The Burrito Bar, SOUTHBANK

The Burrito Bar has been a part of Southbank dining for a long time and remains popular with movie goers for a quick bite before or after their session. I’ve eaten here a couple of times years ago when they first opened up and found it to be quite average. They have since had a makeover and extended their menu so I decided to give it another go. Surely they were doing something right to still be standing even after the addition of new burrito joints in the area.

Their change in menu does sound more appealing with crowd pleasers such as slow cooked pulled pork that can be added to burritos, tacos, nachos and quesadillas.  Along with your standard tortilla based dishes, they offer items such as buffalo wings, chargrilled corn, ribs and chilli as well as a few unorthodox dishes such as nacho chips and Mexican burger. They certainly have a lot more to offer in terms of menu choices in comparison to their neighbouring competitors.

We placed our order with a very quiet, yet friendly girl at the counter then proceeded to find a table. The only clean table happened to be in front of the counter and board menus and we found it extremely uncomfortable. I felt like I was getting in customers way as they tried to order while at the same time having my personal dining space invaded. We ended up moving to a different table next to tacky uncovered pipes and chipped away poles where we had to clear away dirty plates ourselves.

Our pulled pork nachos were the first to arrive. I was surprised to see it come out on a real square dinner plate, even though it was chipped in the corners. Serving sizes for the nachos are much smaller than the competitors for the same price but offered a generous amount of sour cream at no additional charge. The pulled pork was good and salsa was fresh, however the downside to this dish was the overly salty and oily corn chips, otherwise it was a pretty-okay plate of nachos.

The 10-hour slow cooked Smokey BBQ beef burrito was out next. The beef was definitely soft and tender and had a nice flavour to it and was wrapped nicely in a decent sized soft tortilla. We shared the burrito and despite being quite hungry, I was unable to finish my half due the mound of uncooked rice inside it. I don’t mean slightly undercooked either, the rice was still crunchy and upon snapping a grain in half, revealed a chalky white uncooked centre.

We left hungry and disappointed that even after the change, our impression and experience at The Burrito Bar remained the same as our first few tries. The main clientele seemed to be made up of young teenagers out with their friends and making use of the food discount they receive along with their Cineplex movie ticket. Everyone older knows better and is willing to pay the extra few dollars and have gone down the road. It’s such a shame though because the pulled pork/beef was actually very nice, but that alone isn’t enough to make me come back any time soon.

Food:  3/10
Service:  4/10
Value:  4/10
Atmosphere:  3/10
Overall:  3.5/10

-wd

 

Ramen Champion, SUNNYBANK

Ramen Champion is a newer and more modern addition to dining at Sunnybank. It’s beautifully decorated and offers plenty of space and comfortable seating inside which you’ll agree is a miracle if you know Sunnybank at all. This is the second time I’ve been here and although I still prefer ramen at their competition across the road, there were many things I did like more here.

Upon entering, you’ll notice that the place is decked out with cool lights and furniture and that it’s completely spotless and clean. The guys working there are super friendly and always greeting you eagerly as you come through the door. Ordering is super quick with menus being simple and straight forward. Prices for a bowl of ramen start from $9.90 and cheap rice dishes starting at $5.90.  

Last time I was here, I tried the Spicy champion with minced pork which I didn’t enjoy that much. The soup was very thick and it got quite sickening towards the end. After the noodles have finished, there was no real desire to have any more of the soup.  I much prefer the spicy ramen with the char siu pork slices over at Hakataya Ramen; my soup does not go to waste over there.

On this particular visit, I decided to go with their signature dish - ramen champion. I enjoyed it a lot more than I did on my first visit here, but the soup was still very thick and too creamy while lacking flavours making it somewhat bland and hard to get through. Once again, the soup was left after I had finished my noodles.

Our gyozas were filled with mostly cabbage and ginger, I don’t think there was much meat (or any at all) but it was still pretty tasty and nicely crisps on the bottom. Can’t complain though with it only costing $4.90 which is super cheap compared to anywhere else.

