Breakfast Creek Hotel

It's been years since I've had a steak at the Breakfast Creek Hotel. As my wife is a vegetarian, steak restaurants don't usually get a look in for dinner. But our baby shower was the perfect chance for me to round up a few carnivorous friends and pop into the Breakfast Creek for a leisurely lunch.

Although the pub does offer food other than steak (including vegetarian meals), beef seems to be the main reason people visit for lunch. And if it's steak you're after, you can choose from not only the cut, but also the breed of the beast:

Nolan meats private selection rib eye on the bone - $37.50

Rib fillet finished on 100 day grain fed (bos taurus x angus) - $28.50

Prime Rump finished on 100 day grain fed (bos taurus) - $27.90

Nolan meats private selection T-bone - $29.90

Wagyu Rump grain fed (350 days plus) - $33.00

Large eye fillet finished on 100 day grain fed (bos taurus) - $36.90

Petite eye fillet finished on 70 day grain fed (bos taurus) - $28.00

Fillet mignon finished on 70 day grain fed (bos taurus) - $29.50

New Yorker 100 day grain fed (bos taurus) - $29.90

Wagyu Striploin from the Darling Downs - $39.00

750gm T-bone 120 to 150 days grain fed (bos taurus) - $45.90

All of the steaks are served with the Breakfast Creek's famous coleslaw, tomato and an Idaho potato topped with bacon sauce (which I can remember eating there when I was about 10 years old) or salad and chips. Your steaks can also be served with mushroom, chilli or pepper sauce. Breadrolls are still served wrapped up in napkins, keeping with tradition.

After a fair bit of indecision, I ordered the Wagyu rump, medium rare with salad and chips. I was tossing up between that, the New Yorker (which looked fantastic) and the Wagyu striploin. All of the steaks are on display in a big cabinet as you line up to order, which helps (or hinders) the decision making process. I skipped the sauce, remembering the sage advice of a good friend (a butcher's son) - that if a steak is good enough, you don't need sauce.

You wander back to your table with a little beeper, which starts to go crazy once your meals are ready. My steak was a good size, and had been cooked perfectly. It was still tender right through and had a lovely flavour. I had no quibbles paying $33 for it. It still amazes me that plenty of places in the CBD serve far inferior steaks for around about the same price and manage to get away with it.

There were no complaints from around the table. Between us we had ordered a good selection of the various steaks. Although I was very happy with the Wagyu rump, the consensus around the table was that the Wagyu striploin was the winner. For $39 you'd hope it would be good.

After our steaks were cleaned up, we headed into the public bar, and felt like we'd gone back in time about 30 years. The public bar at the Breakfast Creek looks like it hasn't changed in a long time. I find it sad that so many pubs around Brisbane have been "modernised", losing their historical charm. No chance of that in the public bar at the Breakfast Creek. It was such a refreshing experience that we spent most of the afternoon in there, watching the Lions game and just observing the regulars. The other attraction of this bar is that the Breakfast Creek is (as far as I know) the only pub left in Queensland that still sells XXXX "off the wood" (ie from wooden casks).

I'm in no hurry to rush back to the Breakfast Creek this weekend, but we all really enjoyed both the steaks and the atmosphere in the public bar. Although there are plenty of challengers around Brisbane for great steaks, it's good to see that the Breaky Creek can still walk the walk.

What does all this mean? Good steak, an authentic public bar and XXXX off the wood - it's a Brisbane icon.

food bling ratings
Food - Good
Service - Collect your meals from the counter
Ambience - Relaxed outside seating, but can be noisy on weekends
Value for Money - Good
Wine - OK, but stick to XXXX off the wood
Vegetarian - Limited selection

Breakfast Creek Hotel
2 Kingsford Smith Drive
Breakfast Creek 4010
P - 07 3262 5988
E - breakfast.creek@alhgroup.com.au
W - http://www.breakfastcreekhotel.com/

Sling Lounge

I'd intended this post to be a scintillating rundown of Sling Lounge at West End. Unfortunately, it's going to be a bit more "broad brush" than usual.

Sling Lounge is a pretty innocuous looking spot from the street, just up from Tukka on Boundary Street. Luckily we nabbed some seats right at the front, which meant we could watch the always entertaining parade of people pass along Boundary Street as we sipped our cocktails.

As I ordered my first cocktail (which I think was a Polish Prince) I was counting on the webpage containing a full cocktail list. By the time I'd had two fairly potent cocktails at Sling Lounge, followed by a bottle of wine over dinner, any detailed recollection of the earlier cocktails had pretty much evaporated. I was however sharp enough to take a photo of their cool tiki glasses.

