Alegria Mediterranean Bistro, MILTON

When people picking or discussing popular weekend breakfast spots, Bistro Alegria is not a place that often gets mentioned. I believe a lot of people are unaware that this restaurant, often thriving and bustling with customers most nights would serve big hearty breakfasts early weekend mornings. Bistro alegria is probably one of my favourite places to have dinner and currently the only restaurant I visit multiple times in a year. The food and dessert  are all made by the chefs in house and is consistently spectacular. 

Despite knowing about breakfast at Alegria for a while now, this was actually my first opportunity to make it out there on Sunday morning. The menu is considerably smaller but offers all the favourites  with a Mediterranean twist. 

Spanish omelette with jamon, feta, confit potatoes and roast capsicum

The Spanish omelette was served in a decent sized paella pan and filled with generous amount of jamon and the confit potatoes were full of flavour. It was a big meal and must of contained about 4 eggs and was served with a thick slice of grilled sourdough. It definitely more than I could ever eat for breakfast...or any other meal for that matter.

Mediterranean Breakfast 

Alegria's version of the big breakfast was definitely big. There were thick slices of house made honey bacon, juicy heirloom cherry tomatoes, fresh avocados, watercress, mushrooms and haloumi and two massive slices of grilled sourdough.

The food here is amazing, and serving sizes are always gigantic; big eaters don't need to worry about being left hungry after a meal. The coffee here is pretty average, but you wont really have room for anything else after a breakfast. Their tea selection is pretty unique though if you're after a hot cuppa.

Whether you choose to come here for breakfast, lunch  or dinner, you'll fine something delectable from the menu. Dinner is still probably my favourite time of the day to come as there is lots of delicious seasonal tapas and mains to choose from, and with live musicians playing every weekend night, it really is a great venue for friends and family to get together for dinner and have a drink or two from their expansive wine list.

-wd

 

Carolina Kitchen, COOPARROO

There was a lot of talk about Carolina kitchen when american food became popular in Brisbane. I was pretty late to board the train and only got around to visiting recently. Carolina's kitchen is located in a suburban area of Cooparroo, and offers popular American soul food  such as hoagies, ribs, wings and a range of dessert pies.

I love corn bread, so it was no surprise when that was the first thing I picked off the menu. The cornbread was shaped as a muffin. It was warm, moist and had the perfect amount of sweetness, probably one of the better corn breads I've tasted. I wasn't a fan of the sauce served on the side though, it was like some sort of lukewarm tomato and beef mince chili, without the chili.

I had the "Aunt Lilly Mae's BBQ ribs" that came with a side of southern potato salad. The meat was falling of the bone and topped with tangy and sweet BBQ sauce. The sauce really was delicious; if it weren't for fellow diners, I would have picked up my plate and licked it clean. The potato salad although not all that different from a regular potato and egg salad, was very tasty and seasoned well. Only down side of this dish, was the size. It was pretty small for a half rack and even with the addition to the side salad, and half a corn bread, I wasn't completely satiated afterwards. Unless you're a light eater, you really have to order a few extra sides or at least a large size of ribs.

Enjoying the cool artwork while enjoying a refreshing Dr Peppers

The restaurant isn't fancy inside or out and decor seems a little outdated, but it's cosy and humble and has a lot of interesting memorabilia to check out while you wait for your food. The music played in the background is pretty great, it was a mix of jazz, soul and blues when I was there. Although the food was a little bit expensive for the amount you get, it was still delicious and I definitely want to come back for more ribs and maybe a hoagie and some wings too. Sometimes you just have to splurge a little to get good food.

Food: 8/10

Service 6/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Value: 6/10

Overal: 6/10

-wd

 

Toro Bravo, FORTITUDE VALLEY

The fortitude valley is becoming a utopia for dining with many new venues serving up exciting cuisines from around the world but before trying all the new stuff, I decided to visit a place that has long been on my list; Toro Bravo. I absolutely love the idea of tapas and small share plates so naturally Toro Bravo would be on my ever expanding wish-list.

