Kettle and Tin

If you're a regular at Anouk or Eurovida, you couldn't help but notice the haphazard colours of the former Pandemonium Cafe dissolve and give up to an elegant gunmetal gray shopfront. But what is? So when I heard along the grapevine that this site has been acquired by the owners of the New Farm establishment, Ponycat I started actively counting down and was even more excited when I heard it was open. So I grabbed Spensley and we made our way through the bracing cold to Paddington. Perhaps I had built up Kettle and Tin too much in my head because we entered the gate, we were stopped by a gentleman who automatically intoned, "we not ready for another 15 minutes." Maybe it was the lack of greeting, the hunger, the cold, the lack of coffee or a combination but I was annoyed as their Facebook page advises a 6.30am start. So after killing some time in the newsagency, we made our way back to the cafe and we greeted with a rustic but modern decor. The metal chairs are a tad cold on ones' backside in the morning, but I can assure you the coffee is taste, warm and the menu hearty.  

The photo doesn't do it justice but Spensley ordered the Parmesan and Spinach Egg White Omelet. This dish will keep the health conscious pleased with three parts egg white to one part whole egg. My partner is fond of sides, so disregard the mushrooms as they are just one of the optional extras you can add to your plate to fortify your stomach before you start your day.

I on the other hand was keen to try out the Eggs Benedict which was perfect. Crisp english muffins, a layer of caramelised leeks, house cured gravlax, running eggs and home made hollandise made for perfection. I would be delighted to have this dish as my last meal and despite my little service grumble, the food has me worshipping their feet. So visit!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Address: 215 Given Terrace, Paddington, QLD 4064.
Open: Tuesday - Saturday 6.30am-4pm. Sunday 6.30am-2pm.
Phone: (07) 3369 3778

Kodoya

Though it has now been a number of months since I finished my project at the Cancer Council Queensland, I still catch up with Carmen and Tania. So on Friday night, we left the boys at home to have dinner a Tania's ye old faithful, Kodoya. As you can gather from the name, Kodoya serves Japanese cuisine and is cluttered amongst all the cheap and cheerful Asian eateries in Elizabeth Arcade. The Chicken Katsu Curry that Tania and Carmen selected set them back $9.80 and you can customise the amount of chili included in your meal from a basic one to a challenging champion level for $5.  

I decided to get my naughty katsu fix via the Tokyo Ramen at $8.90. The dish comes with the egg noodles, nori and half a boiled egg. Though it isn't Taro's beautiful handmade ramen, it is extremely serviceable with its chewy texture and the speed that the meal was delivered was extraordinary which more than makes up for the establishment's basic layout.

Tania also ordered these morish Crab Cream Croquettes which were amazing but at some point I must return with my little brother as I spotted the Takoyaki. We both have fond memories of street food and Takoyaki is a favourite. Will you beat us to it? Let me know.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Address: Shop 29-30, 99 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000.
Open: Monday - Saturday, Lunch and Dinner.
Phone: (07) 3229 3993

Parkland Chinese Restaurant

April always signals to me the coming of Ching Ming (also known as the Clear Bright or Tomb Sweeping Festival) which means a trip to Mt Gravatt to attend to my Father's grave site. You may assume that this would be a simple process of cleaning the tomb but also involves preparing ceremonial food (which may include a entire chicken with head and feet intact, fish, roast pork, vegetarian cuisine and rice), drink and paper offerings (including clothing and paper money). As the journey takes some time, the family often continues onto yum cha and during this year's journey we choose 'Parkland Chinese Restaurant.'

Parkland is a relatively new venue having opened a year ago and is a sister to Landmark. The restaurant's furnishings are clean and I was impressed to be quickly presented with a pot of tea and a large hot water thermos to ensure the tea remained free flowing. As you can see from the images the items we selected were of a more traditional nature and the family was extremely impressed by the Pig's Blood. It was fresh, silky smooth while maintaining its shape. The chef's inclination appears be towards chilli as the Tripe and Chicken Feet Rice were quite spicy which was a nice change towards the gentle nature of the Salted Pork and Preserved Egg Congee. As a child of a chef who specialised in yum cha, I admit to being an extremely hard marker but I was quite impressed with the taste and offering. I recommend taking a group of friends to fully enjoying this establishment.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Address: Sunny Park Shopping Centre, Cnr of Mains and McCullough Road, Sunnybank, QLD 4109.
Open: Seven Days a Week, Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Phone: (07) 3345 4588.