What I can tell you is that the list at Sling Lounge is huge - it's certainly the most impressive cocktail list I've come across in Brisbane. There are so many cocktails that it took me about 10 minutes just to skim through the list and pick my first drink. Not only is the cocktail list huge, but service is much snappier than it is at the Bowery or the Lark. There was a group of about 8 of us, but our cocktails came out pronto every time.

So if you're tired of the selection at your local bar, drop in to Sling Lounge next time you're feeling thirsty. I'll be going back next time I'm in West End, to try a few more drinks off their excellent list. Although I don't think it has the atmosphere of the Bowery, it's perfect for a few cocktails in West End.

Sling Lounge

153 Boundary Street

West End 4101

P - 07 3255 3522

W - http://www.slinglounge.com/

Tour de France Finale at Limes Hotel

If you're a fan of the Tour de France, Limes Hotel in the Valley will be showing the final stage from 10pm on Sunday night, at its rooftop cinema. While I've been really enjoying the Tour, drinking cocktails on a Sunday night sounds particularly dangerous for work on Monday morning. If you're lucky enough to have Monday off, or have a very understanding boss, it sounds like a very civilised way to watch the peleton ride into Paris.

Limes Hotel
142 Constance Street
Fortitude Valley 4006
P - 07 3852 9000
E - info@limeshotel.com.au
W - http://www.limeshotel.com.au/

The Pav Bar

Usually my work buddies and I leave it until the last minute on Friday before deciding to go somewhere for lunch. Unfortunately, by midday on Friday we can almost never get a table at our favourite spots, like Verve or the Exchange.

A month or so ago, after wandering our end of the CBD, being rejected by places that were full, we stumbled into the Pav Bar at the Stamford Plaza. We've gone back a couple of times since, because hardly anyone seems to go there for Friday lunch - which means food comes out in a snap. Plus it's about 200 metres walk from the office, so it's way too convenient.

The tables for the Pav Bar are spread around an open courtyard. At this time of the year, it's the perfect spot for lunch, because you can grab a table in the sun and try to forget it's winter.

For lunch you can order off either the BBQ or snack menu. The BBQ menu covers all kinds of grills, including Gippsland region rib eye ($26), wagyu sirloin ($42), MSA lamb cutlets with minted yoghurt ($25) and haloumi cheese and vegetables skewers with parsley pesto ($21). All of the grills are served with a baked potato ‘Parma’ and an individual side salad.

As you might have guessed, the snack menu is a bit less "grilled", with options like rice paper rolls ($17), thick cut fries with garlic aioli ($8.50) and a club sandwich with Parma ham and chicken ($18.50).

I was craving a steak, so I ordered the 220 gram black Angus sirloin ($23). I'd asked for it medium rare, and it was perfectly cooked. It was a lovely tender steak, and had been seasoned really well. I'm not normally the biggest fan of salt, but this steak had the perfect amount, that really lifted the flavour. The baked potato 'Parma' turned out to be topped with a few slices of good, thinly sliced Parma ham and a creamy sauce - delicious. The Parma ham picked up the slight salt seasoning from the steak. Simple, but so tasty. After I'd finished that, I polished off the generous (and fresh) side salad. If every Friday lunch was like this, I'd never get back to work.

My Friday lunch partner in crime ordered the Angus beef burger, which was served with melted cheese, onion confit, vine ripened tomato, lettuce, cucumber and thick cut fries ($18.50). It's served as a "deconstructed" burger, but you can easily put it back together if you want a challenge - good luck fitting all of that in your mouth at once. The burger and chips took up an entire dinner plate, so you won't be going hungry.

Service was friendly, and we hardly waited at all for the food to arrive. The only downside to the meal was my gin & tonic, which set me back $10. Unless I'm getting Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire, $10 is definitely on the steep side. Next time I'll stick to something a bit less pricey.

Otherwise, the Pav Bar is definitely worth a visit. It's good to sit outside in a relatively quiet environment, enjoying a well-priced, tasty steak for lunch.

What does all this mean? Good prices, good food and a lovely outside courtyard make this a great spot for your next CBD lunch.

food bling ratings
Food - Good
Service - Great
Ambience - Lovely, quiet, outside courtyard
Value for Money - Good
Wine - Ok selection, but avoid the pricey spirits
Vegetarian - Limited choice

The Pav Bar
Stamford Plaza Brisbane
Corner of Edward & Margaret Streets
Brisbane 4000
P - 07 3221 1999
E - sales@spb.stamford.com.au
W - http://www.stamford.com.au/spb/page.asp?e_page=569758&roomNo=456391

Bye Bye Bruno Loubet

I was sad to read in my Baguette newsletter this week that Bruno Loubet is heading back to the UK, apparently to open a gastro pub.

