DolceBunnie

Showing posts with label Bistro. Show all posts

The Jetty South Bank | River Quay, Shop 4, Sidon street South Bank QLD 4101

There’s a certain je ne sais quoi about dining at The Jetty South Bank. Sitting at the front of the restaurant, overlooking the dazzling Brisbane River and watching people walk by, has a slight resemblance to people watching at Jardin des Tuileries, but with food involved.

Located in South Bank’s River Quay precinct, The Jetty no doubt occupies a prime spot, offering sweeping views of the river as well as the cityscape. Following its recent renovation, the venue is sleek and open with a private dining area also having been added to the space.

The decor of the restaurant isn’t the only thing that has had a make-over as a new menu has been created to offer tantalising modern Australian fare with a relaxed vibe. In addition to the menu items, daily specials can also be found on blackboards displayed around the restaurant.

I couldn’t think of a better way to start my meal with a deliciously refreshing Passionate Fool($8) made with passionfruit, lime, mint & vanilla, shaken & topped with apple juice. As I was browsing through the menu trying to figure out what to order for Minibun George, our waitress advised us that they have a list of options for kids that are not listed on the menu including fish & chips served with salad ($13.50), which I ended up ordering for George. I loved the sound of the spaghettini with sand crab, confit garlic, chilli, lemon & parsley ($31) and I was so glad that I ordered it because it tasted absolutely amazing. It had a fair amount of punch that just had me going in for more. I received the plate thinking ‘holy moly, what a big dish’ but I left the plate completely clean. The Butcher’s Board on the day was Black Angus skirt steak, charred with chimichurri & watercress ($29), which is what the other travel bunnie had. Served with crispy chips, the meat was very flavoursome and tender.

Even though I was feeling quite content after devouring an entire plate of pasta, I simply couldn’t resist the sound of the orange frangipane tart with crispy mandarin and vanilla ice cream ($15), and you bet it was good. It was the perfect ending.

Disclaimer: with thanks to The Jetty South Bank for welcoming DolceBunnie and family as invited guests, please note that my opinion is as always, my own.

Victoria Park Rotisserie Kitchen | 309 Herston Road, HERSTON QLD 4006

After getting a chilled virgin mojito, I found my seat at a decorated long table set in front of the Rotisserie Kitchen as newly opened by the Victoria Park Bistro. I was at the media launch of the Victoria Park Rotisserie Kitchen but the beautiful setting of the venue had me believe that I was somewhere on the Amalfi Coast - the vibrant bougainvillea were blooming in abundance, lush leafy plants placed throughout, bowls of lemon could be found here and there, and it was hard not to notice the stunning open plan kitchen with marble bench-tops.

Before the main affair started, we were offered an array of canapés, such as the house smoked salmon on blini with herb crème fraiche, as well as warmed halloumi with minted peas and semi-dried tomato. The garlic flatbreads made in the wood-fired oven were a favourite among the guests.

You see, the Rotisserie Kitchen is all about honest, family-style meals done right. There’s no fancy foam or gel dotted around plates and that’s the wonderful thing about it, and as for the portions, well you can be sure that they are extremely generous. At the launch, two main options were served on an alternate drop and I had had the classic roasted free-range chicken with medley potatoes, chicken sauce and crunchy baby cos lettuce. I had been watching the birds slowly rotating in the Rotisol rotisserie oven which was crafted in France and just as I had anticipated, the chicken skin was crispy and the meat was tender and juicy. That’s not to say that I didn’t get food envy looking at the person sitting next to me as she tucked into her roasted porchetta with fresh garden herbs, medley potatoes, caramelised apple puree, pork & Calvados sauce and green leaves. It looked equally as good and don’t even get me started about the perfectly crispy crackling.

The launch finished on a sweet note as guests were served with either a warm chocolate brownie with milk ice cream and salted caramel sauce or the lemon curd parfait with fresh strawberries and granola crumble served at the table. Whilst the lemon curd parfait was without a doubt a refreshing summery dessert, I loved the chocolate brownie which had a thin, crisp top and was warm and so chocolatey and oh so satisfyingly good.

