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Archive for 30/10/2009

ally | 30/10/2009

My Sweetopia Review

Fancy Cakes

There is something about cupcakes that really bothers me. Or rather, there is something about how other people view cupcakes that really bothers me. A cupcake does not have to just be a pretty little cake made with plain vanilla batter, topped with some tasty yet plain icing, and a sugared rose bud on top. A cupcake can be, and I quote from some random cookbook in my momma’s kitchen, “absolutely any sort of cake in a smaller, individual form”. I am dying for Brisbaneites to use their imagination more with cupcakes. You’ve heard me rant before, so I won’t go into too much detail.

Recently I was very impressed with the imagination that had gone into the flavours in the cupcakes at My Sweetopia in South Bank. Was that a Turkish Delight cupcake that didn’t claim its name just because it was a plain chocolate cake with some Turkish Delight chucked on top? Were those cupcakes with a base flavour other than chocolate or vanilla?

I was excited. The cakes were also very, very pretty, and piled high with icing and decorative touches. We got the aforementioned Turkish Delight cupcake, as well as an Espresso Mudcake (forgive me if I’ve gotten the names wrong). We got them to go and tore into them the next day, when they still tasted very fresh.

The Espresso cake was hollowed out a little bit and had a scoop of a creamy icing in the middle. The cake part itself was fantastic; definitely a chocolate mud, with a very chocolatey flavour and a dense and moist consistency. The rest of it was a little disapointing; I couldn’t taste a single ounce of coffee or mocha flavour anywhere in the whole thing. D insisted he could in the icing, but to me it just tasted like cream.

The Turkish Delight was also very dense and well-made, and the cake initially had a very strong white chocolate mud taste. Then – boom – the rosewater flavour hit me and I was in Istanbul noshing on fresh, powdery Turkish Delight. Very impressive. But, again, I was let down by the icing. It reminded me of that old-school frosting that makes up the letters and edging on generic birthday cakes. I really didn’t like the texture; it went okay with the cake, but by itself it was a bit nasty.

So, My Sweetopia gets major points for showing some imagination with their cakes, but the toppings fell a bit flat. I fear that they are too focussed on making very pretty cakes. But you know, that’s the reason most people really love cupcakes, so who am I to awkwardly climb on my high horse and judge?

My Sweetopia deserves massive, massive bonus points because they are open late on the weekend. It is sad when it’s a huge thing for a little dessert place/cafe to be open late on the weekend, but that’s Brisbane for you.

The cafe itself is small but bright, cheerful, and sweet. There’s lots of outdoor seating too. Even though I wasn’t totally blown away by their cakes, I’ll definitely be back; it’s rare to find a ‘sweet’ late-night spot.

My Sweetopia
Bakery, Cafe, & Catering

Shop 8
180 Grey St, South Bank

(07) 3844 3732

www.mysweetopia.com.au

Open seven days

Category: CAFE, DESSERT, INNER CITY, INNER CITY, TAKE-AWAY |

ally | 30/10/2009

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Quick Bites Special: Brisbane Good Food & Wine Show

Food Porn

I consider myself to be a fairly generous person. I bake people cakes for their birthday. I stand up for little old ladies on trains. Sometimes I let my friends have the last beer from the jug (sometimes).

But, when it comes to food samples, I am the cheapest, scungiest, Scrooge-like person around. I make an absolute beeline for those people in Woolies offering little product samples. D gets embarassed and hangs back. I tell him to man up and get in there.

Perhaps he can practice his food sampling skills at the Brisbane Good Food & Wine Show next weekend. I am rather excited about this. Finally, a place to appreciate food, wine, and not get judged for grabbing free samples. Here are the deets:

