Dinner Archives | Brisbane Food Lovers

CARL’S JR LANDS IN BRISBANE

July 4, 2016

by brisbanefoodlovers with No Comment Blog Dinner Lunch Openings

Global burger chain, Carl’s Jr has officially landed in Brisbane. They opened their second Australian store at the Brisbane Domestic Airport Terminal at the end of June, offering travellers a taste of juicy goodness. This is merely the beginning; The fast food giant plans on opening up nearly 300 stores over the next decade. You all know how much we love our burgers (and fast food), so we decided to try it out for ourselves. I must say I was a bit taken aback when I first saw the media images for the brand. They have always been known for their controversial marketing campaigns with ambassadors such as Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian; but I wasn’t quite sure how the Australian public would react to such controversy. We aren’t used to seeing raunchy images of celebrities alongside our convenience food. All in all, I think people have been open to the new comer, and have welcomed them with open arms (I think the rarity might have something to do with that).

So if you are catching your next flight from the Domestic Terminal, and need food whilst you are in transit, paying a visit to Carl’s is a given. But If you live here In Brisbane, and you have been waiting years to sink your teeth into one of their burgers, I would recommend parking your car at Skygate and catching the internal bus to the terminal. This way you get to save on parking costs, and you won’t have to think about rushing home, when you feel like a blown up whale after eating. Oh, and dress light, remember you have to get through airport security.

THE MENU

Alright, well back to the food now! At a first glance, the fast food joint, looks like every other burger place out there, but truth is they’re not. So yes, Carl’s Jr is never going to be the next Zepickle (as someone on our Instagram page tried making a comparison of the two. They are two totally different offerings for different markets); It is a fast food outlet, as in great importance is placed on convenience. However, they totally trump other fast food joints here in Australia; not only in terms of taste, but also the quality of produce and the size of the offering (yes, they do big burgers). You will notice the menu has ‘ThickBurgers’, these are extremely large burgers made with Angus Beef and freshly baked buns. Oh and you can taste that the buns are very fresh. The options of ThickBurgers are a treat with Jalapeno, Portobello Mushroom, Guac Bacon; Not your average menu choices. They then have Chargrilled burgers which are almost quite similar to Hungry Jacks, but obviously done in the way that Carl’s does it best. They also have their chicken range and serve up breakfast. And in true American style, they have shakes on offer with their burgers (hell to the yeah). Whether it be a Vanilla Hand Scooped Shake, an Oreo Shake or simply one of their Pineapple Smoothies, you need to get onto it. Oh and did I mention they have Crisscut fries. It’s kinda like everything you see in the movies.

WHAT WE ATE

Jalapeno ThickBurger – Chargrilled Angus Beef with Melted Swiss Cheese, Sliced Jalapeno Peppers, Salad, Santa Fe Sauce on a Fresh Bun. So much yassss to this burger. It was huge and delicious. We both found the patties a little over done but they were still very tasty as a whole. The sizing is a lot larger than we expected, especially with convenience food.

Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger – I am a creature of habit, so whenever I eat greasy fast food, it is always a a cheeseburger with extra bacon. This one in particular, is my new favourite thing. Not one but two Angus Patties, Melted American Cheese, Bacon, Crispy Onion Rings, BBQ Sauce on a seeded bun. Okay, where do I start; That bacon was legit; it was almost candied, and they were very generous with the size. Just the way I like it. To be honest, I am kind of glad that they are at the airport, cos if they were closer to the city, I would probably be there everyday.

Sides – For sides, of course we ordered the Crisscut Fries and the Hand Breaded Onion Rings. The novelty of trying the Crisscut Fries was great, but we need to pay homage to those Onion Rings. They were amazing. Not like your regular onion rings which are commercial and perfectly cut. These are the real deal! They are all hand-crumbed and taste fresh. This sounds bizarre but they almost taste like really good KFC.