One point that these guys do better than their competition is their generosity of free kaedama (which is an additional order of noodles to add to your existing soup). At Ramen Champion, they offer up to four servings of free kaedama as opposed to one over at Hakataya. Serving sizes of a single bowl isn’t small to begin with so even on my hungriest of days, I wouldn’t need any more than one additional kaedama, but it’s nice to know they’re giving me the option to have more.

If you’re after something even bigger, they have their very own challenge – The GIANT RAMEN. For $35 you could attempt a gigantic bowl of ramen and if completed within their time limit (I believe it’s around 20-25mins), you get the $35 back in cash along with $50 of food vouchers to spend in store and your photo on the wall next to the (currently only 6) other champions.

There are a lot of mixed opinions about the food here, some strongly dislike it and some firmly believe it’s the best ramen available in Brisbane. I think it’s decent for the price I paid and would come back again if my friends wanted to, but if I were going for taste alone, I would probably head across the road. You’ll just have to pop in, try their ramen and judge for yourself!

Food: 5.5/10

Service: 10/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
value: 8/10

Overall: 7.5

-wd

 

Apple Tango, WOOLLOONGABBA

With its bright green faux grass and colourful glowing lights, its hard to miss Apple Tango. I have driven past many times to and from the city but have only gotten around to visiting now and I wish I had much sooner!

Apple Tango's menu consists of small plates that are designed to be shared so it makes for a great place to bring the family or a group of friends. Along with their usual menu, they offer a taste from a different country every month and for the month of May, Greece was on offer.

I found choosing a bit more difficult than usual as I wanted to try everything from the menu as it all sounded delicious, but after much debating and compromising we decided to start with some hickory smoked wings, crying tiger beef and deep fried duck balls.

Hickory smoked wings with Tango hot sauce ( minus 2 already eaten wings)

The wings came out quickly and we dug in without any delay. Meat was tender and falling off the bone and the wings were smothered with a generous amount of hot sauce which had a nice kick to it. It didn't start out that spicy but definitely built up after a couple of wings.

Crying Tiger: Seared Angus sirloin with spring onion, peanuts & shallots.

Next came the Crying Tiger beef. The seared beef came out a little more cooked than stated but still tender and lovely.  I liked this dish a lot, the combination of flavours greatly remind me of Vietnamese/Thai salads which I believe inspired this dish. The dressing was sweet and tangy and I loved the addition of apple pieces which actually went well with the beef and kept the dish interesting.

 Deep Fried Duck balls: Duck confit, foie gras, apple fondant & pickled grapes.

This was probably my favourite dish of the night for a few reasons;
a- I love duck and foie gras.  b- it was beautifully presented and i loved looking at it &
c - I like dishes where I dislike a certain component, but end up loving it with the dish as a whole. I'd probably never eat pickled grapes again out of choice but I'll admit that it worked worked well with everything else on the plate.

Mostly eaten Octopus Paella: Grilled octopus, Chorizo, paprika, saffron rice & sherry. 

The paella was good and had a decent amount of octopus and chorizo. It wasn't an amazing paella but it wasn't bad either. I have worked with Spanish chefs before who have made amazing paellas that were full of flavour so I'm forever comparing it to those, and this wasn't quite on the same level, but it was still good and had those crispy bits of rice at the bottom which is always a treat.

Roast Lamb: Lamb shoulder, beetroot puree, yoghurt, oregano & lemon

We couldn't leave without trying something off their taste of Greece menu and with lamb on the menu, it wasn't a hard choice. The beetroot puree and yoghurt were very mild in flavour and found myself relying on the lemon juice to flavour the dish. It was still enjoyable but I personally think it lacks something. The lamb itself was probably the most tender piece of meat I've eaten in a while though so that definitely scored a few points in my books.

