REVIEW: Gauge



Gauge doesn't have any signage, which is how I usually start my posts, so here's some dinosaurs instead.

South Brisbane is an odd place. In between the bustling food scenes of South Bank and West End, South Brisbane is something of a dead zone. Or at least it was. In the last year or so, a revitalisation has come upon the locale with the opening of Fish Lane Bistro, Julius Pizza, Two Tree Café and probably many others that I can't think of right now. The latest to open is Gauge, a concealed little venue on Grey Street. The café has no signage, nor a website or phone number. However, you'll know you're there once you walk inside.

The cool, casual space.

The use of space is very clever, given the size of the café it has to be, with communal seating in the centre and intimate nooks by the walls. Together with the low-lit lighting, the space felt warm on a rainy day. The elevated kitchen gives the whole café a view of the serious business going on behind the pass. I was excited for our early morning breakfast at Gauge.

Amazing hand modelling.

As the first ones in, we had our choice of tables and we choose an intimately lit table for four. The music sounded like it came from my own playlist and with the warm feeling, the vibe was felt really comfortable. The waitress took our drink orders and since I don't drink coffee, I tried the hot chocolate for $4.50. For the price, it was a bit small but there was nothing wrong with it in terms of taste. For those who do drink it, the coffee ($4) was by reports superb.

The open kitchen.

One of the reasons I was so excited to try Gauge was their innovative menu. Two of the three chefs, Ollie Hansford and Rob Wood, are both ex-Stokehouse and the third, Cormac Bradfield, is head chef at Sourced Grocer. Their combined experience has created one of the most exciting breakfast menus I've ever seen.

Somewhat outshone by the other dishes, presentation wise. Just as delicious.

First up was the House Sourdough, Heritage Bacon & House BBQ Sauce ($9), which was simply a bacon sandwich. But oh what a sandwich. The sourdough is made in house and tastes so fresh. Sourdough how sourdough should taste. The BBQ sauce was tangy and the amount of bacon was generous.

Next, were two orders of Soft Eggs on House Sourdough with Heritage Breed PIG ($16). Not sure why pig is in capitals on the menu but maybe it just wants to shout. As one of the diners is gluten-intolerant, the chefs kindly put the bread for that dish on to a separate plate for me, as I was dying to try this amazing bread. The butter is obviously churned in house as well and there is nothing better than good bread and butter. I was like a PIG in mud.

Look at those eggs! Don't you just wanna break them open?!

The eggs on the dish were the chubbiest soft eggs, begging to be broken open. The bacon was generous again, personally I like my bacon done a touch more though. The dish looked so inviting and for that, I credit those eggs.

Art.

I was pretty tempted by the Cucumber Kimchi, House Seeded Bread, Soft Egg, Cured Pork Cheek, Skyr & Confit Heirloom Tomatoes for $18 and right now, typing that out, I can't believe I didn't get it. But I didn't lose out either. I ordered the Sourdough Waffle, Almond, Artichoke Custard, Bee Pollen & Freeze Dried Honey ($16). What was placed in front of me was a fine dining breakfast. It was a piece of art. It was like a landscape. And it tasted amazing. The almonds were candied and the waffle was crisp and sweet. The pairing of the custard and waffle was bliss. I really would have liked more of that custard. The freeze dried honey was not my thing and I found it inedible. With the rest of the meal being so wonderful, it was very forgivable.


Some delightful pastries in the morning sun.

At the moment, Gauge is open for breakfast and lunch (7am - 3pm). Given my experience at breakfast, I can't wait to try their lunch items and I'll be one of the first one in line when they open for dinner in the coming months.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4.5/5
Price: 3.5/5
Atmosphere: 4.5/5

REVIEW: Little Saigon Grill

The line can be long but it moves quick!

I wish I could tell you I was letting you in on a well kept secret but Little Saigon Grill goes off every day. Tucked away in a little laneway off Albert street, Little Saigon Grill serves up well priced Vietnamese food. I've been to Little Saigon Grill a few times for workday lunches and usually get a banh mi. The pork belly ban mi is just amazing, but this time I was on the hunt for pho.

Banh mi station on the left and everything else on the right

Since my visit to Pho An restaurant in Sydney, I've been hankering for that amazing taste of authentic pho. I've had it around here and there and it's just never quite hit the spot. Given the amazing banh mi at Little Saigon Grill, I had high hopes.

