More Bits and Pieces in CBD [On The Road: Brisbane]

The dingo ate your baby!

Elaine Benes (Seinfeld episode “The Stranded”)

I still have some posts from Brisbane I want to share. Similar to my previous take on bits and pieces this is quick highlight with hits and misses in my restaurant excursions.

The one Public

Oh my god! Public is amazing! One of my favourite spots in CBD. Sincerely I could write a long post as everything I tried was absolutely fantastic. Great décor, alternative place, the menu is based on dishes to share, great musical ambience not too loud not silence, high ceilings giving a sensation of space. Top marks, a must go. Awarded one chef hat by Australian Good Food Guide.

Public Bunny

The must try are the KFD, great excellent seasoning the herbs of the battered Duck just brilliant. The prawn and chorizo, the sauce is to die for and a really nice combination. Wagyu just awesome. Ribs are Chinese style, nice flavour just like the ones I used to have back home, however, still they lacked something, probably not marinated enough to develop flavour. Toast and duck egg amazing, this is a must seriously, great flavour, the runny egg perfectly cooked. The skins were actually wedges, so if you are from Texas be aware.

Toast and duck egg

Fried Duck

Public
T: +61 7 3210 2288
Modern European
Approx Damage: AU$70pp
Area: CBD
Brisbane

---

View Larger Map

---

The one by the River

Alchemy is a posh dinning, dim lights, nice view of the river. We were a big group but the service was all over the place. We got starters and don't order mains, they started to pour wine and then halfway through they stopped without any reason. Food recommended. Two chef hats by AGFG.

Alchemy

Highlights are the scallops with foie gras and Jerusalem artichoke foam, perfectly cooked nice balance, the artichoke foam was lovely. Fresh natural oyster and sautéed chorizo with tarragon tomato vinaigrette, nice and fresh. Veal blanquette with morel velouté herb gnocchi and truffle glaze, awesome perfectly cooked excellent balance great flavours. Finally the liquid nitrogen nibbles, Tuscan ice tea, honey crumbs, apple and cinnamon, great and fun to watch.

Liquid Nitrogen time

Frozen nibbles

Alchemy
T: +61 7 3229 3175
Modern Australian
Approx Damage: AU$90pp
Area: CBD
Brisbane
Twitter: Alchemy_Bris

---

View Larger Map

---

The one Famiglia

Pane e Vino is a friendly, noisy, and simple family style busy Italian in CBD. It was conveniently located at the corner of my hotel. Food was nice, tasty, and good value.

Pane Dining

Try the zucchini fritters, excellent flavour, nicely battered, the tomato sauce was homemade. The gnocchi gorgonzola was excellent, full of flavour. I would avoid the calamari, not my favourite, flavour ok, battered not consistent.

Squid ink risotto

Pane e Vino
T: +61 7 3220 0044
Italian Cuisine
Approx Damage: AU$40pp
Area: CBD
Brisbane
Twitter: paneevinobris

---

View Larger Map

---

The one with all the Fish

Jellyfish, as you imagine a seafood place. Busy, noisy, hectic, but the food is spectacular. This place was favourite with most of my colleagues, more than 8 daily different fresh fish, you can choose your fish, tell them how to cook it, and then the sauce or sides. They also had an offer on Friday to try small portions of five different fishes. One chef hat by AGFG

Jellyfish

As starter the calamari with chorizo and jalapeños was superb, perfectly cooked, and the flavours were spot on. The scallops are lovely and the boconcini with tomato and pesto was nice, fresh, and a great pesto. I got a sword fish perfectly cooked and the recommended sauce was brilliant.

Swordfish

Jellyfish
T: +61 7 3220 2202
Seafood
Approx Damage: AU$55pp
Area: CBD
Brisbane
Twitter: JellyfishRest

---

View Larger Map

---

The one in the Euro

The Euro a really lovely place a bit relax, part of a series of restaurants under the same kitchen and roof including a bar Laneway and a fine dining Urbane. European influences as you can imagine, great service and outstanding food. Two chef hats by AGFG.

Euro

The Moreton bay bug chowder with brioche fennel and tarragon was a piece of art, presentation was spot on, flavours all there, creamy and crunchy textures, the bugs were amazing, the buttered toasted bread created a perfect balance, an explosion of flavours, it is the best chowder I have ever had. Pumpkin ravioli with sage amaretti crumble, and goats cheese was awesome, the pumpkin ravioli outstanding, the sauce a type of purée just great, the crumble gave crunchiness, and the cheese a nice contrast to the sweetness of the dish. Mackerel and chorizo croquettes were full of flavour, work perfectly with the tomato sauce, the fennel seeds, and chilli to die for. Spaner crab linguini with Parmesan, rocket, and lemon, delicate combination, spicy notes from chillies, pasta al dente, lovely.

Bug Chowder

Pumpkin ravioli

The Euro
T: +61 7 3229 3686
Modern European
Approx Damage: AU$80pp
Area: CBD
Brisbane
Twitter: TheEuroBrisbane

---

View Larger Map

---

The one fancy Italian

Il Centro is a bright white Italian restaurant, good beer and wine selection, the beer I got was ice cold just how I was used to have it before moving to England. The owner Marcia Georges is Greek by heritage but Italian by heart you can have her ebook for free. The daily specials were in an old fashion blackboard with the waiter taking it to the table. Two chef hats by AGFG

Specials

My favourite their signature the sand crab lasagne, it was brilliant. Nice flavours, a huge portion for a starter. The scaloppine di vitello with carbonara fettucini was a nice dish, I loved the combination of meat with pasta, the carbonara was perfect, the scaloppine not as good as the pasta, the parmesan bread crust was nice, but overall a bit bland they didn't offer Parmesan cheese for the pasta which is a no-no for me. I wouldn't mind a bit more of pasta as it was superb.

Lasagna

Odd enough the starter was a bit oversize then the main was normal size, so both dishes were quite similar in size.

Il Centro
T: +61 7 3231 6090
Italian Cuisine
Approx Damage: AU$70pp
Area: CBD
Brisbane
Twitter: IlCentroRest

---

View Larger Map

---

The one Belgian [Closed]

The Belgian Beer Café, a classic Belgian style pub, old memorabilia, posters of Belgian beers, great selection of artisanal and boutique beers. I got a quack, just the glass where is served is worth try it. The pink elephant much better, the wine aged one didn't like it not my kind of flavour.

BBC

Moules and fries it is the way to go. Fresh and pretty good ones, I got the Roquefort combination, not too overpowering the flavour, fries nicely done.

Kwak time

Moules

Belgian Beer Cafe
T: +61 7 3221 0199
European Cuisine
Approx Damage: AU$50pp
Area: CBD
Brisbane

---

View Larger Map

---