Spiced pear & cognac crumble with vanilla ice-cream and custard was served in a cute mini pan

I'm not a big dessert person, but having a pleasant experience with both food and service up to this point, we couldn't resist but to stay longer and give dessert a go. We decided to share the pear crumble. The crumble was very much on the sweeter side but the oats in the crumbs offered a nice crunch and texture. I couldn't pin point what the 'mix spice' consisted off, but it was heavily spiced so we were grateful that ice cream and custard was served with it. It was a generous sized dessert that I could not have been able to finish on my own.

Kitchen area and bar with the beautiful lights

The place is beautifully decorated with the kitchen out front so you can see the chefs preparing your meals which is always exciting to watch. It has an amazing atmosphere and makes for a great place to meet friends for some drinks and a bite to eat. They also do happy hour from Tuesday-Friday between 4-6, so you should head in for discounted beer and cocktails and experience Apple Tango for yourself. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for new specials from around the world each month.

Food:  8.5/10

Service:  10/10

Atmosphere:  9/10
Value:  9/10

Overall: 9/10

-wd

Grill n Bao (8 Street), GARDEN CITY

8 Street has become one of my favourite places for food and beer and I’ve been back countless times yet still have not tried anything from Grill n Bao until recently noticing their sign for “best voted burgers on 97.3FM”. I thought it was time to see what I've been missing out on.

Grill N Bao are all about their "Gua Bao" which is essentially an Asian burger that originated from Taiwan and typically consists of stewed meat, vegetables and sauce between steamed bread (same consistency of steam buns). They also offer ramen and a few side dishes that you can add to your burger along with a drink for a combo. On this particular visit, we opted for two combos so we could sample a bit of everything.

The slow cooked marinated pork belly gua bao, with hoisin sauce was an absolute standout, the pork was braised beautifully and fell apart in the mouth and was nice against the crispy red cabbage and carrot salad. This burger was delicious and I was jealous that I didnt pick it.

The crunchy hot and spicy chicken burger was okay; the chicken might have been in the fryer for a few minutes too long and got a bit tough and dry, especially towards the end when it started to cool. Aside from the steamed bun, the crunchy chicken gua bao tasted more or less like a normal cripsy chicken burger. It just wasn't as exciting as the pork belly one. Both steam buns were good; not to sweet and texture was perfectly soft and fluffy.

The batter was crispy and golden but the calamari itself was a bit tough and chewy. Calamari is not quite up to the mark of a good fish and chip store.

The mini ramen that came as part of combo was bigger than I expected and it was definitely a bit of a mission to finish both the burger and the ramen. The ramen itself was pretty average. I don’t recall getting any meat in it, but it was suppose to be a side dish as part of the combo so I wasn’t going to question it. The broth was a little bit spicy and had decent flavours; nothing to write home about but it was a nice little noodle soup to have after my burger and made sure I was full and warmed up from being out in the cold rain.

Overall I enjoyed it. I definitely recommend the pork belly or waygu beef ones as those seem to be the ones with more flavour and less chances of being over cooked like my fried dishes were. The prices were a tad bit expensive coming in at 7.90 each (from 12.9 for a combo), but they’re pretty damn tasty and one is probably enough if you’re not a massive eater.

Service was wonderful, the guy at the counter was friendly and offered plenty of smiles despite being busy and much like the rest of 8 Street, you could see your food being prepare through the window while you wait. I’ll definitely be back to try the other flavours!

Food:  7/10
Service:  9/10
Value: 6.5/10
Atmosphere: 9/10

Overal: 7.5/10

-wd

Capri Cafe bar, FORTITUDE VALLEY

Capri is an Italian & pizza restaurant located within the stylish emporium complex. I’ve always known Capri to be there and it became a place I said I would try, but never made it around to going, so when Dimmi’s offered a 50% off you food bill sale, I jumped at the opportunity. I was also aware of the recent negative reviews on Urbanspoon prior to visit and to my delight; I’ll have to disagree with those reviews.