It’s always a pleasure attending events at the Victoria Park with its beautiful setting, stunning city views and delicious food. When I was at the event I had already messaged the other travel bunnie suggesting a family outing to Victoria Park, starting with a few rounds of putt-putt, followed by lunch at the Rotisserie Kitchen (Minibun George would no doubt love the children’s playground too).

Until next time.

Disclaimer: with thanks to Victoria Park for welcoming DolceBunnie to the media launch, please note that my opinion is as always, my own.

The Stables Craft Bar & Kitchen | 121 Racecourse Road, ASCOT QLD 4007

I have an announcement to make: we’ve moved to a new neighbourhood! As much as I loved the lifestyle of living in the CBD, we simply ran out of space with the arrival of Minibun George. Since our move, every Friday night the other travel bunnie and I go out to check out the dining scene along Racecourse Road.

A few weeks ago we stumbled upon The Stables Craft Bar & Kitchen, a cosy space with simple décor that serves a range of local craft beers and perfect sharing plates of tasty morsels. Sticking to the horse racing theme, black and white photos relating to the subject can be found scattered around as decorations. Intimate two-seaters with high chairs line the brick wall that extends all the way to the back of the establishment.

Dinner on the night in question was a fun, casual affair. We initially only wanted to order a couple of dishes to nibble on, but as we were taken by the tastiness of the Wagyu beef sliders w’ bacon, Swiss cheese, and caramelised onion ($16 for 3) as well as the Szechuan peppered squid w’ Asian coleslaw and nam jim ($14), we decided to order just a few more. I loved the fact that the brioche buns for the sliders had a sticky, sweet surface. They were humble sliders, and by that, I mean there were no fany-schmancy ingredients in between the layers other than honest, meaty, delicious bites. In comparison, I thought the southern style fried chicken wings w’ fresh watermelon salad ($14) didn't live up to my expectoration. My personal favourite of the night was the Hog 3 Bourbon glazed pork belly paddle pops w’ peppered sour cream and chives ($12). At $12, this dish is practically a steal. Skewed onto a stick (thus the name, paddle pop), the pork belly was juicy, chewy and crispy at the same time, not to mention that the meat glided down very easy with the thick sour cream and chives combo. It is definitely a must try dish.

It’s only been a short few months and I’ve already found a little gem in my neighbourhood. Gotta love that!

Giddy up, guys!

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $102

Fish Lane Bistro | 71-73 Melbourne Street, SOUTH BRISBANE QLD 4101

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the night as I walked across the bridge. I was on my way to Fish Lane Bistro at The Fox Hotel.

It was almost déjà vu when I stepped inside. Not a lot had changed since The Meatball Company days. I was quite sad to see the closure of the eatery that specialised in meatballs. I thought that the pork & veal meatballs with chilli, tomato & roast pepper sauce that they had were brilliant. But you know, one has to move on to something better.

I was there for an instameet event of fellow foodies and bloggers, and as I glanced at the menu, I knew that I was in for a great night. I’m talking about sticky wagyu short ribs, crispy skinned twice cooked duck and desserts so tasty that they would blow your socks off. To be quite honest, I held my breath for the chefs in the kitchen. I mean, there were a lot of us. Oh no, it wasn’t like a table for six, it was more like fifty. And when you have about a million DSLR cameras flashing in front of your eyes, I’m not sure about other people, but I know that I would feel pressured. To the max.

But they pulled it off and the food kept flowing onto our tables. The dishes that didn’t jump out straight away when I looked at the menu were surprisingly tasty. I’m usually a meat person and veggies don’t excite me as much, but the heirloom tomato tart, smoked tomato, ricotta salata and crushed olives, as well as the spiced roasted cauliflower, chickpeas, cranberries and coriander yoghurt were really well executed.

By the time when the desserts came out, it felt like the whole restaurant went quiet. There were a few seconds where the clicking sound of shutters took over the room, but the foodies quickly dug into those inviting plates of sweet treats. It’s hard for me to pick a favourite, but if I have to pick one, it’d be the Kaffir lime crème brûlée with sorbet gingerbread and peach. Having said that the dark chocolate and olive oil mousse with chocolate & hazelnut ice cream and honeycomb was pretty impressive too.

I felt slightly disappointed when the night ended. It ended too soon and I was already craving for another feed at Fish Lane Bistro.

Disclaimer: this bunnie attended the event as an invited guest, however my opinion is as always, my own.