As I said, Little Saigon Grill gets very busy during the work week but the line moves fast and they have an efficient system, with a busy banh mi station down one end and the hotbox and al a carte items available from the other. I ordered Pho Bo Vien - beef pho ($11.90) and my dining companion ordered Banh Mi with tofu ($6.90).

Tofu banh mi

The tofu banh mi comes with aioli, pickled cucumber, pickled carrot, shallots with the option of fresh chillies and obviously tofu. The whole lot is placed into a deliciously crispy French-Vietnamese baguette and toasted. The bread at Little Saigon Grill is amazing, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and really puts it on to the next level. As usual, the banh mi was really good and no exception what we've come to expect.

The pho before my customisations.

Now my pho. Sigh. I don't know what I would have thought of this pho before my transcendental experience in Bankstown. Perhaps I would have been quite pleased with this pho. But I can't lie, it didn't come close. It was okay. Maybe I could stretch to it was fair. It definitely wasn't bad but the incredibly complex and depth of flavour simply wasn't there. I added a lot of chilli to add flavour and I did finish it. There was nothing to complain about as such. I think Pho An has simply ruined me for pho. If you know anywhere in Brisbane to get pho and you think it might match Pho An, you simply must tell me, okay? It's not fair to keep that from me.


And after! I love me some srirachia.

We also got a Watermelon juice each for $5. It was very refreshing and the perfect treat on a warm day.


Watermelon juice.

So overall, I enjoyed our visit to Little Saigon Grill and I will definitely be back as they're quick and well priced but I will be sticking to banh mi or try a few other menu items. Not the pho though, it just makes me sad.

Food: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Price: 3.5/5
Atmosphere: 3/5

REVIEW: Felix Espresso & Winebar



This way for goodness!

Anyone who doesn't think Brisbane is cool ought to pay a little visit to Burnett Lane. Tucked into a little nook and up a narrow staircase is the very cool Felix Espresso & Winebar. I met with some girlfriends a few weeks ago for a before work breakfast. Walking in, I was surprised at how small Felix is, with only room for around 15 people. However Felix uses the space it does have well, with a split level dining area, seating on the lower level and espresso machine and kitchen up top. There is also a wonderful mural of the sky on one wall which is lovely to gaze at while you sup.


Head in the clouds.

With such a small space, the menu is quite small but Felix focuses on organic and whole foods with some raw items appearing on the menu too. So it's very much about quality over quantity. Even though the menu is limited with less than a dozen items on the menu for both breakfast and lunch, there are a selection baked goods as well as a few extra items on the specials board.


Yeah, I'm not sure about you Green juice...you taste good but you look strange.

For drinks we ordered two juices, a fresh squeezed orange juice and a green juice with kale, mango and orange, both $8. The orange juice was tart and delicious. I've never been brave enough for green juices, I just can't get over the look of it but I did try a little of this one and it was very nice. I may be brave and take the plunge soon. A coffee was $4 for a large cup and was reportedly very, very good. Another was ordered after the first.


Oh lordy. Will you look at this? This is the milk hot chocolate.



This is the dark chocolate version.

The hot chocolate at Felix is something to rave about. I had a juice but after tasting some of one of the hot chocolates, I couldn't help but order one for myself! They come in both dark and milk chocolate at $4, which is pretty awesome. They are smooth, they are velvety and just...uh. So good. Felix is now where we get our hot chocolates all the time! If you go, I can't impress highly enough the importance of getting one of these.

The healthy choice, chia and fruit.

The food followed quickly after the drinks with the Cup of Chia Topped with Raw Coconut Cashew Cream and Fruit ($6) sticking closely to the healthy theme. It serve was pretty generous for the price and the coconut cashew cream was delicious. The fruit was fresh with a good mix of berries and apple. It all went well together and tasted like springtime on a spoon.


That's French mustard, I'll have you know.

The toasted sandwich de jour was Ham with Gruyere Cheese Served with Mustard and Pickles for $10. It looked a little lonely on the large plate but was stuffed full of both ham and cheese. As someone who has scored the city looking for a simple toasty, it was good to see it on the menu. The diner was happy with her choice as well.


That's a lotta avocado.

