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travelonlinetips-blog · 6 years ago

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Here are the 15 best restaurants in Brisbane right now

Brisbane’s restaurant scene is in rude health right now. A wave of inner-city residential development has seeded brand new precincts that are attracting both seasoned local operators and southern restaurateurs looking to establish an outpost in the Queensland capital.

Those venues join a market that’s already rich in variety, ranging from cutting edge riverside fine diners to rambunctious modern takes on the suburban Chinese restaurant. Here are the best restaurants in Brisbane to check out on your next visit.

Otto Ristorante

Otto arrived in town in 2016, the Fink Group transposing its hugely popular Sydney Italian restaurant to some highfalutin digs in the Brisbane CBD. This is a more discreet effort than its southern sister, head chef Will Cowper using the Amalfi Coast as inspiration for a menu that’s better in tune with Queensland’s warmer climate.

Still, it’s the giddy location that might stick with you most. Otto’s fourth-floor riverside terrace dishing up jaw-dropping views of the Story Bridge.

Where: 4/480 Queen Street, Brisbane

PS. Find out where head chef Will Cowper dines when off-duty in Brisbane here.

Greca

Celebrated Sydney chef Jonathan Barthelmess arrived in Brisbane in late 2018 to open Greca, a free-wheeling 210-seat taverna-inspired eatery that sets authentic Greek eats to winsome riverside views of the city. The food here is fresh and flavoursome, with much of the meat and seafood cooked over charcoal and wood-fired grills.

However, it’s Barthelmess’s more decadent creations that you’ll often hear spoken about afterwards: a saganaki cheese fried with honey and oregano; and the “katoumari”, a smashed filo and semolina cream dessert inspired by Barthelmess’s ancestral home in Greece.

Where: Howard Smith Wharf, 3/5 Boundary Street, Brisbane (all you need to know about this hot new address here)

Happy Boy

The reasons for Happy Boy’s relentless popularity are straightforward: fragrant regional Chinese food matched to an always evolving selection of small-producer Australian wines. The classy, understated premises at the northern end of Fortitude Valley go well too. Also, it’s very, very cheap.

While people flock for the prices they leave with an appreciation for a menu that mixes in dashes of authenticity, from quail eggs fried with salt and pepper to a modernised take on red braised pork belly, which can be hard to come by in the Queensland capital. The perfect place to launch a night on the town — just be sure to book.

Where: East Street, Fortitude Valley

Montrachet

For years Brisbane’s go-to French restaurant, Montrachet may have migrated to the classy new King Street precinct in late 2017 but it managed to take with it much of the heritage-listed charm of the Paddington original (not to mention recreate the comptoir and scarlet leather seats).

Chef and co-owner Shannon Kellam’s menu now packs a touch more sophistication appropriate for the new digs but is still rooted in classics cooked to perfection — think escargots en cocotte, a beautifully stocked seafood bouillabaisse, and eye fillet steak dished up with hand-cut frites. C’est magnifique, indeed.

Where: Shop 1/30 King Street, Bowen Hills

Gerard’s Bistro

In its early years a bit of a local secret for the bright young things who buzz around the James Street precinct, Gerard’s Bistro has since become a treasured Brisbane go-to for modern Middle Eastern cuisine. You can try coal-roasted octopus with green almonds and tomato; fried cauliflower with ras el hanout and tahini; and whole-smoked eggplant dished up with turmeric, mint and kishk yoghurt.

The food is backed by a generous wine list that leans towards crisper varietals, all the better for washing down the opulence. The venue itself, within the handsome Richards and Spence-designed Gerard’s Lane (also encompassing the excellent Gerard’s Bar), only adds to the charm.

Where: 14/15 James Street, Fortitude Valley

Longtime

There are no bookings at Longtime. You just need to arrive and stick it out with a few drinks in the restaurant’s hidden laneway entrance (or go for a wander and wait for a phone call). On a weekend the wait can drag a little but the payoff is always worth it — this is Brisbane’s best Thai restaurant, chef Ben Bertei dealing in fragrant turmeric lobster curries, perfectly roasted meats and vibrant, authentic salads.