So if you haven't been lucky enough to try Bruno Loubet's food while he's been in Brisbane and Noosa, you've only got until 30 April to have lunch or dinner at Baguette. I still vividly remember an amazing dinner which I had with a few friends at Bruno's Tables a few years ago -his beetroot ravioli and the game charcuterie plate were standout dishes.

Although it will be a shame to lose such a great chef from Brisbane, he currently has a "recession busting" menu (with entrees under $20 and most mains under $30), so there's never been a better time to go to Baguette.

Baguette Bistrot & Bar
150 Racecourse Road
Ascot 4007
P - 07 3268 6168
E - info@baguette.com.au
W - http://www.baguette.com.au/

The Lark

I've been wanting to pay a visit to The Lark for ages. Sure I love The Bowery, but I'm always on the lookout for great cocktail bars. So the other night I rounded up a few friends and headed off to The Lark for my birthday.

There are a few distinct areas to sit in The Lark. You can take your pick from a few tables at the front, a stool at the bar, a table in the outside courtyard or the lounges upstairs. The lounges looked by far the comfiest, so it was a pretty easy decision in the end.

Once you've found a comfy spot, it's time to order a drink. The cocktail list is divided up into 3 parts - prelude, body and epilogue. Each part of the cocktail list contains about 18 drinks, so there are loads to choose from. Here are the ones which I was lucky enough to try during the night:

Lark Rum Punch - my first drink for the night - Matusalem Platino and Classico rum, Curacao, fresh lime juice, bitters and pineapple juice, served in a highball with a sprinkle of cinnamon ($15). This was a great, tangy punch, served with lots of ice, that I could have easily drank all night. A great way to kick off the evening.

Jackrabbit Slim - Calvados apple brandy and quince liqueur shaken with fresh lime juice and served in a Champagne flute ($15). Our waitress warned us this was very sour, but it was a good, tangy, refreshing kind of sour. The flute was topped with a wooden skewer that had small slices of apple fanned around it - a great presentation. Again another great cocktail to start off the night, and it also wins the prize for the best name on the list.

The 51 Martini - a vodka martini, made with Fino sherry as Vermouth and strained into a chilled, Cointreau rinsed glass, garnished with an anchovy stuffed olive ($15). I hardly ever order Martinis, but I thought if there was anywhere to order one, The Lark would be a good bet. It turned out to be excellent. Sure it was strong, but the fino sherry gave it a bit of a tang. I just found it to be a great mix of flavours. The 51 was served with the olive perched on a skewer, just touching the drink. I couldn't resist dropping it in, to give the drink a more salty, olive flavour. I also ate the olive at the end. Believe me, the taste of the anchovies completely wiped out the strong Martini flavour.

Spring Hill Fair - Martin Miller’s gin, Campari, vanilla sugar, pink grapefruit juice and orange bitters served straight up ($16). I only had a sip of this one, but it was a winner. You've probably guessed by now that I'm a definite fan of the zingy, tart cocktails.

Gibson Martini - Plymouth gin served in a slightly wet Martini, garnished with two balsamic cocktail onions ($15). Again, I only had a taste, but it was slightly less tangy/salty than the 51 Martini. The balsamic cocktail onions were divine.

Eastwood Fizz - Plymouth gin, peach liqueur, pineapple juice and lemon juice, topped with soda and a mint sprig ($15). Another refreshing, tangy cocktail that you could easily get wiped out on pretty quickly.

Although we got through a pretty good selection of cocktails off the list, there are plenty more that I can't wait to try next time, like the Silver Fox (Jose Cuervo Tradicionale Tequila, Falernum syrup, lime and Lark’s own apple reduction topped with a drizzle of blood orange), the Rum & Tea Swizzle (Mount Gay XO Rum, Pedro Ximenez sherry, chai tea syrup, lemon juice, Angostura Bitters swizzled till chilled), the Roisin Murphy (because she is so cool) and my old favourite, the Pisco Sour.

Service was a bit up and down. Although our waitress was excellent, and had an amazing knowledge of the list, the cocktails didn't come out very quickly. We were at The Lark for about an hour and a quarter, but only just managed to get 2 cocktails each. Not that anyone wants to rush a cocktail, but we had a dinner booking afterwards and were keen to have at least a couple of drinks at The Lark. Next time we may try popping downstairs to order straight from the bar, to speed things up.

The Lark also does food, including some tasty tapas type options. As we were off to dinner next, we only had a bowl of the blanched almonds with paprika and lemon salt ($6). They were very good - the perfect nibblies to have with good cocktails.

All up, The Lark is an excellent cocktail bar. I will have to go back a few more times before I can compare it to The Bowery, but I'm definitely looking forward to my next trip.