When: Friday November 6-Sunday November 8.
Where: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (South Bank).
Time: 10am-6pm Friday and Saturday; 10am-5pm Sunday.
Cost: Tickets from $18 (concession); Masterclasses extra; Celebrity Theatre Shows $2.50 each (correct me if I’m wrong on this one, people; I’ve just done the math and bought a combined show+entry ticket for $20.50). Tickets available from Ticketek.
Attractions:
Celebrity Theatre: MasterChef’s George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan, Aria Restaurant’s Matt Moran, and Brett’s Wharf’s (and Ready Steady Cook’s!) Alistair McLeod are some of the maestros who will be cooking up a storm live on stage. Afterwards, chefs will be doing book signings.
Masterclasses: Classes include the Cheese Matters Masterclass, the Fresh Flavours of Asian Cooking class, The Tasty Meals on a Budget cooking class, and wine Masterclasses.
SAMPLES: Woo! Taste products from more than 300 exhibitors, and check out cooking equipment and accessories. Exhibitors include Allandale Wines, Barossa Valley Estate, Black Pearl Epicure, Campos Coffee, Newcastle’s Pudding Lady (this woman sounds amazing), Noosa Natural Chocolate Company, Tupperware, and Le Cordon Bleu Australia.
Specials: There will be special offers on a variety of food, wine, and cooking products. Bring your Visa, and a small child to carry your bags.
Other Stuff: For something more substantial, you can eat from the chef-designed menu at the on-site restaurant, Wild Oats. Here’s a chance to scoff some dishes from the likes of Matt Moran and Fifteen Melbourne’s Tobie Puttock for as little as $8 (dessert).

So? What are you doing still reading this and scratching your bum? Go get your ticket, fool!

Brisbane Good Food & Wine Show
Exhibition

Friday November 6-Sunday Novembre 8

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, South Bank

http://www.goodfoodshow.com.au/

Category: QUICK BITES |

ally | 29/10/2009

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Bar Barossa Blogger Dinner

Blogger Bonanza (oh and good food + wine)

Blogging (or is it pronounched ‘yohging’?) has not quite taken off in Brisbane as it has in Melbourne, Sydney, and especially North America. Usually when I tell people I have a blog I am met with a blank look. It was, therefore, a nice relief to attend a recent bloggers dinner and find out that there are lots of other Brisbane bloggers out there.Originally GG’s idea, the blogger dinner was set up by Kerry and was held at Bar Barossa. A new-ish restaurant, Bar Barossa specialises in wine, particularly from the Barossa Valley (who knew). It has a casual feel, and is decorated with all things vino-oversized wine bottles, a welcoming bar, wine glasses, photographs of such connoisseurs as Peter Lehmann, and some sweet grape-like chandelier things. The space has a very clean and modern feel, which wasn’t what I was expecting-I hear ‘wine’ and I think warm, cosy spaces.

We had a wine tasting on our visit, and tried about seven wines. I have been trying to get into the wine lately, people. And by ‘try’ I don’t mean I’ve been smacking the Sunnyvale every Friday night (but that’s not to say I’d oppose/judge/not join in those who are). I’ve been trying to develop more of a palate for vino, so the tasting was rather timely. We started with a Clare Valley 2008 Riesling, from the Wilson Vineyard. What does this all mean? I don’t really know. But it tasted good. Next up, we were the first ever customers to sip the Semillon from the Cirillo Estate. Winemaker Marco described it as a good oyster and seafood match. This wine was a little lighter in alcohol content, which was probably a good thing, as there were plenty more to try.

I’m really not a good wine critic, so I’ll just briefly go over the others: the 2007 Picardy Chardonnay was fruity, but still a little dry for my liking. The Rose, again from Cirillo, was really good and not overly sweet. This was because it was a dryer red, with only 3.4 grams of sugar per litre. It wasn’t as bitter as the other reds, and Marco said it was because there wans’t as much oak.

The wines were all tasty and complemented the food well, which coming from a newbie to wine, is really saying something.

Now. Food? Food.

I was disappointed to see the all-day tasting menu wasn’t on our tables, and assumed we had to order from the main menu (the waiter told us later that it was in fact available-it would have been nice to know this). Bar Barossa’s menu is fairly small but covers a good range of entrees, mains, and sides. I stuck with a main and promptly got food envy as entrees came out, and on either side of me was plonked half a dozen Coffin Bay Oysters, served with a Verjus Salsa, and a Slow Roasted Tomato and Basil Tartlet (both $18). The oysters looked very fresh, and were presented on a bed of ice. The tart was a pretty generous serve, and had very flaky pastry. I didn’t try either, but that was ’cause I was getting me some SALMON, baby.