It’s accompanied by a fabulous French-leaning wine list and delivered with the kind of Swiss-precision service usually reserved for fine diners. The same but also very different is Longtime’s newer, younger sister venue, Honto — find its fabulous low-light mod-Japanese hiding in a grungy Valley backstreet.

Where: 610 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley

Detour

Chef Damon Amos originally made a name for himself at well-regarded CBD diner Public via the attention-grabbing Kentucky Fried Duck, or KFD as its commonly known. For his own restaurant, he’s gone a different direction, presenting one of the city’s best plant-based menus in a beautiful, heritage-listed former antique store in Woolloongabba.

Dishes such as coal-roasted broccoli with miso and quinoa, a Hawaiian curry built on sweet potato, and fossilised carrots with smoked almond prove that vegetarian food is anything but boring. There’s also an omnivore section featuring gunpowder wagyu, emu tartare and, yes, the trusty old KFD. Detour stays up relatively late for this part of town but book ahead if you’re heading along at peak time.

Where: 11 Logan Road, Woolloongabba

Urbane

Urbane has long been one of the city’s favourite fine diners but in more recent years has also become a standard bearer for highly-evolved vegetarian food. The restaurant’s five and seven-course degustation menus are so imaginative they get even the most ardent carnivores giving them a run.

The wine list is enormous, the atmosphere never stuffy and the service efficient and friendly. The one trick with Urbane? It’s open just three nights a week, so plan your visit well in advance.

Where: 181 Mary St, Brisbane

PS. If you’re in town to eat your way through Brisbane’s best restaurants we’ve got you covered for accommodation and a week full of fun while you are here. For the first-timer, this guide will help you out.

Beccofino

Beccofino was a quiet game changer when it opened in Teneriffe in 2004 — a fabulous, casual Italian eatery where the focus fell squarely on the authentic food and the effortless attraente fashion in which it was delivered. Chef Cordell Khory’s specialty has shifted just slightly over the years away from the rosse and bianche pizza towards elevated takes on homely mains such as veal saltimbocca and a duck ragu parpadelle so popular locals chucked a collective fit when he tried to take it off the menu.

If you find yourself south of the river, visit Julius Pizzeria, Beccofino’s sister venue, which moves to a similar beat late into the night.

Where: 10 Vernon Terrace, Teneriffe

E’cco Bistro

E’cco Bistro remains a massive local draw 24 years after it first opened and a yardstick by which many other high-end Brisbane restaurants are measured. Some immaculate new digs have certainly helped the appeal: last year chef and owner Philip Johnson moved E’cco across town to a brand new development in Newstead.

He and head chef Gert Pretorius used it as an opportunity to reorient the kitchen around a South American parrilla-style grill over which they now fire much of the menu’s protein. The new spot includes The Terrace, a more casual eatery perfect for afternoon grazing.

Where: 63 Skyring Terrace, Newstead

PS. Find out where Philip Johnson eats in Brisbane when he’s off-duty here.

1889 Enoteca

Heritage buildings are hard to find in Brisbane so just sitting in 1889 Enoteca is a treat. The old 1890s-era Moreton Rubber headquarters is now a brick, wood and marble-lined tribute to Roman cooking. Enoteca recently celebrated 10 years in business; over that time it’s become a touch more casual but also more authentic, the floor these days run by a bunch of imported pros.

They’re serving up a mains menu of elevated Italian food and exceptional pasta such as a thick-cut pappardelle and the restaurant’s now iconic pork and fennel sausage gnocchi. The vino is exceptional too, the list anchored by natural drops sourced from centuries old wineries on the Italian peninsula.