View the full menu here

Written by: Aliyah Ravat

Indian with a twist of Mexican | Indimex

May 31, 2016

by brisbanefoodlovers with No Comment Blog Dinner

Location: Stones Corner Village, Greenslopes

Meal: Dinner

Cost: $2.95 – $34.95

When you are craving Mexican, but you also want Indian. Porque no los dos? Indian and Mexican, both very different kinds of cuisine; Both are quite distinct and bold in their own right. You know what? I like it. As interesting as it sounds, it’s a fusion of flavours; bold, exciting flavours. As the name suggests, Indimex offers a culinary mix of North Indian and Mexican dishes. Don’t fret though, if you aren’t up for something adventurous, you can still order traditional Indian or Mexican Cuisine. Their entire menu is priced under $35 which is perfect for family dinners. Order a few main dishes and some naan to share.

What we ordered:

To start – The Three Amigos ($12.95)

To ignite our taste buds, we started off with a married friendship of dips and corn chips. As the name suggests, a combination of the two cuisines offering Mexican Salsa, Seasoned Guacamole and Daal Makhani (lentils). It was a perfect way to start the night whilst we waited for our main meals. The serving size was generous, and would be best for 2 to 3 people.

Mains – Tikka Masala with Paneer (Cottage Cheese) ($15.95)

The first main dish we ordered was the Tikka Masala with Paneer. Served with Sauteed capsicum, onions and paneer in a creamy tomato sauce, this dish makes for the perfect vegetarian dinner. It was substantial, delicious, flavoursome, colourful and reasonably priced too. The best way to eat Indian/Mexican food is to order a few dishes and share them.

Saagwala ($16.95)

The second dish to share, was saagwala, a curry made from spinach and cooked on slow heat to retain the flavours. We ordered it with chicken which was perfectly cooked.

Sides – Cheese & Spinach Naan ($4.50) and Coconut Rice

Alot of people seem to play it safe when it comes to the side dishes. I would recommend adding a serious of dose extra flavour which is why we chose the cheese and spinach naan. Everyone knows we love cheese, but this cheesy filled naan was the real deal. It was amazing. A huge serving for naan which could have easily been shared between 3 people, and only $4.50. Don’t mind if I do.

View their full menu here

GLUTEN FREE <3

VEGAN <3

SUGAR FREE <3

DAIRY FREE <3

Written by: Aliyah Ravat

Southside Bistro

January 20, 2016

by brisbanefoodlovers with No Comment Blog Dinner

Location: Shop 49, 342 McCullough Street, Sunnybank

Meal: Dinner/Dessert

Price: $5 – $25

Overall experience: 9/10

Food: 8/10

Service: 9/10

Pet Friendly

Southside bistro is an exciting new eatery in Sunnybank mixing modern contemporary cuisine with asian-fusion. After seeing many rave reviews about the food we were keen to try it out ourselves.

We were spoiled for choice by a unique tapas menu that includes dishes such as fiery chili beef brisket, quinoa fried rice, slow cooked lamb belly ribs, haloumi, mint and carrot fritter and lamb skewers to name a few. The restaurant also boasts a delicious sweets and beverage menu – so make sure you leave room for dessert.

For us, the double cooked pork belly burger was the stand out, it was a generous serving and the pork belly was cooked to perfection. All of the burgers on the menu are served on a Chinese milk bun which was light and fluffy – a nice change to traditional burger buns.

We visited on a busy friday night and even though most tables were full our food was served promptly.

The kitchen closes at 11pm and the restaurant closes its doors at 12am making it the perfect place to grab a late night sweet treat.

Here are the dishes we tried:

Cumin spiced lamb skewers

coconut prawn beignets

Double cooked pork belly burger

Brownie

Drinks: Lychee, mint, lime / Raspberry

View their full menu here

Written by Charlotte Louise

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New Shanghai | Queens Plaza

December 17, 2015

by brisbanefoodlovers with No Comment Blog Dinner Lunch

Location: Queens Plaza, Brisbane CBD

Meal: Lunch/Dinner

Cost: $5.50 – $35

Overall Experience : 5/10

Food: 5/10

Service: 5/10

There’s nothing better than flavoursome Chinese dishes that take your taste buds on a journey; they give you a sense of culture, a resemblance of the country in which they originate. For me personally, the journey through food is what I love most about being a blogger. Getting to experience so many cultures and the diversity that stems from them, without having to leave Brisbane. A taste of the world right in our backyard. Unfortunately, the meals at New Shanghai didn’t quite take me on a journey. Yes, I went to a restaurant that served food inspired by Shanghai, but my presence stayed at the table in Brisbane.