For $30, I was really impressed with the size of this dish. The Grilled Atlantic Salmon was really quite big, and had a nice crispy skin. Salmon roe was on top-this was my first salmon roe, people. It was goood. They were little balls of sweetness that burst in my mouth. It was a rather exciting experience for my molars, let me tell you. The salmon came with celeriac mash and some steamed asparagus and snow peas. I would have preferred a higher vegie: mash ratio, but the huge mound of buttery, creamy mash made it a very filling meal. In fact-wait for it-I couldn’t finish it. Huh?

Kay-Lynn beside me was on fire. Both entrees she picked were delicious and excellent value for money. I was really jealous, especially when i tried her House Made Pasta wth Scallops, Prawns, & Salmon in Saffron Salmon Cream & Pearls ($18). The scallops (a generous serving, too) were very tender and were cooked perfectly, while the pasta sauce looked really rich but had a light flavour.

I also tried a little of GG’s Salt & Pepper Quail on Shaved Cucumber and Watercress Salad ($18), which was accompanied by a lovely sweet dressing. The serve was pretty small though, I have to say-and I always find this really funny with salads. Lettuce is cheap, right? Why not chuck a few more leaves on? The presentation of all of the dishes was beautiful, and they came out in an ideal time frame.

If you blog, or review, or whatever, you know that the most stressful part is taking a photo of the food. Some people have no problem with this and will just whip it out (filthy). I get massively stressed out, and am convinced everyone is looking at me and thinking I am a restaurant spy. Or, that they’ll be like the charming girls who sat near me recently at The Cupcake Parlour and loudly discuss why the hell “that girl is taking photos of the cupcakes. OMG she is taking photos of the cupcakes!!11!!”

So. A moment of acceptance washed over me as as soon as the first dish landed on the table, and a dozen cameras were whipped out and people began busily snapping away. Yay!

GG and I were keen for some cheese, although we were pressed for time and had to forgo it in the end*. I was intruiged by the Ciresa Gorgonzola Dolce ($8 for 50g)-sweet cheese?? Yes please.

Service throughout the night was friendly, efficient, and professional. Wine lovers will no doubt adore the place, and it’s refreshing to see such a specialty establishment opening in Brisbane.

*I may or may not have attacked a block of cheddar when I got home

Bar Barossa
Restaurant and Wine Bar

545 Queen St, Brisbane
(corner of Adelaide & Macrossan Streets)

(07) 3832 3530

www.purplepalate.com/barbarossa/

Category: BAR, CBD, CBD, RESTAURANT |

ally | 28/10/2009

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Area profile: South Bank

All the Colours of the Food Rainbow

South Bank used to have a beverage that my friends and I thought was the ultimate in culinary delights: the Rainbow Smash. I can hear you all sneer, “Oh, it’s just a frozen coke.” It is not just a frozen coke. It is a Rainbow SMASH, people. It’s all in the title. The range of flavours in the Rainbow Smash are not to be reckoned with. As I’ve grown older, my tastes have matured (somewhat), and so have South Bank’s. Here’s a brief run down on some of the dozens of restaurants, bars, and cafes that are scattered around this relaxed riverside community.

Breakfast
Poppy’s Basket earned rave reviews from Nick recently for their accommodating service and fresh eggs. Era do an all day breakfast on the weekend, and are more higher-end.

Lunch & Dinner
There is such a huge number of food places in and around South Bank that I’m going to just list them under the one heading-I am fairly sure that all of them are open for both lunch and dinner. I’m also going to list them by cuisine, as the beauty of South Bank is the plethora of different foods.

Pub-style
The Fox is on the outskirts of South Bank, and is a busy bar by night and a relaxing spot for a pub lunch by day.
The Plough Inn and The Shipp Inn have this same relaxed open-air feel and upscale pub grub.
Beastie Burgers are the perfect spot for a working lunch; they’re outdoors in the sunshine, they’re licensed (gets you through that arvo meeting), and they have awesome burgers.