I am always partial to a good avocado on toast for breakfast and the Avocado on Olive Toast with Lemon ($6) was hard to pass up. It too was dwarfed by the size of the plate and I almost grumbled about there being only one piece but when I remembered it was only $6, there really wasn't much to complain about given the prices for most inner city breakfasts. The avocado was fresh and the bread was good.

If it comes in a little pan, you know it's a good sign.

The ordering game was won by the lucky recipient of the Shakshuka and Eggs with Sourdough ($11). I just love it when things come out in little cast-iron pans. I'm so glad that it's a popular way to serve food. This particular dish came out all hot and full of spices with an egg on top. I was most jealous.


The coloured glass cast a lovely glow throughout the restaurant.

Overall Felix was a win, a cute café that's tight on space but big on heart. As I said, I've been back many times to get more of their delicious hot chocolates and would also like to give their salad range a try. It's a great spot to catch up with friends before work.

Food: 3.5/5
Service: 3.5/5Price: 3.5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5



Brisbane Food Blog
Brisbane Food Blog

REVIEW: Vintaged Bar & Grill

Wine, a way to open the wine and a cow! What more could a person want?

I have a miniseries of Sydney restaurant reviews that I am so looking forward to sharing with you but I must not cheat. I have one more Brisbane review before we get to that but what a pleasant restaurant it is. My lovely lady friend and I decided to catch up before my Sydney break and chose to have a classy little catch up at Vintaged Bar & Grill.

Vintaged is located in the Hilton on Elizabeth street. I'm always a little hesitant to eat at hotel restaurants. They can seem a little naff and stuffy. And dated. And uninspired. But when I checked out Vintaged menu online, the menu offered a lot of fresh takes of classic dishes. Plus they had a lunch deal for a main and a glass of wine for $25. A meal AND wine? Sign me up.


This is the cool bar area in the lobby area of the restaurant.

Once we arrived at the Hilton and made our way up to level 6, we stepped into a spacious atrium with a funky bar area. The ceilings extended high into the building, which kinda gave me vertigo when I looked up. In an awesome way. The restaurant itself sat on the other side of the lobby where the ceiling came much lower, the lighting was dark, intimate and warm.


The warm space inside Vintaged.

We were seated and since I was on my lunch break, we ordered straight away. We both went with the $25 lunch special as who could pass that up and the selection available was really varied! My fair dining companion chose the Bavette Steak with Creamed Potato and Young Carrots and I went with the Barbecued Ocean Trout with Tahini and Cous Cous Tabbouleh. We had a pinot noir and a sauvignon blanc from the Bay of Shoals Winery...which were delicious! I drink wine cos I'll drink anything but I very rarely can tell the difference between a $20 bottle and a $100 bottle but this wine made me actually ask after the label. So that's good.


Salty capsicumy spread and char grilled bread. Yummers!

Soon after we ordered, we were bought some complimentary sour dough with a capsicum and anchovy spread. I'm so easily impressed, bring me free food and watch me smile. The bread was lovely and crispy with a chargrilled taste. The capsicum and anchovy spread had a pleasant salty taste, obviously from the anchovy. Salty is always a good idea.


Action shot like a pro.

The mains came out shortly after our delightful free bread and they looked appealing! We had both wondered what a bavette steak was, and my guess was it was a word for petite but apparently not as the steak was a nice size with a good dollop of creamy, smooth mash. The side of mushroom sauce was also generous. For your information, a bavette steak is another word for a cut from the flank. I've read it was the flap cut. I don't think flap steak sounds very nice, hence why they call it bavette. Clever.

I find that Ocean Trout is the best type of trout. Wait...are there other types of trout? River trout? I reserve my decision til I've had both!

My ocean trout was also really nice. It was cooked really well with a nice flakiness and slightly pink inside. The cous cous was delightful and the schmear of mayonnaise was pretty and tasty! Is there any better combination to be? The trout had a nice crispy skin but for some reason it was placed so the skin was on the bottom. It's probably over-pedantic, but it might have been cripsier had it not been placed on the moisture of cous cous. After I had finished the fish, I felt satisfied but not heavy and I didn't feel weighed down for my return to walk. The wine certainly hit the spot too.

Could totally get white girl wasted on all that wine...

As we paid, I asked if I could take some photos of the kitchen and the helpful hostess suggested I take a photo in the wine room. It was very impressive with glass walls and up to 1,000 bottles inside! Vintaged offers wine tasting and pride themselves on their extensive Australian boutique collection.

