | 1 Eagle Street Pier, BRISBANE QLD 4000
When in doubt, a meal at ARIA is always a solid option, be it for a business lunch to impress a client, a fabulous rendezvous to wow your date, a nice catch up with a good friend or if you simply want to treat yourself just because. ARIA is my fail-proof dining venue in Brisbane; I know that the impressive food (and equally impressive wine list) is always paired with impeccable service.
I was more than delighted when I received an invitation to taste the newly launched lunch menu at ARIA. The menu focuses on paddock to plate, which is brilliant because it’s not only eco-friendly, it also supports our local farms and ensures the freshness of the ingredients. All of the fruit and vegetables on offer on the menu are sourced from Queensland regional producers located at places like Stanthorpe and Gympie.
The experience began with an amuse bouche of prawn and squid ink cracker topped with chickpea purée and chorizo chips. I’ve had this several times now and I still can’t get enough of it. Choosing what to eat at ARIA usually takes me a long time, because let’s be honest, it’s hard when you have more than one option and all of the available dishes are equally enticing. Luckily I was with a group of food lovers and it was comforting to know that someone else from the table had ordered all the other available options so I could at least find out what the other dishes taste like.
My entrée, the poached corn fed chicken breast with parfait, pickled celery and faro was surprisingly light and clean in taste despite the rich, creamy parfait. The King George whiting with Carid prawns, sherry romeos and garlic chives looked absolutely amazing too. It was interesting to know that the prawns were completely raw as they were deep sea prawns. You could only imagine how tender and sweet they were.
When the pan fried king salmon fillet with red cabbage, Gala apple and horseradish arrived at the table, I gasped at how beautiful it looked with so many vibrant colours popping off the plate. The fish, with its lightly golden surface, was cooked medium rare and was pure perfection; together with the red cabbage which was wrapped in foil and cooked in butter, melted in my mouth. I absolutely loved the playful touch of the thinly sliced apple as it was the perfect compliment of sweet and refreshing flavour. Needless to say, I didn’t put down my fork until I wiped the plate clean. Although I loved the salmon, I couldn’t take my eyes off the tempting chunk of grilled veal cutlet with parmesan crust, pumpkin, sweetbreads and mustard fruit that was sitting on a white plate from across the table. It just looked so succulent and sexy…hmm…
By the time we finished our mains, we all had a very satisfied look on our faces, but as the saying goes, there’s always room for dessert. I was completely sold when the restaurant manager, Steven Rhodes suggested the honey cake with toasted rice sorbet and lavender, and honey, if you think it’s just a piece of honey cake, you are so wrong. It’s a plate of awesome goodness with a perfect sorbet quenelle placed in the middle. Not to mention that the honey is sourced from Capalaba where the honey bees collected pollen from macadamia trees. ARIA Brisbane has recently changed their milk supply, using 4Real Milk from the Scenic Rim and the richness and creaminess of the milk was also truly reflected in the dessert.
It was hands down the most wonderful lunch Ive had in a long time. It comes as no surprise that ARIA Brisbane’s new lunch menu is impressive, yet again.
PS. If you are on a slightly tight lunch schedule, ARIA also offers a 2-course set lunch with coffee & petits fours and a glass of Bartlett’s wine for $48.
Disclaimer: DolceBunnie was an invited guest of ARIA Brisbane, however my opinion is as always, my own.
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