Italian:
Dell ‘Ugo are an upscale restaurant with traditional Italian food, available on both a set menu and a regular menu.
La Via Pizzeria is ideal if you want to seduce someone (sexy low lighting and waiters that don’t hover), plus enjoy some pizza and Italian fare while you’re at it.
Amici’s do some impressive sounding banquets, or just some singular Italian dishes for all you weaklings out there.

French:
Piaf do possibly the most well-priced French food in Brisbane (think under $20).

Asian:
Satay Hut have low prices, a casual and modern setting, and mainly Thai and Malay food.
Viet De Lites: I am dying to try some food off this fresh, healthy-sounding Vietnamese menu.
Ginga Japanese are a sushi train (yay!), as well as a more up-scale Japanese restaurant.
Gandhi Curry House is another very reasonably priced, clean and chic restaurant, this time offering South Indian and Sri Lankan food.

Other
Mado do delicious Turkish food and are ideal for large groups.
Chez Laila have some of the best river and city views, and offer Lebanese dishes.

Modern:
Toscani’s have a huge, varied menu, including pasta, seafood, steak, and sandwhiches.
Sardine Tin was recently opened by Piaf’s owner Simon Livingstone, and is a small, open-air space serving mainly tapas.
5th Element is possibly the best-looking lady on the strip, with low lighting, open flame features, and a waterfall behind the bar. The menu is a bit more up-scale, and the service is fantastic.
Stone are located within the Saville Apartments, and are being very mysterious and saying that they have a new concept coming soon.

Drink
Era Bistro has a restaurant menu as well as a varied tapas menu, and are well-stocked with a variety of wines. Aside from The Fox, The Plough Inn, and The Shipp Inn, there aren’t many large bars or pubs around South Bank. You can take a short walk down the road to West End, or simply enjoy drinks at a South Bank restaurant’s bars (like 5th Element, who have a well-stocked wine bar, or Sardine Tin).

Sweet
Speaking of 5th Element, I am still yapping to people about my recent, unique dessert experience there. There’s also cute cupcakes at My Sweetopia, which is open until late on the weekends and also serves coffee. For something more casual, Movenpick ice cream serves up Swiss ice cream scoops that are all-natural. And, well, I have to say it: Cold Rock is right nearby. It’s no Rainbow Smash, but the ice cream flavours and mix-ins are equally as enticing.

Category: BAR, CAFE, DESSERT, INNER CITY, INNER CITY, INNER CITY, INNER CITY, INNER CITY, RESTAURANT, SPOTLIGHT, TAKE-AWAY |

ally | 26/10/2009

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Coffee and Chocolate Mini Review

Pretty but Pricey

Everyone loves teeny tiny chocolates, especially when they’re displayed in a glass case. People crouch in front of the case, making little ‘ooh’ noises, and giving murmurs of advice to their friends on which chocolate to get.

On a recent pit stop at Coffee & Chocolate in Queens Plaza, was I one of those people, hovering over the glass case, mumbling and exclaiming, “Oh I just CAN’T decide! *giggle*” ? No. No, I was not. My eyes quickly sought out the cutest looking chocolate and I promptly made my decision based on that. Call me shallow.The chocolate in question was the Cupcake. See how cute it is? All of the chocolates were mini works of art, and included a variety of flavours, like tiramisu, hazelnut, strawberry, or the more exotic Ruby (blood orange caramel filling with dark chocolate case). Coffee & Chocolate also do coffee, tea, and some food, as well as cakes.

Now, they are expensive. Most chocolates are around $2.90 and they are really small. Cakes like the friands or the Raspberry Coconut Tart hover around the $7-$8 mark, but they look very fancy and pretty.

My little Cupcake chocolate was assembled much like its namesake. A hard chocolate case and fluffy strawberry ‘cake’ were topped by a layer of chocolate truffle. The strawberry centre was a lot like a very thick and rich marshmallow. Sounds cool, right? Well, for $2.90 for a little bite I was expecting a bit more than something resembling a Pascal classic. Granted, the chocolate truffle top was rich and of a high quality, but the whole thing was very average. Perhaps I would have been better off sticking with one of the simpler truffles or cream centers.