I was greeted by a queue of hungry patrons waiting outside New Shanghai; some had been waiting for over 20 mins to be seated. I waited in clear view of staff to notify them of my booking, however was not acknowledged until I interrupted and requested a manager. The restaurant as some of you may know, is located in prime real estate (Queens Plaza), so the waits are expected. I would recommend you make a prior booking to avoid long waits.

Now to the menu. Here are some of the options we tried out:

DRINKS – Pina Colada & Mango Punch | Cost: $11

Summer and fruity drinks, a match made in heaven! And heaven is where I went. These two bad boys, sure took me on a trip. The Summer drink of choice. Iced, fruity and delicious. The only thing that was missing was a beach, in fact I might consider taking a blow up pool next time. My mouth is still salivating from these.

ENTREE – Cold Braised Duck with Brown Sauce | Shepherd’s Purse & Pork Won Ton Soup | Cost $12.70

Starting off with the duck; traditionally this dish is served cold which is perfect for warmer days. The actual dish itself was bountiful in flavours and boasted a perfect gloss skin. Unfortunately the protein was slightly over cooked and was very difficult to eat with the amount of bones that were still left in the duck. Almost every bite presented 4-5 piercing bones; and that is where I drew the line with this option.

The Won Ton Soup on the contrary was pure bliss. The actual won tons casings were silky and light. The soup was delicious with extra chilli flakes and some thinly sliced cucumber for freshness. I have nothing at all to fault with this dish. They were some of the best won tons I have ever had.

MAINS – Zha Jiang Noodles with Spicy Ground Pork & Rainbow Beef | Cost – $10.50 & $19.50

When the Zha Jiang Noodles were placed in front of me I could not help but smile. They looked perfect! I was in for a treat I thought to myself. After mixing all the elements of the dish together, I was far from pleased. My entire dish was tasteless. There was no flavour drawn from what should have been spicy pork; in fact the only thing you could taste was bland noodle. Unfortunately for me, the serving size was quite large too, so I had to eat a huge bowl of flavourless noodles. Not impressed at all. I have said this a few times, but for the best Asian Inspired food, I would still recommend Sunnybank (Not promoting the area cos I live there); but if you are looking for authentic cuisine with flavour then that should be your go-to place. It also costs a fraction of the price without the tedious wait times.

The Rainbow Beef which is made up of thinly sliced beef strips fried and coated in sweet and sour sauce. The flavour of the dish was apparent unlike the first main. However there was not enough sauce for the amount of protein on the plate. The strips which are meant to be crispy were difficult to bite through. We ordered the exact dish a week ago from Market Square at the fraction of the price; so this is definitely not a main that we will be ordering again.

Yes, I have been very critical of the dishes we ate, but it is integral that I relay an honest interpretation of my experience. If you are anything like me, food is life; it is a source of happiness and equally when a meal doesn’t quite live up to its’ expectations, it creates concern. If you have had other positive experiences at New Shanghai please share them with us. Perhaps this will hinder our choice in dishes for the future.

View their full menu here.

Written by: Aliyah Ravat

Brisbane’s Hidden Gems | South Brisbane Precinct

December 8, 2015

by brisbanefoodlovers with No Comment Blog Dessert Dinner Drinks

With the chaos of the city on the outskirts, South Brisbane Precinct is a city dwellers perfect escape. Aria Property Group has assisted in created a hub of dining that is unlike any other in the city.

Habitat Restaurant & Bar

Good beats, great food and cocktails that are out of this world, Habitat is your ultimate down town destination. Australian rugby player, Scott Higginnbotham and business partner Malcom Watts have created a venture that has given life to the area. I was lucky enough to sample some of their marvels as pictured below. Their espresso martini’s are some of the best I have ever had.