Where: 10-12 Logan Road, Woolloongabba

Gauge

An understated cafe during the day, by night Gauge turns down the lights to peddle one of the city’s most acclaimed degustation menus. It changes regularly depending on what’s in season but you might try nori pastry with almond, capsicum, wakame and finished with a mandarin kosho; or pork sirloin dished up with black sesame, pumpkin, kombu and sour onion.

This is the experience you want — matched to a series of wines, brandy and sherry — but a shorter prix fixe option exists if you’re tying in a show at the nearby Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).

Where: 77 Grey Street, South Brisbane

Aria

It may be Matt Moran’s name above the door but the food at Aria Brisbane feels like it leans just as much on the expertise of head chef Ben Russell given how closely the restaurant works with local farmers and producers.

This is perhaps Brisbane’s plushest fine diner, locals ticking off special occasions with dishes such as spanner crab and bonito served with corn and avocado, and szechuan-seasoned roasted pigeon with red cabbage. The wine list is an award winner and the views across the river to die for. For one-off Brisbane dining experiences, it’s hard to beat.

Where: 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane

Bacchus

Parked on the podium of Rydges South Bank, Bacchus doubles as head chef Massimo Speroni’s gastronomic playground. The Italian-born Speroni deals in a rarefied cuisine that has its origins in the Mediterranean but ranges far and wide for its inspiration.

Champagne lobster is finished at the table with a vibrant green fresh pea foam; while local quail leg and foie gras looks like impressionism on a plate with its flashes of pumpkin and dried flowers. Sommelier Andrew Giblin’s enormous wine list, with its significant Coravin selection, is just as inspired. Bacchus is a hotel restaurant, but not as you know it.

Where: Glenelg Street and Grey Street, South Brisbane

The Wolfe

Josh Lopez has been a chef without a kitchen for much of the past 18 months. Now, though, one of Brisbane’s most acclaimed young cooks has returned with his own restaurant, taking over The Wolfe.

Lopez’s repertoire includes dishes such as veal served with mushroom and lillypilly; and six-score Cabassi A3 Wagyu plated up with brassica, beetroot and blueberries. The East Brisbane dining room is a cosy space to spend a couple of hours — just a 10-minute cab ride from the city, it’s a good way of getting a taste of Brisbane’s rambling suburbs. (PS. Here’s a guide to exploring those Brissy ‘burbs we prepared earlier.)

Where: 989 Stanley Street East, East Brisbane

How many of Brisbane’s best restaurants have you ticked off your list?

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thenextrush · 5 years ago

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Ascend to the rooftop of Rydges Southbank to experience haute cuisine at its finest. Chef Massimo Speroni has created a culinary tapestry of emu, kangaroo, shark and quail, among a selection of premium meats and seafood. Furthermore, experiencing the imagination of his dishes stretches the bounds of expectation with innovations like the famed mojito sphere and martini jelly. Seven years on, and there is no end in sight to fine dining with the continual gasps of surprise this venue serves up.

Chef Speroni joined Bacchus direct from Ristorante San Domenico in 2017, bringing with him an extraordinary caché of experience, having worked under owner-chef Marcattilii as Sous Chef, and in his formative years as a Chef de Partie and Junior Sous. Through Speroni’s flavour-lens, the menu features fresh, classically created dishes. A specialist in degustations, Bacchus offers a range of the multi-plate dining experiences, from seasonal showcases to homages of beef, truffles, seafood and even dessert. The a la carte menu features standout cuts and crops from the local region, and flavours from around the world. Bacchus is at home in Rydges South Bank, the premier lifestyle and cultural hotel in Brisbane and one truly embedded in the cultural, dining, sporting and corporate life of the city.

The tides of taste ebb and flow with a special viciousness when it comes to fine dining. Bacchus answers the vexing question of relevance through experimentation and divinity in presentation.

The opulent interiors provide spaces for obscurity or public enthronement while Kevin Puglisevich sets the tone of VIP treatment and menu articulation leading his team of seamless silver service attendants. They work the tables and room in a beautiful symphony with just the right balance of amiability and efficiency with all the trappings of a fancy theatrical production.