Coffee & Chocolate is a very pleasant spot for a coffee; it’s got a plush and elegant feeling to it, and it has a fantastic view looking down on Queen Street Mall. It’s hard to find pretty places like these in the heart of the CBD (and in a shopping complex to boot), so for that I give them kudos. I don’t really like to judge the place based on just one chocolate, so I think I’ll go back in the future and give them another go.

Coffee & Chocolate
Cafe and Fine Chocolates

QueensPlaza-Level 1
226 Queen St
Brisbane CBD

(Also at Paddington)

(07) 3229 7799

Open 7 days, Friday until 9pm

Category: CAFE, CBD, CBD, DESSERT |

ally | 23/10/2009

One comment

Planet Matterz Review

Hi everyone. Meet Pahvai, our guest poster this week. Her post’s title makes me think of lolcats, and that must be a very good thing. Enjoy!

Breakfast Organic “Stylez”
I have a lot of idiosyncrasies. I hate wearing wet socks. I hate pineapple in a ‘curry’. I never wear polka dots. There’s a lot, trust me. I also hate words spelt with a ‘z’ instead of an ‘s’. And I have to be in a certain mood to enter places that serve ‘organic’ food because it usually means an automatic hike in prices. I’ve come around a little bit on the latter issue as I have a couple of friends who work for Australian Organic Certifiers, and I’ve eaten at a few restaurants that serve organic food that has been deliciously prepared (e.g. Mondo Organic, West End).

Despite this, it still surprised me on Saturday morning, when I called my friend Andrew up and said “Breakfast? Now?” and he mentioned Planet Matterz. I had driven past it countless times, recognising it as a ‘healthy’ food place but dismissing it as a grocer, in the realm of Mrs Flannery’s. But I’m always happy to be proven wrong.

Upon entering, you notice there’s seating outside, sheltered by trees, and spacious seating inside. There’s a deli counter with the chef and his staff bustling behind it, with sounds of sizzling bacon and bubbling/steaming milk emitting. There are also aisles and aisles of organic produce; fresh fruit & vegetables, organic bottled & canned goods, cheeses, milk, frozen Humble Pies – the usual stuff. But it’s well-lit, clean and not cramped. I spend a few minutes checking it all out before I look at the menu. I notice a big display unit showing delectable looking muffins, cakes, frittatas, stacks etc., but I glance at it quickly because I know I can get a little overzealous in my ordering, especially before my morning coffee.

Saturday was one of those elusive days where I felt like pancakes and not my usual egg variation. I scan the menu and to my disgust, there are no ‘pancakes with maple syrup’. I am unimpressed. There is a mention of it on the kids menu (‘Kids pancakes with banana and maple syrup’). I ask the staff member behind the counter if they do “adult pancakes”. He laughs. Of course they do. “But it’s not on the menu?” Regardless, they do serve it. I assume it’ll be the kids pancakes upgraded to ‘adult size’, and I order that and a serve of bacon (bless Canada). Andrew orders scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast. We both order coffees.

My total comes up to about $17, which doesn’t seem too painful. We sit down and about five minutes later, our coffees arrive. It’s very good coffee, made from Australian organic coffee. I couldn’t tell you if they had the right amount of foam in the latte, I just notice that it’s smooth, the coffee isn’t burnt and it tastes lovely. Andrew’s breakfast arrives, and he enquires about his bacon. The waiter doesn’t think Andrew ordered bacon. After looking at him pout for a few seconds, I offer (very generously) to share my bacon when it arrives.

My pancakes arrive and they are not what I expect. They are not pancakes smothered in maple syrup. Instead, it’s a stack of pancakes with berry compote and a scoop of ice cream. With a side plate of bacon. They must’ve thought I was just really craving bacon, not attempting to understand the beauty of maple syrup, bacon and pancake combination. Also, Andrew’s scrambled eggs look a bit like an omelette to me, but he insists they’re scrambled.

Regardless, I’m not in the mood to argue, so I tuck in. It’s very good. The pancakes are light and slightly sweet, the berry compote has mulberries and raspberries, and it’s all very tasty. The bacon is perfect. It had the consistency that I like: soft with crispy sides, and smoky. Deliciously smoky.