Duck & Plum Spring Rolls | Grilled Parmesan Crusted S emolina Gnocchi

Billy Kart Kitchen

If you haven’t already paid Billy Kart a visit, the best way to describe it would be a ‘home away from home’. It is the sister venue to the popular Billy Kart Kitchen in Annerley, showcasing dishes from Celebrity Chef, Ben O’Donoghue. The venue is hard to miss, located under the big, green Botanica wall. Some of my favourite options include the Truffled white bean puree with black olive crumb and the succulent oysters.

Saccharomyces Beer Cafe

It’s the bar which I cannot pronounce even when sober. But I will tell you this much, I love the vibe of the place. Hidden away in Fish Lane, the venue is a treasury one stumbles upon rather than plans to head to. It is a destination where memories are made. So how do you pronounce it? Sac-ar-o-my-sees, or so I am told. How about I just refer to it as that cool bar.

Julius Pizzeria

Not too sure how these guys did it, but however they did it, it worked. Julius is a little taste of Italy. The restaurant is buzzing, the street is packed with laughter and the food…oh the food. It is amazing. It would have to be one of my top 10 date venues. The beginning of something great. What else does one order at a pizzeria? Pizza of course.

Maker Bar

Officially my favourite destination. If you haven’t already been there, then you probably don’t know about it. This is a gem, a hidden gem. A pop-up lane way bar that will impress! It almost reminded me of the streets of Paris,very mystical.

xx Aliyah Ravat

Christmas at Nest Brisbane

December 7, 2015

by brisbanefoodlovers with No Comment Blog Dinner

Location: 159 Roma Street

Meal: Dinner (from 2 pm)

Cost: 2 course – $45 per person

3 course – $55 per person

Nest Brisbane’s Michelin rated chef, Kenneth Burton has created a Christmas menu with a twist. Its a take on your classic Christmas dishes entwined with an influence of the East. A fuss free Christmas is the way to go, sparing up time for what’s really important, family and friends. I was lucky enough to sample the Christmas menu on offer before hand and I will give you my assurance that it was perfection!

ENTREE

Moreton Bay bug, mango, avocado and a coriander tian, fresh chilli, micro salad. This dish is my description of a Queensland Christmas. Fresh, light and delicious. Prawn and mango work an absolute treat together. A perfect sized entree that will be the talk of the table.

MAIN

No Christmas dinner is complete without Ham or Turkey. A combination of the two, is what makes the main so exciting. Every bite left me wanting more. Turkey, pistachio, chestnut and rooftop honey glazed ham crusted roulade with five spiced pumpkin mash, wok fried tamarind greens and beetroot essence. Nothing short of perfection; all the flavours of a traditional Christmas dinner entwined together to create a marvellous feast.

DESSERT

If you have a sweet tooth then I know you will love dessert. For me personally, I found the dessert way to sweet, but that’s just me. I have never been a fan of Christmas puddings. I would prefer a simple fruit platter to finish my meal. But it is Christmas and tis the season to indulge. Warm plum pudding served with cinnamon ice cream, brandy anglaise plus a summer berry and Thai basil salsa.

Make a reservation at nestrestaurant.com.au or call 3238 2269

Hope you all have a lovely Festive Season!

xx Aliyah Ravat

*photo credits: Emotive Light Photography

District 1 – Summer Menu

December 7, 2015

by brisbanefoodlovers with No Comment Blog Dinner Lunch

If you haven’t tried out District 1 in Fortitude Valley yet – now is the time! They have just released their new summer menu, and as we suspected, it is delicious! District 1 is a small BYO restaurant, but it sure is big on flavours!

We recently tried their savoury pancakes, sweet potato chips and lemongrass pipis. The savoury pancakes were fresh and full of authentic Vietnamese flavours, the pancakes were were crunchy on the outside and fluffy in the middle – served with lettuce, carrots, cucumber , basil and nuoc cham sauce. They were definitely our favourate!