The Lark
1/267 Given Terrace
Paddington 4064
P - 07 3369 1299
E - info@thelark.com.au
W - http://www.thelark.com.au/

Exchange Hotel

I used to eat lunch at the Exchange Hotel on a fairly regular basis, because I could get something relatively tasty for about $10-$15. Recently though the hotel has been closed while some fairly significant renovation work has been done.

I went back for lunch recently, to check out the renovations. The hotel certainly looks a lot better. It's much more modern looking, but thankfully some serious thought has gone into the renovations, unlike a lot of pub "modernisations" that have taken place around town. We sat in a dining area on the ground floor that was open to Charlotte street.

The menu is pretty compact, and certainly much shorter than it used to be. Under the heading Light Meals, you have options such as oysters ($18/6 or $33/dozen), an asparagus gruyere tart on a fig, rocket and Spanish onion salad ($15), salad of the house ($13), a steak sandwich ($15) or an oven baked Turkish bread with Italian meat, marinated "vege" and goat's cheese ($15).

Mains include fish and chips ($26 - grilled, crumbed or battered), sand crab omelette ($19), Tableland lamb on roast lemon potatoes with chorizo & saffron creme ($24) and a potato and sage pizza with pear, apple and blue cheese ($17). There are also a few steaks, if it's red meat you're after, ranging from $25 for the 200g petite eye to $36 for the 400g rib on the bone.

As it turned out, we all ordered the grilled fish and home made chips. The fish was very good. If I had to guess, I'd say it was snapper. It had been perfectly cooked, and was still lovely and tender. The chips were good too. However the fish and chips were also served with a little side salad, that I found very odd. It consisted of lettuce, tomato, olives and mandarin segments, amongst other things. I had one mouthful of mandarin and an olive, and it really wasn't a very enjoyable taste combination. It seemed to all of us to be a bit of a "lets throw whatever we've got in the kitchen" salad. As a result, all three of us enjoyed the great fish and chips, but left the side salad pretty much untouched.

If you're looking for something a bit less formal, there's also a tapas menu, which covers snacks like fried chorizo with marinated peppers ($12), Turkish bread with assorted dips ($14 - no mention of what the actual dips are) and fried olives ($12).

The Exchange Hotel now has a compact, but decent wine list. We ended up working our way through a few bottles of white wine over lunch. I was really impressed with the wine service. On both occasions the wine was served to us in a silver bucket, filled with ice and water. There was also good stemware, which is increasingly harder to find these days. Top marks for the wine service at the Exchange - someone has obviously put some serious effort into it.

After our enjoyable lunch, we headed up to the rooftop bar. Although it was a bit steamy up there, it was an interesting view of the city. It would be a great place to have a few drinks at night. There a few TV screens dotted around the bar, so you can keep in touch with any sport which might be happening at the time.

Based on the good lunch I had, the Exchange is a solid option for a quick CBD lunch. I'll certainly be heading back to try out a few more options from the menu. And if you're not there for lunch, order a few snacks from the tapas menu, head up to the rooftop bar and work your way through a couple of bottles of wine - it's the perfect way to spend a lazy afternoon.

The Exchange Hotel
131 Edward Street
Brisbane 4000
P - 07 3229 3522
W - http://www.theexchange.com.au

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/

Lab Bar + Restaurant

I've eaten at the Lab Bar + Restaurant a few times over the years and generally speaking the food has been dependably good. I also had memories of a good wine list, so I headed back there for dinner recently.

The room was pretty noisy when we walked in. If you haven't been before, there is a big, impressive looking bar which takes up one wall, with the tables located between the bar and the windows on George Street. Unfortunately our table was right against a big pillar and a large wine storage cabinet. I had the wine storage cabinet right next to me. Pretty bizarre place to put a table if you ask me, but it kept me entertained checking out the wine for a couple of minutes. Not exactly great ambience though.

We ordered a couple of glasses of wine to start. I had ordered a glass of the Pewsey Vale gewurztraminer, but the waiter started to pour me a glass of a different gewurztraminer. He didn't show the label of the bottle to me before pouring, just poured it straight into the glass. After I spotted it was the wrong wine, the waiter apologised and told me they wouldn't charge us for that glass. He came back a few minutes later with a glass of the wine I had ordered as well. Not the greatest start to the night, but at least it was handled well.

For entree I ordered the pan seared calamari with avocado salsa, baby cos & tomato gazpacho ($19). I really enjoyed this dish - the calamari was cooked perfectly, it looked great and was a good combination of clean flavours. The gewurtraminer was a great match.

We also ordered an entree of asparagus served with egg and truffle salad. This dish was ok, but the asparagus had been crumbed, and I thought the batter & crumbs overpowered the delicate flavour of the asparagus.