The staff at Planet Matterz are friendly, and seem genuinely happy to be there and that made the ambience good. But Andrew and I are reasonably relaxed customers, so we’re happy with our mismatched meals. There was no discounting that it was a well-prepared, tasty meal, but whether or not Andrew forgot to order bacon, or I didn’t clarify that I wanted pancakes with maple syrup, the experience felt a little perplexing. I am, however, very willing to give Planet Matterz another shot.

Planet Matterz
Organic Food Store and Café

684 Wynnum Rd, Morningside

http://www.planetmatterz.com/

Phone: (07) 3399-6008

Picture courtesy of www.news.com.au

Category: CAFE, EASTERN SUBURBS |

ally | 22/10/2009

9 comments

Beastie Burgers Review

Bloody Good Burgers

Has anyone seen the news story about the Krispy Kreme burger? It’s disgusting, isn’t it. Imagine: a greasy burger, dripping with fat, sandwhiched between a Krispy Kreme doughnut. There’s a sick part of me that is curious, and would probably take a bite. Maybe it tastes fantastic? Maybe it could be the new culinary delight, but everyone is too scared to try it in fear of getting fat and heart disease?

Luckily, if I’m ever feeling this way again, I’ve found a good burger place to satsify my burger craving and not increase my cholesterol level. I’m talking about Beastie Burgers at South Bank, a licensed burger joint that offers imaginative and unique burgers, with nary a doughnut in sight (damn).

Yeah, I’m a little slow to jump on the Beastie bandwagon, but whatever. The point is, I’ve now been, and it’s damn good. On our recent visit we ordered an IT Support (tandoori chicken, yoghurt dressing, roast tomato, onion jam, lettuce), and a Spice Route (sweet potato, beef patty, haloumi, chill jam, tomato relish, hummus). Or, as D called it, “A Spice Rowte? Rootay? What is it?” Lucky he’s cute.

Both burgers were $10.50, which seemed like a reasonable price given their size and the quality of the ingredients. The IT Support contained a huge fillet of grilled chicken in a subtle Tandoori coating, along with generous serves of the vegies. Similarly, D’s Spice Rowte was packed to the brim, with thick discs of haloumi and beef taking centre stage.

Goddamnit, D’s burger beat mine. The combination of the sweet potato, beef, and haloumi was fantastic. Suprisingly, the flavours all complemented each other really well. My only complaint was that there were too many condiments-while delicious, in the end they made the burger a little soggy and start to fall apart. Having said that, the condiments were all so tasty. Very conflicting.

It was the opposite story with my burger-I felt there could have been a little more yoghurt dressing, to really push the whole ‘Tandoori’ focus of the burger. Here’s a funny story. I thought they called it IT Support because it must be what nerds eat. D is a nerd, but does not eat Tandoori chicken burgers all the time (nerds prefer Pepsi Max and Chicken Crimpy Shapes, it seems). Then I made the Tandoori-IT Support connection. Ohhh. Very un-PC, but cleverly named.

Despite my lack of sauce, my burger was also really tasty. The chicken was very lean and cooked perfectly, and not an ounce of any sort of greasy substance spilled out of either of our burgers. The buns were large, fresh, and fluffy, and made the burgers easier to eat (rather than those thicker yet smaller buns that force the burger to be really high, thus impeding eating technique).

Beastie Burgers also has salads, onion rings, fries, and a variety of drinks, including a Lindt Chocolate Milkshake. God that sounds good. There’s also beer from $5.50, wine, and coffee.

There’s friendly and polite table service, free water, and very relaxed and casual outdoor seating. I admit I still find it weird eating at places that have elements of both restaurant (licensed, table service) and casual take away (simple furniture, open-air, fairly low prices), but Beastie’s is still worth a visit. The burgers are, to date, the best I’ve had in Brisbane. Follow the delicious rawte to Beastie’s.