The open kitchen...also, they're not guarding that bread. I could have totally fit that into my purse.

I really enjoyed my workday lunch at Vintaged and was impressed that we were in and out within 45 minutes. The meal was great value and I returned to work with a happy tummy.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Atmosphere: 4/5


 

REVIEW: Spring Food & Wine



Ahhh...expectations were high.

Since I've been blogging reviews, I've started to really take note of a lot more things when I eat out. I note the service and the little extra touches that restaurants do, and as such, I've just noticed that most places really try to do their best. I was thinking, maybe I'll never post a less than positive review! I have been as critical while remaining fair as I could but I just haven't had a bad experience...until now. 

This kitchen is pretty cute hey. Imagine having that in your house!

I'd been hanging out to go to Spring for literally over a year. The menu looks so good and the website makes it sound fresh and spectacular, with organic food and farm to table eating. Unfortunately, I did not have the spectacular experience that I thought was all but guaranteed.


A nice coffee. The coffee must have been good cos the coffee drinkers went back for more!

We arrived at Spring early on a Wednesday morning for a girls catch up before work. I was so excited and when I walked in, I was simply chuffed with the interior. It is so French, provincial and charming. We were seated with the rest of our party and perused the menu. Everything sounded pretty good and we were quickly decided on what we would get.


I don't have the guts to go for green juices. Like, they look so healthy and people love them but why go green when you can go pink! Pink juice is where it's at.

When I caught the attention of the waiter and asked to order, he told me that drinks were first. This kind of perturbed me as it was obvious we were all dressed to go to work and you would think on a work day, efficiency would be key. Whatever, we ordered drinks and were left to wait to order our food.


A slightly blurry photo of the watermelon special. Looks a bit like a Halloween drink. It was really nice though.

For drinks, we ordered a Watermelon Special juice which is apple, watermelon, mint and lime, a Miss Berry juice of mixed berries, apple and orange, a Sweet Green juice of cucumber, spinach, celery, kale and watermelon as well as a couple of coffees. All the juices were $7.50. There was a big juicing machine in the kitchen and they were all very fresh.


And this is my drink! The pink beauty.

Once the waiter had deigned to take our order with his most least interested face on, the Farmhouse Breakfast ($22) proved to be most popular with 3 orders with Smashed Avocado on home-baked sourdough toast ($10) a close runner up with two of us ordering the dish. The Farmhouse Breakfast looked decent  and came with all the expected trappings of a big breakfast with eggs, bacon, tomato, sausages, mushrooms, spinach and toast. A gluten free order had the sourdough swapped with gluten free bread. My fellow diners said the bacon was very well cooked. The sausages also looked fat and plump.


The Farmhouse Breakfast and you can see the gluten free farmhouse with the gluten free bread. I tried some of that bread and it was alright. Poor gluten free people.

I was less impressed with the avocado on toast. The presentation was quite poor. I ordered a side of mushrooms for $5 and received four pretty sad looking mushrooms on the side. I guess the avocado on toast was on the cheaper side for breakfast at$10 but I was pretty disappointed with the mushrooms. Way over priced. And I didn't think the bread was all that good compared with the bread I had at Chester Street Bakery.


Those mushrooms look miserable. They need Xanax or something. It's like avosadco on toast.

My fellow avocado on toaster ordered a side of haloumi for $5 and I thought it looked equally depressed. As there was no salt on the table, I asked the waiter for some salt and was given an empty shaker. That's not enough really to upset me but when I asked for a different one, I was given instructions on how to use the shaker and told it wasn't really empty in a manner I found rude. After negotiating the release of a different salt shaker like the release of a hostage from Fallujah, I finished my meal with a sour taste in my mouth from the dismissive and unhelpful waiter.


That haloumi is trying to hide under the toast. It can't even.

I found the food at Spring pretty average but it was the service that really stuck in my craw. The waitress who rung up our bill at the end was actually really lovely and perhaps if she'd been our server the whole time, I might be back to Spring to see if they were having an off day.


The coffee must be good! Look at that line up for takeaways.

However, with the attitude of the man who did serve us, I think I'll try somewhere else next time. There are so many great places opening every week in Brisbane, I really don't have to put up with bad service. 
 
Food: 2/5
Service: 1/5
Price: 3/5
Atmosphere: 3/5