Toby's Estate

The mood was dark and the heavy rain was blowing sideways as I staggered through the Queen Street Mall in a desperate bid to avoid supermarket tea. T2 and the Tea Centre weren't open, but Toby's Estate was and on a shelf in front of a counter sits a range of loose leaf available in attractive metal tins or silk pyramid tea bags. I triumphantly clutched my Toby's Breakfast Blend (a combination of Assam, Ceylon, Darjeeling and China Keemun leads), paid for it and started to dash out the door when a staff member thrust a card into my hands for a free coffee.

So that's my epic story of my obsession with tea and how I managed to score a free coffee before my morning catch up with Sam. Toby's Estate was originally suggested by Sam and I was keen to try it as Sam is quite canny about these things, being a keen cook and connoisseur.

The Toby's Estate began over 10 years ago out of one man's garage and you guessed it, his name is Toby. From those humble beginnings, Toby's Estate has now grown into a national empire supplying beans and servicing the caffeine depend with its own chain of cafes. Toby's Estate Brisbane discreetly popped up in November and has become a favourite of addicts travelling the migratory path between the Queen Street Mall and the Queensland University of Technology. The interior is modern, comfortable and no fuss much like the food.

This particular morning Sam purchased a bagel with cream cheese and I selected a ham and cheese croissant. No whinges from me, as I couldn't fault a hot meal, with melted cheese and garnished with hunger. But it was really the coffee that was the star, velvet consistency with a distinct and noticable bean. I enjoyed my Toby's Estate experience so if you're heading that way, do stop in for a coffee or grab a tin of tea.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Address: 79 Albert Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000.
Open: Monday to Friday, Breakfast and Lunch.
Phone: 1300 679 750.

Anouk

The first time I attempted to visit Anouk it was closed for the Christmas/New Year period, the second time I made the attempt, Mister Spensley slept through his alarm and upon reaching consciousness apologised profusely. But by this time I had boarded a bus and was heading into work, so we made plans to visit this Brisbane breakfast institution the next day. Third time lucky as the boy wonder managed to awaken from his slumber and find some suitable attire.

The first thing you notice when you enter Anouk is the ample space, light sand blasted bare brick walls and maple tones. This makes Anouk a pleasant place to fully wake up in, coupled with the wait staff's understanding that the first coffee of the day is imperative. Though our coffee was delivered promptly, it took a little while longer to place a food order but this could not be helped with only one staff member to man the coffee machine and another to take orders and deliver food. Spensley decided to order the breakfast hash with a side of poached eggs (pictured above) and when it arrived I must admit I had a bit of food envy. The potatoes and spinach looked amazing but like Spensley, I wasn't certain if it was able to shine without the viscous yolk to help it along.

I decided to order the omelette and it was beautifully fluffy in texture, well presented, generous and filled with crumbly prosciutto and accented by cherry tomatoes. I really enjoyed the additional options of herb butter and lemon, but thought the tomatoes could have been halved to make it more user friendly and allow for a more even roasting to promote the fruit's natural sweetness. But these comments are just a minor technicality as I really enjoyed my breakfast and Anouk experience over all. The menu changes seasonally so I strong suspicion that I will be back.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Address: 212 Given Terrace, Paddington, QLD 4064.
Open: 7 Days a Week. Breakfast and Lunch.
Phone: (07) 3367 8663.
Price: Breakfast: $3.50 - $16.80.

Dandelion and Driftwood

A catch up with Miss Sarah was overdue so we decided to head out to Dandelion and Driftwood at Hendra. Though we had both heard great things about the establishment, we were blown away by its modern but warm interior filled with long wood tables complimented with ghost chairs and the formally attired staff. The establishment's passion for coffee and tea passion is noticeable and it was refreshing to be offered a variety of coffee and tea blends and be provided with notes with each cup. Miss Sarah has trained her palette to accept her coffee black, but I'm still inclined to have mine with milk. My mocha was very well balanced, with the coffee as the shining star and the chocolate merely a lingering after taste.

Dandelion and Driftwood has a lengthy sandwich menu but I was looking for something a little different and selected the Salmon Two Ways. There was a lovely vegetable dense pattie, smoked salmon and rocket dressed with lemon and tiny capers. This was a wonderful flavour combination and filling without making you feel bloated.