Beastie Burgers
Cafe and Takeaway

Shop 60D
Little Stanley St
South Bank

(07) 3844 4070

Category: INNER CITY, INNER CITY, RESTAURANT, TAKE-AWAY |

ally | 19/10/2009

No comments

Rosalie Gourmet Market Round-Up

Deli-cious

God I love delis. They’re exciting places. So much food and produce is just crammed into a small space. I feel like Charlie Bucket in a deli. But there are no Oompah Loompahs (I find them freakish and they scare me). There’s only rich chocolatey brownies, fresh meats, stuffed olives, and loaves of just-baked bread.

I may not have been in a Roald Dahl novel, but I was at the Rosalie Gourmet Market. I cannot believe it took me so long to actually go into this place. From the outside it may look like a humble neighbourhood grocery store, but it is not.

Inside it’s crammed with everything you could think of. There’s fresh fruit and vege, along with various stores and even kitchenware and gifts. So what? Well, then you turn your head and see a counter dedicated solely to cheese. The case is crammed with 100 quality cheeses of varying prices and types, and helpful staff offer suggestions for matching.

There are two other counters as well: one for meats and other deli items, and one for baked goods. The meats/deli counter offers chorizo, turkey breast, rare roast beef, and other treats like stuffed bell peppers and marinated vegies. There are 18 different antipasto items, and sampling of the olives is encouraged. I like this place.

The baked goods counter is nuts. I stood there staring with my mouth wide open, possibly a droplet of drool hanging off my chin. This section is stuffed with cakes, tarts, pastries, bread, cookies, you name it. Bread comes in loaves, sticks, and small single-roll portions, and there are whole cakes as well as smaller slices.

I’ve had the Ricotta Crostada cake before, and the texture was unlike anything I’ve had-like a baked ricotta cheesecake, but far more complex and flavoursome. Eight different pastry chefs supply the sweet goods, fresh every day. On our visit to the Market, we sampled chocolate brownies (there are samples all over the place). They were rich, dense, and right up there with my Top Brownie Experiences. Some people mark their lives with milestones like graduations, jobs, and events. I mark mine with Brownies.

Inspired, we got a white chocolate and pistachio blondie, and a piece of baklava. For those of you who aren’t familiar (and if so, I shake my head), a blondie is a white chocolate brownie. The Market’s blondie was, without a doubt, the best blondie I’ve ever had (probably the best brownie, but making that assumption scares me. Then what will I have to live for?). It was that perfect balance between cookie and cake, just how a brownie/blondie should be. The white chocolate flavour was strong, and the pistachios gave the blondie a nice crunch. The baklava was also pretty damn good, although the pastry was a tiny bit dry. It still dripped honey all over the box, our fingers, and my pants, so that’s a good sign.

The Market is good for other food too-the fetta stuffed olvies were fat, fresh, and bursting with a creamy fetta. The chorizo had a smoky flavour and didn’t taste too fatty, and a sundried tomato pesto was a nice spin on an old favourite. The sliced turkey breast makes you feel like never getting meat from the supermarket again-there is just no comparison in quality.

Prices at the Market are quite standard for gourmet food, but reasonable. Cupcakes are as little as $2.50, while whole cakes range from $20-$30. Given the quality and the freshness, this is a very fair price. Antipasto products are also reasonably priced, starting at $25 per kilo.

Don’t wait until you’re planning a party, a wine-and-cheese night, or need something to impress your in-laws. Go to the Rosalie Gourmet Market now, eat some cheese, scoff some cake, and then think how a crappy Monday suddenly turned out so well.

Rosalie Gourmet Market
Gourmet Deli, Bakery, Butcher, and Grocery Store

Corner Nash St and Baroona Road
Rosalie

(07) 3876 6222

www.rosaliegourmet.com.au

Category: DESSERT, INNER CITY, INNER CITY, SPOTLIGHT, TAKE-AWAY |

ally | 19/10/2009

No comments

Max Brenner’s Review

Sweet Anticipation

We’re going to venture a little further afield with this review. Pretend it’s EatDrinkGoldCoast, just for a moment. I just spent the weekend at the coast with my homeslice. We had been looking forward to relaxing, enjoying the warm weather, and spending quality time together.

Who am I kidding. We were excited about none of this. We were going to MAX BRENNER’S BABY!!