We were looked after that night by a friendly gentleman who was attentive and very knowledgeable of the menu and really helped us picked the perfect dishes and serving sizes. We were seated with our menus and table water and then left to peruse through their extensive menu which consists of several entree/share menus, mains and a long list of pastas, risottos and pizzas. We eventually agreed on the beetroot and walnut arancini, followed by a belinni pizza and sand crab and scallop risotto to share.

The arancini was served with a bed of roquette and side of feta cheese. The colours on this dish were spectacular and although I was quite sceptical about the choice of ingredients, the flavours were nice together and the size of were very generous; 4 large arancini per serve which is more than enough for two people. The arancini could have been a bit crispier on the outside, but all in all a decent dish.

Beetroot and Walnut arancini with roquette and feta (minus 1 i already started eating)

While we waited for our mains, our water was refilled and we were offered a 2^nd round of drinks. They have a few interesting choices when it comes to international beer which we loved as other restaurants' beer choices are getting a bit samey and you don’t ever get the chance to try something new.

Our mains arrived and we were quite impressed, if not a little overwhelmed, by the serving sizes.  The pizza was pretty big and barely fit on the large dinner plate and the risotto, although not visible at first (or evident in my photo), fills up a deep plate-bowl.

Bellini: Air dried beef rib fillet, mushrooms, bocconcini & mozzarella

I was quite impressive with my pizza with the base being one of my favourite pizza bases to date. It was rolled at the perfect thickness and cooked until entirely crisps on the underside and crust yet still remained soft in the centre. Biting into the base was similar to the amazing sensation of biting into grilled Turkish bread; not something you often get from fast food pizza chains. Toppings were tasty and we enjoyed every bite of it.

The risotto had great flavours and real pieces of crab and scallops. The only downside to this dish was the rice being slightly undercooked which made the texture a bit unpleasant, but it wasn’t far off from the mark and was still quite delicious so we were happy to keep eating it. Flavours were excellent in this dish and the scallops were cooked perfectly.

Sand crab and scallop  in a seafood bisque risotto topped with roquette and Grana Padano cheese

After mains, we were stuffed and had to turn down the offer for dessert. Our tables were cleared and even though we were no longer ordering anything, the wait staff kindly continued to top up our water glasses while we sat and let our stomachs settle.

We thought the service was excellent on this particular night. Our waiter, and the female trainee nailed the sequence of service and was timely and non intrusive with their table checks. Everything we could want was offered to us and we never had to get anyone’s attention for anything. The waiter’s menu knowledge was great and he was friendly and helpful and remained patient while we decided. I liked to point out that it wasn’t a very busy night, but from what I saw, I was impressed.

I am glad decided to give this place a go, even though certain aspects of the meal could be improved, overall I sill had a very pleasant experience.

Food: 7/10
Service: 10/10
value: 7/10 (not based on vouchers redeemed)
Atmosphere: 8/10
Overall:  8

-wd

Motto motto, GARDEN CITY

After much anticipation, I finally made it around to Motto Motto to see what all the fuss is about.  Motto Motto sets out to be casual Japanese dining, offering quality meals at affordable prices so if you’re after a quick and hassle free meal, but wanting something that is a step up from fast food, this is the place.

The menu is quite simple but still offers a variety of ramen, rice bowls, breadrolls, salads and several sides to choose from.  It is also a licensed venue and has a few Japanese beers on offer along with non-alcoholic flavoured fruit ciders.

Watermelon & Peach fruit cider 

I was extremely excited about these fruit ciders and was expecting the most amazing drink in the world...turns out they were just cute bottles of carbonated water with artificial fruit flavourings. They were tasty for what they were.  

On this particular visit, we started off with some chicken karage followed by red ramen and the wagyu beef roll on brioche. The chicken karage was a bit of let down. It wasn’t crispy, lacked flavour and was very dry.  There were times when I was taking bites of batter that didn’t contain any chicken pieces at all. I don’t usually leave food behind, but my partner and I struggled to get through that one. Luckily our main meals weren’t a disaster.