Miss Sarah selected a filled croissant which left room for investigate the beautifully displayed range of treats. We followed our savoury course with a dainty lemon yoghurt cake and a moreish red velvet cake. The red velvet cake was brilliant in colour, moist and topped with a vanilla icing and shaved flakes of chocolate. It's a wonderful place for a Sunday morning breakfast, or anytime you'd like to escape for something light to eat or drink with great company. Parking is a breeze, so grab a friend and start up the car.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Address: Shop 1, 45 Gerler Road, Hendra, QLD 4011.
Open: Monday to Saturday - 8am to 4pm. Sunday - 8am to 2pm.
Phone: (07) 3868 4559.

Ruby Cafe

After I dropped my bake off submission off to the Brisbane Arts Theatre I headed to Paddington to catch up with Miss Sarah. We had planned to have brunch at the ever popular Anouk but alas they were closed, so a short stroll up the road brought us to the recently opened Ruby Cafe. Ruby Cafe is adorable addition to the suburb with its red and white candy strip awning, bird themed wall paper and a menu featuring many fresh tasty items that won't break the budget.
The photograph above is Sarah's breakfast consisting of poached eggs on toasted sourdough and a side order of bacon. Miss Sarah confirmed that it was good but she was having suffering food envy from my simple but tasty breakfast. It was the perfect thing to enjoy with the hot summer's day and peerless blue sky.
Here is the subject of food envy: watercress, chevre, lemon on toasted sourdough. Such a simple but effective combination and I was pleased to find that the sourdough was pliable. I will alert you to the potential hazard of watercress as it has a tendency to escape so perhaps not the right selection if you are trying to impress someone. Like the meal, Ruby Cafe is simple, warm and familiar but extremely satisfying. Definitely worth another visit for breakfast or for lunch.





Attachments: 

• June 2012 Menu

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Address: 233 Given Terrace, Paddington, QLD 4064.
Open: Breakfast and Lunch.
Phone: (07) 3369 5256.

Hakataya Noodle Shop

I've been carrying a hacking cough with me for a number of months so her Mothership delivered an ultimatum: see a Specialist or visit a Chinese Herbalist. Since I believe Specialists are a waste of time and space and am cynical enough to believe that my appointments are funding their next Mercedes Benz, I decided to take the latter choice. After the appointment, we stopped at Hakataya Noodle Shop for lunch and though it was the middle of the week and only 10:30am, there was still a line of customers eager to place their order.

Hakataya Noodle Shop offers no more than six menu options and is located in the row of shops opposite Landmark. The set up is mostly designed for take away but the few available tables are neat and clean. The image above is my brother's Miso Spicy Men with extra char siu pork. I recommend adding extra noodles for $1.80 and extra char siu as the pork has been slow cooked to melt in your mouth.

I wasn't feeling as adventurous as my brother so I ordered the signature Nagahama Ramen. This ramen is suspended in a flavoursome pork bone stock and oh my goodness it was amazing! The noodles were chewy, the char siu pork was melt in your mouth and your $10 even brought a free side order of takana (spicy Japanese Pickles). Though my Mother grumbled that offerings overseas were superior, I just loved my trip to Hakataya Noodle Shop and would be more than happy to travel to Sunnybank for another serving.

Rating: 3.5 out 5.
Address: Shop 27B, Sunnybank Plaza, Cnr Main and McCullough Street, Sunnybank, QLD 4109.
Open: Monday - Sunday, 9am - 8:50pm.
Phone: (07) 3344 1313
Price: Mains: $6.50 - $15.

Pourboy Espresso

My phone's screen clearly stated 5:20am. Surely it was wrong? Maybe it was using a Daylight Savings Feature? No it was definitely 5:20am, my alarm was set to 4:15am by mistake and I was late! Luckily Adrenaline kicked it and I managed to get ready in 10 minutes, drove like a hoon, parked and arrived in the central business district by 6:10am to set up for Daffodil Day. Huzzah! After volunteer at the Central Plaza 1 stand for a couple of hours, the team were starving so we decided to venture to Pourboy Espresso for a hot breakfast.

The Pourboy Espresso team are friendly and responsive and we were quickly show to a table. Perhaps sensing the urgency they asked if they could take a drink order and the majority of the table asked for a hot chocolate. The hot chocolate is balanced, the milk is creamy and has the glossy appearance that only comes from a careful hand.