I had Bangalow pork cheeks with sweet potato and apple for main course. It was a cool night, and this dish turned out to be delicious. The pork cheeks were meltingly tender, and served with some excellent, crunchy crackling. Good pork crackling is something you don't come across on restaurant menus very often these days, which is a shame. For some reason, pork crackling just isn't "fashionable". I don't care if its fashionable, I just love crackling. Although it sounded a fairly simple dish, the salty/sweet contrasts between the crackling, the pork cheeks and the apple really made this an excellent main course.

My vegetarian companion ordered a cauliflower tart with rocket & figs for her main. Unfortunately the filling of the tart was runny in places and obviously hadn't been cooked quite enough. It tasted lovely, but the texture let it down. Also, the tart was served with a ratatouille that wasn't mentioned on the menu. Sadly, the robust ratatouille didn't sit with the delicate flavours of the tart and figs. Mystery ingredients which aren't listed on the menu are one of my pet annoyances, especially when they just don't complement the rest of the dish.

The wine list at the Lab is good. There is a strong selection of wines by the glass. And if you're looking to really spend some money on wine, have a look through the cellar list, which includes the likes of Yquem and Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. With our main courses, we had a glass of Curly Flat pinot noir (an excellent wine) and a glass of Jimbour Station Ludwig reserve merlot. It's great to see more Brisbane restaurants supporting the Queensland wine industry.

For dessert we ordered one of the ginger creme brulees, which was served with lime sorbet and a pineapple & coconut macaroon. The creme brulee was excellent. The "macaroon" turned out to be a slice of deep fried pineapple.

None of the desserts jumped off the page at me after my excellent main course, so I decided to order the Lab kitchen churned sorbet & ice cream with tropical fruit. The ice creams included lychee & honeydew melon (I couldn't pick the other flavours), which were served with pineapple, grapes and kiwifruit. It was ok, but not in the same class as the creme brulee.

Overall the food was a bit hit and miss. My main course and entree were both very good, as was the ginger creme brulee. But overall, the food lacked the consistency across the board which would really have turned it into a memorable evening.

Service during the night was very friendly, but a bit slap-dash at times. Again, more consistency with service would have added to our night out.

Finally, vegetarians will find the Lab good value. There is a separate (although small) vegetarian section on the menu, and the vegetarian meals are significantly cheaper than the other main courses.

What does all this mean? A good selection of modern-Australian food and a great wine list, but lacking a bit of consistency in both the food and service.

food bling ratings
Food - Good
Service - Ok
Ambience - A classy dining room, dominated by the impressive bar
Value for Money - Good
Wine - Great
Vegetarian - Ok

The Lab Bar + Restaurant
Hotel Conrad
Corner George Street & Stephens Lane
Brisbane 4000
P - 07 3306 8647
W - http://www.conrad.com.au/treasury/restaurants/ryans_default.htm

Lock 'n' Load

Recently I went along to a birthday party at Lock 'n' Load at West End. Lock 'n' Load is another one of those places that I have walked past loads of times, but never actually ventured inside.

My friends had cleverly booked a private room up on the first floor. When you walk inside, the first thing you'll see is the main bar. This is also where bands set up later on in the night. Then you walk past the dining area, which was very busy. There's also an outdoor area out the back, but being the middle of winter, I'm glad we weren't out there.

We headed upstairs into the space that had been booked. It turned out to be two pretty big rooms, together with a verandah that overlooked Boundary Street. There were plenty of couches and chairs around the two rooms to relax into after we'd all had a few drinks.

Rather than have a sit-down dinner, we ate from the $30 a head canape menu. The quality of canapes at Lock 'n' Load is a big step up from the tired calamari rings and soggy spring rolls that so many places serve up around town. The canapes included arancini (risotto balls), asparagus wrapped in shaved zucchini served with tomato sauce, nachos with salsa, avocado, cheese & sour cream, scallops served on a half shell (these were delicious) and crusty bread served with pesto, tomato and roast capsicum. Sure it wasn't haute cuisine, but it was tasty and exactly the food we were after.

The food was brought out on platters every 5-10 minutes and then left on a table for grazing. There was plenty of food throughout the night. For me, this is the perfect kind of dinner for a party - you can have a drink in one hand, a canape in the other and wander around the room talking to whoever you like.

During the night we all ordered our drinks from the bar downstairs. Although the bar got busy as the night went on, I never had to wait more than a couple of minutes to be served. Drinks prices are very reasonable - you can get decent bottles of wine under $30 and standard spirits are $6.

The music during the night was fantastic, which added to a great atmosphere. They even played two Belle & Sebastian albums in a row, so whoever was in charge of the music had great taste (Belle & Sebastian are one of my favourite bands - you can have a listen here). If you don't like the music they're playing on the sound system, then head downstairs where you're likely to find a band playing on most Friday and Saturday nights.