The lemongrass pipis were served in a delicious homemade sauce of lemon juice, wine, ginger, basil, lemongrass and chili.One of the tastiest seafood dishes we have had!

All of the meals on the menu are under $20 and there are plenty of options, including vegetarian dishes. We can’t wait to go back and try the rest of their menu.

Instagram: @district__1

Location: 7/8 Duncan St, Fortitude Valley QLD

Food Of The God’s | Zeus Street Greek Christmas Party

December 6, 2015

by brisbanefoodlovers with No Comment Blog Dinner Lunch

Location : South Bank

Meal: Lunch/Dinner

Price: $3 – $18.50

Overall Experience: 10/10

Food: 10/10

Service: 10/10

There is no better way to celebrate Christmas than with copious amounts of food, friends and laughter. Zeus Street hosted a Bloggers Christmas party was heaven sent. With an entire menu under $20, It is the ideal place to feast this Christmas without digging into your savings. I have one word for their menu, ‘amazing’. Honest, humble, genuine food, that is filled with flavour.

Here are some of the options we were lucky enough to indulge in:

DIPS

Starting off with a tria of their dips, served with gluten free pita bread. The ideal way to start your meal, with a share plate that costs $19.50. Featuring Tarama (cured white fish roe dip), Tzatziki (Greek yoghurt, cucumber, roasted garlic, dill) and Spicy Feta (Greek feta, roasted capsicum, chilli, fresh herbs and cracked wheat).

FETA & OREGANO CHIPS

I have an unhealthy obsession for fries, but fries with feta….The food of the Gods.. Not that my health was a primary concern when eating this side, but they are gluten free. If you haven’t tried fries with feta, stop whatever you are doing and head to South Bank right now!!!! Now…….. CHOCOLATE LOUKOUMADES

Now for the most important part of the menu…dessert. Greek hazelnut, chocolate drizzled doughnuts with walnuts. Are your mouths watering yet? I could eat these everyday, all day. Priced under $10, I would save these bad boys for cheat day! In my life that is everyday!

View their full menu here.

xx Aliyah Ravat

Fortitude Valley Mall | Green Tea Restaurant

November 26, 2015

by brisbanefoodlovers with No Comment Blog Dinner Lunch

Location: Fortitude Valley

Meal: Lunch/Dinner

Cost: $7.90 – $35

Overall Experience : 10/10

Food: 10/10

Service 10/10

There are a few restaurants in Brisbane that I wish I could eat at everyday. Green Tea is one of them. Located in the heart of China Town Mall, only a stones throw from the Valley Station, Green Tea offers healthy, fresh, Vietnamese dishes at an affordable price. Out of the total 8 dishes that I sampled, I have zero recommendations. There was nothing at all that I could find fault with.

Yes, the food was amazing, but the service was even better. Welcomed, with warm smiles, and genuine care from staff, a rare trait to find in restaurants in these days.

Now to the menu; here are the dishes I got to sample:

SAN CHOY BOW

Usually designed to share, this is the ideal way to indulge without packing on the calories. Fresh, and healthy with textures and flavours that are out of this world. This dish is usually priced at $13.90 and I would definitely recommend it as an entree to kick off your meal.

SPICY QUAIL

That quail though. Spicy, but not too over bearing. Just the perfect size. It was cooked to perfection and worked really well with the crispy bed of lettuce below.This is amazing dish as well as most options on their menu is gluten free and dairy free. $14.90 for 2.

CURRY PUFFS

These bad boys come as a set of 4. If there is one thing you take away from this post, let it be this; next time you are in the valley order a few servings of this and have it with beer. Life is made. This is all I need to make me a happy woman! $7.90 to keep me happy, what a bargain!

VIETNAMESE CRISPY CREPE

My favourite dish on the entire menu, served traditionally. This interactive dish is best eaten in cos lettuce with your choice of condiments. The sauce accompanied with the dish is heavenly. Price $14.50.

