#Brisbane #Food Roundup - Part One

#Brisbane #Food Roundup - Part One

Having travelled recently to Brisbane for work (a lot of it!), I (Nathan) got to eat out at a lot of cool, new places, many of which you may have seen on our Instagram / Twitter accounts. Since then, I have been asked a few times by our followers where to eat out in Brisbane. I have outlined some of my highlights below if you are ever in sunny Brisbane!

Chow House - 4a/39 James Street, Fortitude Valley, QLD

blackbean, tomato + eschallot fricassee - $16

One of my favourite places to head to eat was James St, in Fortitude Valley. It's a 20 minute walk from Brisbane CBD, an $8 taxi ride or a 5 minute train trip. It's a revamped area, but has some of the best places to eat. I had a great breakfast one morning at Chow House. The blackbean, tomato + eschallot fricassee was delicious, and very filling. Eggs were poached and runny as they should be, the fricassee of the blackbeans added some crunch, the sour cream some tartness and the tomato added just enough sweetness to compliment the shallots. The herbs and sprinkled smoked paprika rounded the dish off nicely. A great dish that I would one day like to recreate at home. 

Miel Container - Corner of Mary Street And 96 Albert Street, Brisbane, QLD

Miel Beef Patty Burger - $12

Always on the lookout for where the best burger is, I was excited to find a location no more than a 3 minute walk from where I was staying in the CBD. Miel Container is, as the name suggests, hosted out of a container. The burger style is a cross between large pub and smaller gourmet, generally a good mix if you're hungry. 

I ordered the Miel Beef Patty Burger, keen to try out the 'standard' for any burger joint. It's a well stacked burger with a brioche bun, lettuce, bush tomato, onion jam, bacon, chutney, dill mayo and tasty cheese. The patty was cooked just past medium, with a great char and crust. The flavour was strong enough to keep up with all the other ingredients. Surprisingly though, they worked well together and overall was very satisfied. The onion rings were delicious, and were freshly battered in thick breadcrumbs. A great burger experience if you are ever in the CBD.

Mighty Mighty - Cue & Brew - Shop 6/7, 100 McLachlan Street, Fortitude Valley

450g barbecue beef short rib smoked & glazed w/ waffle potatoes - $34

As I mentioned above, I was able to visit a few places out at Fortitude Valley for some great meals. The meal at Mighty Mighty was no exception. I was mad keen to try the ribs here, as I had read and heard they were pretty awesome. And there were no lies told. My only regret was that I didn't get 900g worth. They were tender, fell off the bone, were smokey and the bbq sauce was super. Waffle potatoes and a side of jalapeño corn bread were also great additions, but those ribs were the hero. 

AJ Vietnamese Noodle House - 70 Charlotte Street Brisbane

Beef Pho - $12

One thing that I always miss when I am away from Adelaide, is Adelaide Pho, so I am often on the hunt for some good Pho where ever I am. Turned out that one of Brisbane's best Pho's was within a 5 minute walk of where I was staying! AJ Vietnamese Noodle House was like a little Chinatown stall, only no where near Chinatown. It was a little shop, filled with lots of local students huddled around the few plastic chairs and tables available. It was clearly a popular spot, I struggled to get a seat a few times and got take away instead. The Pho was really nice, with some good flavour in the stock, lots of noodles and a decent amount of beef. At $12, a bargain considering its size. Definitely a must try if you are in need of a pho fix!

Esq - 145 Eagle Street, Brisbane

Southern Calamari with lemon and garlic - $23

On one of my last nights on a visit to Brisbane I wanted to treat myself and check out one of the finer dining establishments in Brisbane. I had read a lot about Esq @ Esquire, and it sounded great. Casual dining at a largish bar, with ingredients sourced locally and char grilled just a few steps from you.

My expereience was as promised, and it was a great venue for a solo diner. I chose the Calamari simply because the staff had told me it was the pick of the day, having come off the boats that morning in abundance. The char grill imparted a great smokiness and the lemon and garlic were a great match for the squid. I paired it with a fresh green papaya salad on the side, giving me a little more crunch and zest from the citrus elements within. A great meal. One day, I am definitely returning to try the Esquire degustation.

Stay tuned for part two to be released very soon!