So if you're looking for a great spot for a private party or a night out with a bunch of friends, its definitely worth giving Lock 'n' Load a try. The food is good, drinks are cheap, you can reserve a private room and they even play great music - what more could you need on a Saturday night?

Lock 'n' Load Bistro
142 Boundary Street
West End 4101
P - 07 3844 0142
W - http://www.locknloadbistro.com.au/

The Bowery

Continuing on with the drinks theme from the last few posts, every now and again we all really need a cocktail or two (well at least I do). And when it comes to cocktails in Brisbane, look no further than The Bowery.

I'm the first to admit I haven't been to every bar in Brisbane, but for me, The Bowery has the best cocktails in this town. Sure, they aren't exactly cheap, but by the time you've had about 3 of them, you'll know it.

The cocktail list has been re-done just recently, but there are still plenty of favourites from the earlier lists. And we're not talking your everyday, boring, run of the mill cocktails here. Some of the drinks I've tried out here include the Zombie, Negroni, Pisco Punch, Gin Re Fashioned, Maryland Fair and the Corpse Reviver no 2. As the title suggests, you know you're having a drink the second a drop of the Corpse Reviver no 2 hits your mouth. A shaken cocktail of Plymouth Gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, absinthe and lemon juice served straight up, it really packs a punch. Drink a few of those and you'll be under the table before you know it.

The Bowery isn't all about cocktails. The bar has an amazing range of spirits that you just don't see at most places. Their selection of Scotch Whiskies, American Whiskies, Vodka, Rum, Gin, Tequila, Cognac etc can make it pretty hard to choose which drink will be next.

The other thing I love about The Bowery is the bar itself. It looks amazing. Sometimes it can take the guys a few minutes to whip up your cocktail, but while you are waiting admire the view of the bar and the way the staff whizz around, flipping things in the air, shaking and sipping the drinks with straws to make sure they're all on track.

The only downside to The Bowery is it can get packed. That's because it's not the biggest place in the world. Friday and Saturday nights are especially busy, and you might be lining up outside for a while if you're trying to get in after 11. If crowds aren't your thing, head there earlier in the evening during the week, when you should have no problems finding a comfy seat to relax and enjoy their amazing drinks.

One other thing I should mention is if you don't know where The Bowery is, it can be a bit hard to find. It doesn't exactly have a big sign. If you are walking up the Brunswick Street mall towards the New Farm end, turn left at the top of the mall into Ann Street and the door is just past the little laneway.

So round up your friends, order a few cocktails off the list and its happy days.

The Bowery
676 Ann St
Fortitude Valley 4006
P - 07 3252 0202
E - info@thebowery.com.au
W - http://www.thebowery.com.au/

The Press Club

"Food is family, family is life, life is everything". That's George Calombaris' outlook on things, and it sounds on the money to me.

Every now and again we escape Brisbane and get to graze at some great places. We organised our last trip to Melbourne around dinner at The Press Club, where George Calombaris' food has been receiving rave reviews.

The first thing we noticed was how busy the room was. It was 8pm on a Sunday night and the place was packed. It was a wide selection of diners - young people, families, children, you name it. Always a good sign.

The other thing that really stood out was the service. Throughout the meal, the service was friendly, professional, knowledgeable and only there when you needed it. When we made our booking we were asked if we had any special dietary requests. I'm a coeliac but don't usually make too much of a fuss about gluten free food at restaurants as good as this one. However I was absolutely amazed when our waitress brought the bread out at the start of the night, only to tell me that the gluten free bread was being warmed and would be out in a minute. It's never happened to me before, and will stick in my mind for a long time. Little touches like that can transform a good night into a great one.

Happily munching on my crumbly gluten free bread while dipping it in some great olive oil (which is a good experience) we then had to make a few choices off the menu.

There are plenty of options when it comes to food at The Press Club. The menu is split up into orektika (small dishes - $19.90 to $24.90), kyria (large dishes - $34 to $39), synotheftika (side dishes - $9 - including the obligatory lemon potatoes), glyka (sweets - $17.90 to $21) and cheese ($11 to $24). If you'd rather leave what you're eating in the hands of the chef, then there is also the kerasma or tasting option, ranging from $65 for 4 courses to $82 for 6 courses. You'd have to be pretty fussy not to find something that takes your fancy here.

Time to order. First of all, I have to apologise that some of the items we had are not currently on the menu, so if I don't get the description right, please forgive me.

I started off with a crab and watermelon "sandwich" ($21.90). I can't recall if it was described as a sandwich on the menu, but that's what it looked like. Beautiful slices of pink crunchy watermelon took the place of bread, with tasty, delicate crab as the filling. This was one of the best, and most innovative, starters that I have had for a long time. It really was a fantastic way to kick off the night.