The table ordered a number of glorious dishes, but apart from being really tasty, the poached eggs were all perfect. Above is the Jamon Serrano, poached egg, slow roasted tomato on Pane.

The Croque Madame is a grilled sandwich that originated in France. Here is Pourboy Espresso's version with Gruyere, shaved bangalow ham, poached egg and djionaisse.

Here is my Mushroom Duxelle with buffalo ricotta served on Pane. Plenty of taste and the perfect breakfast to warm me up after a morning on standing outside.

Though we were comfortably full I couldn't leave without one of the house made chocolate brioche. Inside the beautiful seal, there were swirled of nut enriched chocolate. It was an extremely naughty morning tea and I enjoyed every morsel. Pourboy Espresso lived up to the hype and I enjoyed the experience so much that it made me wish I was back working in town.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Address: 26 Wharf Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000.
Open: Monday - Friday. 6am - 4pm.
Phone: (07) 3172 1141
Price: Breakfast: $3.50 - $14. Lunch: $8 - 15. Coffee: $3.50 - $4.50

Cloverly Estate City Cellar Door

Despite being a restaurateur my Grandfather has never consumed a a drop of alcohol and my Mother started in her mid forties drinking a teaspoon of port in winter for health benefits. So my consumption of three alcoholic beverages in one night makes me the family alcoholic. It's taken me a while, but over the years I've really warmed to wine so I was terribly excited about my visit to Cloverly Estate's City Cellar Door. Cloverly Estate's City Cellar Door is conveniently located on Musgrave Road and offers guests onsite parking. But if you are lazy like me, just turn onto Enoggera Terrace, park on one of the many side streets and wander up the hill into a world of wood panelled charm.

Open 11am to 7pm, the space is warm, buttery and just channels country warmth and hospitality without the kitsch that so often accompanies these kinds of executions. There is a beautiful feature wall of framed sepia photography, a flat screen television with slowly rotating images and beautifully upholstered furniture. It's designed to bring the vineyard to the city, which is great for someone like me who lacks the time and inclination to drive for three hours to enjoy afternoon sun and a glass of fine wine.

We greeted at the door with a flute of Cloverly Estate NV Brut Reserve before we were seated at table full of glassware. We were then poured a taste of White Label 2010 Verdelho and Estate Reserve 2007 Chardonnay. As soon as I heard the word Chardonnay my mind instantly registered a note of disgust as I though might despise Chardonnay, I absolutely abhor wooded Chardonnay. But I'll admit now that the Estate Reserve 2007 Chardonnay is actually surprisingly pleasant and buttery. We enjoyed this wine over a gorgeous cheese platter and some salmon mousse served in savoury cones.

We then moved onto the reds: Left Field 2009 Nebbiolo and an Estate Reserve 2007 Cabernet. Nebbiolo is an intriguing beast, it looks and smells delicate like a Pinot Noir and then it just punches you in the face. It's the Thai Lady Boy of wine, but once you get past that initial surprise, you'll find it is rather charming. So what is pictured above? Top left (clockwise direction): Prawn Salsa Tarts, Chocolate Cream Tart, Prawn Twisters, Beetroot Arancini and Goats Curd and Mediterranean Vegetable Scone.

We finished the adventure with Cloverly Estate NV Sparkling Shiarz and Left Field 2010 Botrytis Semillon. Why oh why, was I driving? Cloverly Estate's wine is just gorgeous, the food is exceptional and space ... well I could have stayed a little longer if I didn't have a mad schedule. I do recommend a visit or two.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Address: 210 Musgrave Road, Red Hill, QLD 4059.
Open: 11am - 7pm. Tuesday - Saturday.
Phone: (07) 3876 3100.

Cockadoodle Cafe

Cockadoodle Cafe is a bubbly little cafe that has recently taken over the old Olivetto site. The staff a friendly, the space is full of light and has a family friendly feel with whirling rainbow spirals and lots and lots of chicken related nick nacks. Though this fetching establishment serves breakfast and lunch, seven days a week, I was looking for a coffee to wake me up before a session of improvised theatre.

Here is a photo of my skinny mocha. As you can see the milk is glossy and smooth and the froth does not dominate the glass. As much as I enjoy a Babyccino, life is too short and expensive to drink a bad coffee. This mocha had a nice balance of chocolate and espresso.