MAIN MEALS

All of the 3 mains served were perfect. As you can tell from the pictures, they were all accompanied with fresh vegetables as well a serve of tomato fried rice (not featured). The rice was absolutely delicious ans has been altered specifically for Green Tea.

View their full menu here.

Vapiano | Summer Menu

November 25, 2015

by brisbanefoodlovers with No Comment Blog Dinner Lunch

Location: Garden City, Mt Gravatt

Meal: Lunch/ Dinner

Cost: $5.90 – $35

Overall Experience: 8/10

Food: 8/10

Vapiano Australia has a new Summer Menu that is set to sizzle. With spicy chorizo and strawberry lime cocktails, Summer has never looked better. Vapiano is no stranger to regular foodies; home of the humble pasta, so I won’t spend too much time introducing them. Let’s get right into it.. Additions to the menu include:

BABY BEETROOT, ROCKET & FETA SALAD

Salad, and Summer work together almost as perfectly as Kimmy & Kanye. And then adding balsamic dressing to the mix, introducing a life on fleek (okay, enough rapping from me, I will stop now). My point is, the salad was amazing, fresh and healthy.

SUMMER CHORIZO PASTA

Served with penne pasta (freshly made of course), the dish has a multitude of flavours; with the chorizo working a treat paired with tarragon. The idea of using chorizo in summer blows my mind in so many ways.

SPICY CHORIZO AND CHICKEN PASTA

So by now, everyone would know that I love food! This pizza was a clear example of how emotional food makes me. I ate one by myself, oh yes I did. I loved the BBQ chicken paired with chorizo. Did you know, pizza is one of the few dishes which has all your carbs, protein and dairy all in one slice of goodness.

NUTELLA CHEESECAKE

Nutella and cheescake, need I say more? Alright, I do have a bit of feedback on this one. I felt that the dessert needed a bit more crunch to it. A layer of extra biscuit would perfectly compliment the bitter cheesecake flavour. These little gems are priced at $5.90 (cheap as chips, well almost) or pay an extra $3 to take the jar away for a romantic date with bae.

Now for the most important part of the review, drinks. And no, I am not an alcoholic.

STRAWBERRY LIME COOLER

No review needed! Just go and try it k…..bye

View their full menu here

Aliyah xx

McDonald’s Create Your Taste | Chicken Range

November 25, 2015

by brisbanefoodlovers with No Comment Blog Dinner Lunch

So, McDonald’s Create Your Taste concept has been around for a while now; If you haven’t already tried it, I would recommend heading over to your closest Mickey D’s ASAP. They have recently introduced grilled chicken to their menu and we absolutely love it!!!

A lot of foodies tend to downgrade the humble fast food giant and steer clear of it. Well, for all our readers, we are real people who love food, regardless whether it is fine dining or fast food. As long as it tastes good, we will eat it. I will admit to having Maccas at least once a week.

Anyway, the chicken burger we created was made up of:

Crunchy Tortilla Strips
Chicken Breast x 2
Long Sliced Pickles
Beetroot Lettuce
Natural Cheddar
Aioli
Crispy Bacon
Grilled Pineapple

All on a Ciabatta Bun

Photo Credits: Emotive Light Photo

Boroughs of New York to open new store in Fortitude Valley

November 22, 2015

by brisbanefoodlovers with No Comment Blog Dinner Lunch

Location: Ann Street, Fortitude Valley

Boroughs of New York Pizza is set to open their new store in Fortitude Valley later this week; with a menu inspired by the New York Summer and created by 3 time world pizza making champion.

Former New Yorkers, Jay & Anu moved to Australia, opening their first store in Carindale. With much success, the holy trinity of pizzas is now taking on their second store.

We were lucky enough to attend their pre-launch event and sample some of the best they had to offer. Their dishes were made up of an array of interesting flavours, colours and textures. One of the most interesting dishes I have ever sampled, a pizza with soft shell crab, chocolate sauce and candied orange. Yes.. you read that correctly, definitely not something you see everyday, but nonetheless it worked well. I admire them for their leap of faith.

View their full menu here with pizzas priced between $7.90 (mega slice) and $19.90 (18 inch).