My dining partner had the beetroot salad ($17.90) as a starter. This was served as chunks of beetroot, with a spiced pistachio tower, soft feta and micro herbs. Again, this salad got rave reviews. Beautiful flavours, which complemented each other perfectly. Things were looking good.

On to mains. I didn't find anything on the main menu which jumped off the page as much as the crab and watermelon sandwich. After much debating, I went for the yoghurt braised neck of lamb with olive oil pomme puree ($36). Although it was tasty, it lacked the wow factor of my starter. Perhaps I should have gone with the "hot off the press" lamb spit with white bean skordalia, lemon potatoes and marouli salad ($37). To criticise the lamb neck in any way would be wrong, it was beautifully tender, it just lacked that extra special quality that I had been hoping for. We also had the raviolo of peppered fig ($18.90), a vegetarian dish, which was excellent.

We certainly weren't leaving a Greek restaurant without having some sweets. There are some great ones to choose from. We thought about going for the selection of dessert mezedes, but decided against it. Instead we ordered the "breakfast at Santorini" ($17.90) which tasted as good as it sounds. Great, tangy, flavours with lemon curd and yoghurt sorbet. I had the Chios mastic panacotta ($17.90) served with marinated strawberries. I've never had mastic before, but this was a great way to end the night. Whatever you do, make sure you leave room for sweets, as there are some fantastic (and unusual) options at the Press Club.

Another great thing about the Press Club is the Greek wine on offer. I enjoyed some great wine in Greece, but it seems to be very hard to find a decent selection of Greek wine in Brisbane. The wine list here is really impressive and has been put together after a lot of time and thought.

During the night we had glasses of the Kir-yianni ‘Petra’ roditis (white) 2006 from Naoussa ($12), Gaia agiorgitiko (red) 2005 ($12.50), Kir-Yianni ‘Paranga’ xinomauvro, merlot, shiraz blend 2005 ($11.50) and the fabulous dessert wines from Samos, ranging in vintages from 2000 to 2005. I've never had a Greek dessert wine before, but these were the perfect way to end the evening. I was draining my glass for every last drip. By the way, our dessert wines were served in cool Riedel "O" series glasses. I was impressed.

If you're not a fan of Greek wine, there are lots of other options. In fact the drinks menu runs for 27 pages and includes Greek beers (Alpha, Mythos and Vergina), a good selection of Ouzo, cocktails and plenty more.

It's hard not to enjoy a night at the Press Club. Beautiful flavours, brilliant service and a terrific wine list round out a great place to spend the evening. Not only that, but it all comes in a relaxed, fun surroundings. Make sure you give it a try next time you are in Melbourne. Be warned though, it's popular, and you'll need to book.

What does all this mean? Excellent modern Greek food, brilliant service and a wine list that will keep you drinking all night.

food bling ratings
Food - Great
Service - Top Shelf
Ambience - Modern, relaxed surroundings
Value for Money - Good
Wine - Top Shelf
Vegetarian - Good
Gluten Free - Good

The Press Club
72 Flinders Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
P - 03 9677 9677
E - admin@thepressclub.com.au
W - http://www.thepressclub.com.au/

Belgian Beer Cafe Brussels

Belgian Beer Cafe Brussels is one of my work's usual after hours drinking venues. Its a bit of a wordy name, but luckily there aren't too many Belgian beer establishments in the Brisbane CBD, so you can't really get confused.

Of course the main attraction here is the excellent selection of Belgian beers. Lets face it, Belgian beer is great, and its always nice to knock back a few after a long week. You know a place is serious when they have a beer menu. If you're looking for somewhere to spend $27 on a Chimay Grande Reserve, then this is the spot for you.

But if you wander in here for lunch one day, they also serve a decent selection of food. I had lunch here recently. The menu has a few starters, which didn't really take my fancy. But we were only here on a quick lunch, so there wasn't time for two courses anyway.

For me, Belgian food means frites with mayonnaise, chocolate and mussels. They were the things I couldn't go past in Belgium, so there wasn't really much to decide here. The only decision was which of the mussels to go for. Belgian Beer Cafe Brussels serves mussels Provencale, mariniere, poulette and Creole (all $26.50). It was a tough choice actually, but in the end I went with the Provencale. All of the mussels are served in big pots with frites and mayonnaise.

I didn't have high hopes for the mussels, but they were great. Tasty, plenty of mussels and the frites were excellent - chunky, crunchy and served with addictive mayonnaise. I'd rather eat a pot of these mussels any day over many of the overpriced $30 main courses which are unfortunately now the staples of far too many CBD eateries. Between the mussels and the frites, this was a pretty decent meal.

If you aren't a big fan of seafood, there are of course other options, including pork and fennel sausages with mash ($24.50), eye fillet ($35), chicken breast ($30), oven baked barramundi ($34) or the basil & pumpkin risotto with seared scallops ($24.50). One of my friends had the risotto with scallops, which also looked appetising.