The amuse-bouche sets the bar of expectation with bite sized teasers of what’s to come. Their famed Mojito sphere (main image) naturally makes a cameo offering bursts of that favorite cocktail flavour with intermittent chunks of cucumber.

The Entree selection of 4 dishes is brimming with confidence as it exemplifies its leadership in the art of high end dining. The classic croquette is given a makeover in basic black with a centre filling of shark and topped with a cauliflower wasabi!

The Aylesbury Pekin Duck that rests on the ravioli ($34) and in its filling hails from the Wombeyan Caves in NSW – free range and chemical Free. The level of detail in ingredient selection themes the dishes of the evening almost as much as their meticulous artistry and intricate construction.

A multi-textured sculpture of Al Dente Carrot and Conomme lifts the plating canvas to proportional heights. The culinary skill and technique of the Bacchus kitchen shows of its power in its precision.

Chef Speroni uses the entree selection to play on our sense of familiarity with the dishes and then rejuvenates our interaction with old school dishes with complex enhancements that excite the palette.

He breathes new life into Wagyu Beef tartare ($24) with its adornment of lemon and mustard dressing and parmesan foam. An exciting evolution that would lure in even the most non raw meat lover.

The water world of earthy tones created in a bowl Chef Speroni has named Bottini – with its network of broth streaming through the crevasses of smoked buffalo mozzarella and scattering of black truffle ($46).

The Discovery Australia menu selection features native wildlife including Kangaroo, Crocodile and Queensland wild fish and lobster. Encased in a violet egg shell is the Emu ($45) with sunflower seeds, muntries and dark chocolate. It’s a gamey meat that looses moisture quickly and is prepared carefully to a medium cook. Many say the bird tastes similar to beef but there’s a very distinct after taste that lingers with each morsal. It works very well when alternating it with its elements and accompanying sides.

The Champagne lobster is from Rainbow Beach, served in a Chardonnay sauce ($59) with a Caviar add-on option ($82). The exquisite majesty of the meatier shrimp like texture and flavour is pronounced as it prominently sits in the broth.

Plush leather arm chairs and booths accentuate the gold hues and chestnut tones that warm the space. Conservative in its silver service, perfectly inline with the regality of the experience. Opening the menu, bold statements are made with a curation of adventurous dishes and crowd pleasers using A-grade produce and unimagineable re-interpretations that can only be envisioned and executed through unparraleled artistry and skill.

Coming Soon this October: The Massimiliano Mascia Series

When Chef Mascia touches down in Brisbane for his residency at Bacchus in October, it will be a special reunion with Bacchus Head Chef Speroni, given Speroni also worked at Ristorante San Domenico under his mentor, and Mascia’s uncle, Chef Valentino Marcattilii as well as with Chef Mascia.

Like all chefs of note, Chef Mascia travelled the world gaining experience working in some of the most famed kitchens including at Osteria Fiamma in New York, at Bastide Saint Antoine and then at the multi-starred Parisian restaurant Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenée in France, before returning to Ristorante San Domenico. Now 36, he brings to the revered kitchen a combination of knowledge passed down through generations of Italian chefs in his family, and the modern techniques learned from his experiences cooking around the world.

Growing up with an amazing mentor in his uncle Chef Valentino Marcattilii, it was inevitable that Chef Mascia would be drawn to a career in food. He began working in kitchens at 14 to earn his alberghiero (hotel services-related) diploma. After finishing school, he embarked on a journey across countries to further his understanding of raw ingredients, technique, and flavour. These travels took him from working in his home country of Italy at Ristorante Vissani and Ristorante Romano di Viareggio, to the USA at Osteria Fiamma of New York, and to France at Bastide Saint Antoine then at the multi-starred Parisian restaurant Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenée. Now in his 30s, Chef Mascia has returned to Italy where his uncle has passed the torch of leadership of Ristorante San Domenico.