I came in for a coffee but the Cockadoodle Cafe has an irresistible selection of treats. Lemon Curd filled, Biscuits with an embossed star, Gingerbread and this Lemon Curd Tart are just some the sweet treats you will encounter on your trip. This Lemon Curd Tart doesn't have a lot of zing but the curd is beautifully light and this makes a brilliant foil to the crisp pastry. Happiness is infectious and catching a good dose of it here is a great way to start any morning.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Address: 5 Enoggera Terrace, Red Hill, QLD 4059.
Open: Breakfast and Lunch, 7 days a week.
Phone: (07) 3369 0610.
Price: Coffee from $4.

Peasant

Being astute individuals, I am certain that you have begun to pick up a number of common threads in this blog. These include my love of Asian cuisine and the Barracks Complex. I do adore the Barracks as its close to the city center, offers free parking, numerous entertainment opportunities and a diverse array of cuisines. This particular evening Tania of Awesome and I decided to have dinner at Peasant before heading off to see an improvised theatre show. Peasant is a Spanish Tapas bar and offers a cosy bustling interior or a relaxed courtyard. We decided to settle in the courtyard and were soon presented with a miniature black board outlining the menu options. After some consideration we settled on the Seared Kingfish escabeche with white gazpacho (pictured above), Steamed Mussels, chorizo and Manzanilla and a gorgeous roast pork belly dish with potatoes and aioli.

The star dish was the steamed mussels as they were butter soft and the chorizo had imparted gorgeous fatty, smokey flavours. They came beautifully presented in a metal dish and were oh so moreish!

The special of the night was roast pork belly and this was a generous dish with large chunks of pork, golden potatoes and velvet aioli. The crackling and the potatoes were beautifully crisp but this dish was a little too fatty for my palette. However it isn't spoil my evening as each dish was beautifully fresh, the service was prompt and the warm atmosphere inside the establishment was pleasant. She isn't a peasant, she's a lady.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Address: 61 Petrie Terrace, Paddington, QLD 4000.
Open: Tuesday - Friday: 10am - 9pm. Saturday: 11am - 9pm. Sunday: 12pm - 9pm.
Phone: (07) 3367 8066
Price: Tapas: $6 - $26. Shared Plates: $25 - $32. Desserts: $12 - $22.

Tosakan Thai Restaurant

Within walking distance from Chermside Shopping and across the road from Kedron Wavell Services Club is Chermside's latest dining offering, Tosakan Thai Restaurant. Named after the giant king with ten faces from the ancient Sanskrit epic, Ramayana. The King saw far beyond with his ten pairs of eyes, with his ten faces he was able to immerse himself in knowledge and he hid his heart inside a box to become immortal.

You begin your journey at Tosakan Thai Restaurant with your very own Tosakan's heart box in the form of a bright yellow napkin, folded like a lily. This brightly coloured decoration was lovely behold and both Amy and I were pleased to note the interior was modern, offered a direct view into the kitchen and utilised warm brown tones. I know, a Thai restaurant where you weren't suffocated by pastel mauve! You're probably as shocked as I am. We started with entree size serving of Tom Yum Goong. This is a traditional spicy Thai soup with prawns and flavoured with chili, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves. The prawns were fresh, deveined and cooked to perfection. The soup was flavoursome but we felt had been slightly over seasoned with salt.

However if there was an outstanding dish this evening, it was the Massamun Beef Curry. This dish had generous chunks of potato and butter soft beef, immersed in creamy coconut milk based sauce and delicate strands of caramelised onion. It was gorgeous.

Our third selection was a Chicken Pad Thai. The thin noodles had soaked up the flavour of the peanut based sauce. The chicken was moist and the dish contained a good balance of egg, ground peanuts, bean curd and bean sprouts.

By this point Amy and I were both feeling rather full but we couldn't leave without trying a dessert and we decided to share the Black Sticky Rice with Coconut Cream and Vanilla Ice Cream. The rice a gorgeous texture which was complimented by the coconut cream. So Tosakan Thai Restaurant? It offers a beautifully appointed space, presents you with a story, provides you with friendly service and best of all the food delivers.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Address: 23 Playfield Street, Chermside, QLD 4032.
Open: Monday - Friday. 11am - 10:30pm. Saturday - Sunday. 5pm - 10.30pm.
Phone: (07) 3350 5371
Price: Entrees: $7.00. Main: $14.90 - $25.90. Dessert: $7.00.