If you are still hungry after your mussels, frites and beer, there are also a few desserts, including of course a Belgian dark chocolate mousse ($13). Unfortunately we had to get back to work, so a long afternoon in the bar was out of the question.

Service was acceptable, but not particularly friendly. Our waiter appeared to have more pressing things on his mind than our table. Still, everything came out without any dramas, so the were no problems there.

As I only had one meal here, I won't be listing out the usual ratings. But if you're looking for a good pot of mussels, or even just some excellent frites to munch away on next time you are having a few beers, then give the Belgian Beer Cafe Brussels a try.

What does all this mean? A good spot for lunch if you stick with the Belgian specialties - mussels, beer and frites.

Belgian Beer Cafe Brussels
Corner of Mary & Edward Streets
Brisbane 4000
P - 07 3221 0199
W - http://www.belgianbeercafebrussels.com.au/

Bar Lourinha

Are you looking for the perfect wine bar? Then look no further. I know its not in Brisbane, but next time you are in Melbourne, make sure you don't miss Bar Lourinha.

Its a fairly small room, and you either sit at the bar, or at high communal tables. We chose the bar, mainly to eye off all the great spirits behind the bar. The room is decorated with a few eccentric knick-knacks, to give the place a bit of atmosphere.

So first up, drinks. The wine list is one page, but its a great page. There are a small amount of wines available by the glass, but don't expect what you would see in many Australian restaurants. Here you'll see Spanish, Greek, German, Italian and a few French wines. Don't know your albarino from your touriga franca? Well then you've come to the right spot. Bar Lourinha is all about immersing yourself in these fantastic European wines. And the prices are reasonable, which makes the whole thing even more attractive. Start with a manzanilla sherry, move on to a vinho verde, then a tempranillo, and you're set for a great afternoon.

If you're not into wine, then there's Kirin beer on tap, and a great range of spirits.

So what's the food like? Perfect portions to have with a glass of wine. These dishes are great for sharing, so pick a few and start nibbling away. We started with the Wagyu carne cruda ($15) and the cabbage salad with feta and mint ($13). I don't eat a lot of rare meat, but was willing to give the carne cruda a go. It was a generous serving, paired with some shaved horseradish, beetroot, radish and flat leaf parsley. The beef was extremely tender, but it was a very rich dish, which I just managed to finish. Needless to say it was a great match with my joven tempranillo. The cabbage salad was zingy and herby that was the perfect starter. The menu made no mention of the coriander, dill and flat leaf parsley that was also in the dish, but it was a fantastic salad. My dining companion was a bit narked to find her despised coriander appear, but it was removed and the dish disappeared pretty quickly.

Then for the next round, which was the house made chorizo with apple cider ($15) and the asparagus with labneh ($15). The chorizo was my favourite dish, served swimming in sauce. It was everything chorizo should be - salty, savoury and completely moreish. The crunchy pieces of apple that accompanied the chorizo gave the dish a good contrast of textures. The asparagus with labneh was solid, but nothing memorable. I thought it was a bit strange that it was served cold, but I'm finding that its now almost becoming mandatory to ask if a dish is hot or cold when ordering, because sometimes you just don't know. Anyway it was a decent selection of green and white asparagus, but there are probably more interesting and tasty options that may be a better choice.

At this stage, we didn't really need any more food. But we'd ordered it, so kept going. To finish up we had ordered the tallegio with celery and apple salad ($10). A couple of small, very cool china plates were brought out to us for this course and together with a cheese knife and silver forks really added to the character of the dish. Anyway this was a great way to end the afternoon - some fairly young tallegio with a great, crunchy salad of celery and apple.

For those that need some dessert, there are sweet options too, or you can order a selection of cheeses.

Finally, the service is informal, relaxed and completely unpretentious. The waiter at the bar will be more than happy to guide you through all those wines you've never heard of, or heard of but never had the chance to try.

All the ingredients are here for a very long afternoon or night. At the end, the bill was $117, and that covered 5 dishes, 4 glasses of wine and 2 spirits. At those prices, its hard not to enjoy yourselves.

Get along to Bar Lourinha. As much as I love Anise in Brisbane, this place is even better. I'll definitely be back next time we are in Melbourne.

What does all these mean? Fantastic wine, food to share and a long, lazy afternoon.

food bling ratings
Food - Great
Service - Good
Ambience - Understadedly Eccentric
Value for Money - Great
Wine - Top Shelf

Vegetarian - Good
Gluten Free - Good

Bar Lourinha
37 Little Collins Street
Melbourne VIC
p - 03 9663 7890
w - http://www.barlourinha.com.au/