Boardwalk Bar + Bistro

I've been to the Boardwalk Bar + Bistro a couple of times now with a few work buddies. It's in an excellent spot - right on the river below Riparian Plaza. There's a great view out over the river of the Story Bridge and Kangaroo Point.

The Boardwalk Bar + Bistro has inside and outside seating. Both times I've been for lunch, and sitting outside, even in the shade, wasn't that appealing on steamy summer days. I'm sure the outside tables are popular with tourists, looking to soak up some sun while admiring the river views. There are a decent amount of inside tables, which are definitely cooler.

The menu covers grills, seafood, pizza, pasta and salads. Other than the salads, there aren't a lot of options you'll find for under $20. A few of the better value meals on the menu are the steak sandwich ($17.90), battered fish & chips ($19.90) and the pizzas ($17.20 to $19.90).

On my first visit, I ordered the braised lamb shank ($27.50). This was described on the menu as braised lamb shank with creamy mashed potato, baby carrots and a lamb jus. I was a bit disappointed with portion size when it arrived at the table. There was just the one lamb shank, and it wasn't a particularly big one, nor was there a lot of meat on it. The shank was sitting on a small serving of mash, with a few baby carrots on the side. Not exactly what I was expecting a bar to serve for $27.50. The lamb shank itself was ok, but not memorable.

On the next visit, it was time to give another meal a try. I thought maybe I'd just been unlucky with the lamb shank episode. This time I ordered the clay pot chicken ($27.90), described as chicken braised in a clay pot with white wine, onions, mushrooms, lemon and parsley. The hot pot was brought to the table, and looked impressive. Until I opened it. The pot had one chicken leg in it, with a bit of the thigh attached. It was a particularly small chicken leg, and I'd be surprised if there was enough meat on it to satisfy anyone for lunch. The chicken leg was sitting in what appeared to be a chicken broth, which contained a few bits of celery, some onions and a couple of mushroom pieces. It was basically a chicken broth served with one chicken leg. There were two small pieces of bread that came with the dish. Luckily when my friends saw the size of the portion, they were all too happy to ply me with plenty of chips from their plates. Even so, I had to stop at McDonalds on the way back to work for an emergency serve of fries, to stop my stomach from rumbling around all afternoon.

Although the food was disappointing, the bar does have a decent selection of wines by the glass, including a few Queensland wines. The 25 wines by the glass range in price from $6.90 to $9.90. There are also plenty of beers and a few cocktails.

Service was pretty snappy on both visits. You order and pay at the counter when you arrive. The meals are then brought out to your table when they are ready. We only waited about 10-15 minutes for our meals to come out, which is a good turnaround time.

The Boardwalk Bar + Bistro website proudly proclaims "More bang for your buck". Unfortunately, based on my two visits, I can't agree. The clay pot chicken was particularly disappointing, and both my meals were overpriced. I know they must be paying some hefty rent at such a great spot, but I really think the value for money can be improved.

What does all this mean? A bar & bistro with a great location overlooking the river, serving a range of pub type food, but not particularly good value for money.

food bling ratings
Food - Ok
Service - Good
Ambience - Modern bar, with lovely river views
Value for Money - Poor
Wine - Good selection by the glass
Vegetarian - Ok
Gluten Free - Very limited selection

Boardwalk Bar + Bistro
Boardwalk Level, Riparian Plaza
71 Eagle Street
Brisbane 4000
P - 07 3221 0026
E - info@boardwalkbar.com.au
W - http://www.boardwalkbar.com.au/