Ristorante San Domenico opened in Imola on March 7, 1970. In 1973 it gained its first mention in the Michelin guide, in 1975 it earnt its first Michelin Star and in 1977, (42 years ago), its second. The standards have never wavered. In its formative years the kitchen was run by Nino Bergese, known as the cook of kings, the king of cooks. It was Bergese who mentored Chef Marcattilii, who in turn mentored Chef Mascia. This is an exciting prospect for the future of Ristorante San Domenico, with the knowledge of the original Head Chef passed down to Chef Mascia guaranteeing some continuity combined with innovation from a new generation.

The Massimiliano Mascia 4-course set menu with bread selection, amuse-bouche, welcome from the kitchen and petit fours – $120 per person or $190 per person with paired wines.

Tuesday October 22 – 5:30pm to 7:30pm or 8:30pm to 10:30pm

Wednesday October 23 – 5:30pm to 7:30pm or 8:30pm to 10:30pm-

Thursday October 24 – 5:30pm to 7:30pm or 8:30pm to 10:30pm

The Massimiliano Mascia 6-course experience, beginning with canapés in the Bacchus Bar – $200 per person or $310 per person including paired wines.

Friday October 25 – 6:00pm to 9:30pm

Saturday October 26 – 6:00pm to 9:30pm

Bacchus Restaurant, Brisbane, Australia Head Chef: Massimo Speroni Podium Level, Rydges South Bank, Cnr of Grey and Glenelg Streets, South Bank Phone: 07 3364 0837 Email: [email protected] Website:bacchussouthbank.com.au

Ristorante San Domenico, Imola, Italy It will be the first time Chef Mascia has visited Australia, and he is cooking exclusively at Bacchus. The 2-Michelin-starred Ristorante San Domenico in Imola, northern Italy, has been the bastion ofChef Valentino Marcattalii until he handed the baton to his nephew, Chef Massimiliano Mascia in 2013 Head Chef Massimiliano Mascia Via Sacchi, 1, Imola, Bologna Email: [email protected] Website: www.sandomenico.it _________________________________________________________________________________________

Bacchus is proudly working with the following suppliers in welcoming Chef Massimiliano Mascia to Australia

Scampi and Scampi Caviar Supplier: THE FISH GIRL AND SHARK BAY Shark Bay seafood Scampi and Wild Scampi Caviar – wild caught, found in deep waters off Australia’s west coast, mainly off Port Hedland, WA. As their name suggests, the Scampi is wild caught, which means mother nature plays a huge role. The eggs come in unique natural shades of blue and once harvested, are hand sorted with tweezers. Unlike any other caviar, the sampi eggs are kept on the outside of the scampi, which means the natural ocean sea flavours is abundant in the scampi caviar.

Kingfish: Supplier: HIRAMASA KINGFISH At Clean Seas, they are proud to farm their Spencer Gulf Hiramasa Kingfish in a remote location off the Eyre Peninsula town of Port Lincoln in South Australia. The taste is as clean and pure as the pristine waters in which it’s raised. Clean Seas takes pride in its sustainability credentials and they have Friend of the Sea certification and Aquaculture Stewardship Council accreditation – the gold standard in aquaculture.

Beef Supplier: STOCKYARD Stockyard beef has obtained international recognition for its eating quality, consistency and food safety. They have achieved this through strong vertical integration through the beef supply chain with interests in beef production including cattle breeding and raising, lot feeding, processing and marketing. Their production system is undertaken entirely in Australia. Kiwami, meaning Outstanding Excellence, is their finest Wagyu, hand selected to provide beef with a combination of silky flavours, tenderness, taste and juiciness. Kiwami Wagyu is selected from carcasses derived from cattle of the finest Japanese Wagyu pedigree. Independent graders assess Stockyard Wagyu carcasses for their excellence in fine marbling (MBS 9+), presentation and texture.