I dined here a couple of weeks ago and to this day I still haven’t come up with a definitive answer as to whether I had a good night or not. There were amazing points and there were moments that tipped the scale towards the other direction. I arrived earlier than my friend so decided to proceed inside, the bartender casually strolled up to ‘greet’ me and I informed him that I had made a reservation. Unaware of any bookings made, he asked me whether I was by myself. I told him I was waiting for a friend and happy to do so at the table that had been set aside for us and the response I receive was uncalled for and it really put me off, so I decided to go back out front and wait while I contemplating eating next door.

My friend arrived and we were then greeted by the waiter who sat us down inside. Service took a massive turn at this point and I was glad I chose to stick around. Our waiter handled things superbly; he was a friendly and knowledgeable and helped us choose the right amount of food and made the experience fun and comfortable.

We started our dinner with the Field mushrooms and feta that came with a mound of rocket. This was probably the simplest dish we ordered but was definitely my favourite. The mushroom was cooked well and full of flavour and juicy while the feta was soft and rich. A perfect example of how simple ingredients can taste astonishing when cooked well.

Sauteed field mushrooms with roquette roast pumpkin, feta & manzanilla sherry dressing.

Croquettes are a must have every time for me; it’s exciting to see what new flavours chefs are trying with the croquettes. That night at Toro Bravo, it was hamburger. Intrigued at first and not sure what to expect, we were bitterly disappointed when they finally came out...not to say they weren't absolutely delicious and perfectly crispy, it just wasn’t as adventurous and bizarre as we hoped. In all fairness though, when you break down the ingredients in a hamburger it’s really is just ham, cheese & tomato sauce. We had a good laugh about that one.

Croquette of the day: Hamburger

The bartender came with out with our paella and seemed annoyed that there wasn’t enough room left on the table. He lingered uncomfortably for a little while and then popped then dirty plates on the table next to us, placed the paella down and walked off empty handed and left us with the nice view of our used dishes. I could have done that myself.

The paella was pretty good. There was a decent amount of chorizo and prawns, and the rice was cooked nicely however the chicken was a little bit dry. The flavours were good and I was quite satisfied with the dish but it would have been much better with a bit more heat to it

Chicken, prawn, chorizo paella with winter vegetables.

Lastly, just to make sure we were really done and full, was the lamb skewers. The lamb had a strong charred flavour and the haloumi was still soft and moist and although the rosemary oil was evident, I think it would have been nice if it was accompanied by a dipping sauce.

Chargrilled lamb and haluomi skewers with rosemary oil.

We were going to skip dessert but upon finding out that Thoa has yet to try a clafoutis, I made an executive decision to order one despite our stomachs telling us we were done for the night. It came out warm and was very comforting to eat on a cold night. The only complaint I have with this one, was it needed more sour cherry and would have been nice with a sauce. I liked it, but felt like it was a little plain and needed one more thing to make it memorable.

Sour cherry clafouti with vanilla icecream

When we were ready to leave, we got the passing bartenders attention for the bill and tried to inform him that we had an entertainment card so he would know to adjust it accordingly  rather than having to go back and do it later. He stuck his hand up to us and said he was already getting it and didn't take the card with him. We fixed our bill up at the counter and were on our way back to the car pack when he came running after us and said he needed to see the card because he forgot to take down some details, so back in we went. Although not being inconvenienced by it, I felt like the way he spoke to us and his attitude could have been a bit better at that moment and throughout the night, but we tried not to dwell on it seeing as everything else was pleasant.

With or without the entertainment discount, I think Toro Bravo offers good value and would be a great place for big groups and families. Our bill came out much smaller than expected and despite a few mishaps, service from the waiter was excellent and we received a decent amount of food that came out quickly even though only one chef was in the kitchen that night. I'm definitely keen to come back and give their mains plates/grills a go some time in the near future.

Food: 8/10

Service 8.5/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Value: 8.5/10

Overal: 8/10

-wd

 

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