Chicken Karage & Kewpie mayonnaise

  

The wagyu beef roll was delicious and looked great. The marinated beef was soft and tender while the salad was fresh and crisp – all in a lightly toasted brioche. Filling to bread ratio was perfect, which as we all know, makes or breaks a sandwich of any sort.

Wagyu beef roll on brioche

Red Ton-kotsu ramen was served with couple of pieces of pork belly and half egg and pickles on the side. The soup, advertised as “12 hour pork superstock”, was tasty and full of flavour with mild heat to it. Although it isn’t the best bowl of ramen I’ve had, it was very filling and satisfying and would make the perfect comforting meal for a cold night after a long day at work.

Ton-Kotsu Ramen (red)

The venue is set up to be fast paced and although turnover is generally quick, the venue does has limited seating and gets quite full during peak lunch/dinner hours, so if you aren’t prepared to wait a little while (or sit against a glass wall facing another diner awkwardly) then opt for takeaway and sit on the beach chairs just outside in Town Square. Service is good for the type of venue, its super quick, super efficient and friendly enough to make you feel welcomed.

It might not be my first choice when it comes to casual Japanese food, but it’s good enough that I’ll definitely be popping back in to try the rice bowls the next time I finish work late and too lazy to cook dinner.

Food:  7/10
Value: 6/10
service 7/10
Atmosphere: 4/10
Overall: 6.5

-wd

Baguette Bistrot + Bar, ASCOT

Baguette is a long time French restaurant residing in Ascot. It doesn’t look like much from the outside as you first step into the venue and enter via the bar, but it opens up to a spacious yet intimate seating area. We were seated between a large shelf showcasing their wine list and a beautiful garden with fairy lights and water feature to set a relaxing ambience.

Sticking to popular French cuisine, we started off with the Foie gras parfait which was served with caramel apples, feijoa relish and crostini. The parfait was soft and fluffy and spread across the toasted bread with ease, it was smooth, full of flavour and delicious that paired well with the sweet caramel apple. I didn’t really enjoy the feijoa relish but I believe that just came down to personal preference as my companion seemed to think it tasted fine.  The only downside to the plate was the crostini was a little burnt around the edges but that really is was a minor issue in a great dish.

Duck liver & foie gras parfait, apple caramel, feijoa relish, crostini

Up next, I ordered the lamb rump served with garlic risotto and cabernet sauvignon jus. I thought this dish was excellent.  The lamb was beautifully pink in the center and was tender and juicy all through while the risotto was cooked perfectly; rice was not too hard or too mushy, which is somewhat a common problem when ordering risotto. Fava beans added a nice texture to the dish which i really enjoyed.

Rump lamb, wild garlic risotto and fava beans, Cabernet Sauvignon jus

Thoa ordered the fish (being salmon on that particular night) with king prawns, artichoke, baby potatoes and chorizo. I had a sneaky taste of the fish and though it was good. The fish and lemon sabayon sauce are amazing together however the she mentioned that it would have been nicer if the skin was crisps all through. It wasn’t advertised as crispy skin salmon but i guess you expect it seeing as most places do it and it works so well with salmon.

Sautéed king prawns, artichoke, baby potatoes, chorizo, spinach, lemon sabayon

The flavours and seasoning were excellent in both mains, not once did we even had to think about adding salt or pepper to our meals. Serving sizes were big as well, big enough that after entree, wine and mains, we were too full to have dessert, which is something I’m still regretting. I’ll have to order something lighter next time so I can fit in dessert and possibly some cheese.  I do hope that next time I dine here though, there will be a bigger selection from their fromage menu as I only recall a choice of four cheeses.

The service was good; we were treated well from the moment we arrived to when we left. Wait staff were attentive and friendly and did everything correctly and promptly. Everything was offered to us and we never found ourselves wondering where our food was or asking for our water to be refilled. We even got some friendly byes from the chefs behind the pass on our way out. All in all a very pleasant experience at Baguette and is definitely a place I’ll be revisiting in the near future.

Food: 9/10
Service:10/10
Value: 8/10
Atmosphere: 8.5/10

Overall: 9

-wd