Okay, so obviously I’ve been looking forward to this for a while. I first got a taste when I peeped into their New York store. My appetite was whetted when a colleague brought me back some chocolate covered waffle balls (you read that right) from the Sydney store. Then, recently, they opened in Robina (shortly followed by Main Beach). Oh yes. This was fate.

We visited the Main Beach cafe, which has lots of seating and is decorated with warm chocolately colours. Obviously you don’t come to Max’s and order a salad. That would be rude. Plus, the ‘healthiest’ thing on the menu is waffles with fruit.

We were incredibly restrained and ordered a Chocolate Banana Pizza ($14) to share, plus an Italian Thick White Chocolate ($5.50) and a Cookieshake (white chocolate, cookies, and caramelised pecans, $7) . My hot chocolate came out in a ‘hug mug’. It’s designed so that you can cup your hands around, and really enjoy the ‘chocolate drinking ceremony’. Lovely idea and all, but the mug wasn’t really wide enough to properly hug. Either that, or I have man hands.

I’m usually disapointed when I order white hot chocolates-they never taste very chocolatey. Well. There was certainly an expression on my face, and it was not disaspointment. This was like drinking pure melted white chocolate. In fact, in reminded me very much of the mixture in a white chocolate cake I make-melted butter, white chocolate, and sugar. This was ridiculously rich, but so, so good. I can only image how good the other hot chocolates must be-Coconut White Chocolate, and Mexican Spicy Chocolate sound like they’re worth a return visit.

D’s Cookieshake was a bit more tame, but still sweet. It was thick and refreshing, with a strong vanilla flavour. What we suspect were Oreos were crushed up very finely, and provided a subtle flavour to the drink.

I admit, the small-ish size of the treats in the cabinet (like the cheesecake with the brownie base) had me a bit worried. What if our pizza wasn’t very big? What if we were hungry still, and were forced to actually get a sandwhich or something equally as lunch-like? No matter. The pizza was rather sizeable.
I was expecting something like a cookie dough base, but it was much like an actual pizza, only lighter. The texture actually reminded me of naan bread. It was the perfect neutral base to the topping: smears of thick melted chocolate, marshmallow bits, caramelised pecans, and chopped up banana.

Sadly, this is where I started to slow down. I’m quite embarassed by what follows. Usually, I have a scarily high tolerance for sugar. I can dominate sweet things in huge volumes. The more I have, the more I am able to take in-it’s a skill. But after the pizza, I couldn’t finish my hot chocolate. I didn’t want to finish it, delicious as it was. This is the worst part: D finished it. I was relishing a chance for him to bow out from our sugar fest early on so that I could taunt him, but here he was, finishing my hot chocolate along with his shake. Plus, he shared my last pizza slice with me. For shame.

The prices seemed pretty reasonable, given the size and quality of the drinks and the pizza. The prices do pretty much mirror that of your average cafe or dessert restaurant, so I’d say Max’s is value for money (although, as I’m looking at the website, the prices seem a little different to what we paid-I’ve recorded the current website prices in this post. My head is still leaking sugar, so I can’t remember exactly what we paid).

Now, after that sugar high, I’m sure you’re waiting for some complaints. I really only have one: no plates with the pizza. We were served knifes and forks, but no plates. I’m all for getting in there and getting nasty with some chocolate, but this wasn’t a late night kitchen binge. This was a respectable establishment that didn’t judge you when you mopped up the chocolate scraps on the pizza pan with your finger.

Max’s is an ideal place for dessert, but if you’re ordering anything more substaintial (like the pizza, or the waffles), bear in mind they are very filling. We thought of this before hand (we are pros) and went to Max’s for ‘lunch’.

I’ve seen a few dessert pizzas on various menus around Brisbane, so I’ll be very keen to see if they match up to Max’s. I am doubtful though that the drinks will-and this might be a good thing. I’m not sure something as delicious as that hot chocolate should be available in such close proximity to me.

Update
Max Brenner is now at South Brisbane in the Stanley St Plaza!

Max Brenner’s
Dessert Cafe and Chocolate Shop

Shop 24, Ground Floor
Marina Mirage Complex
74 Seaworld Drive
Main Beach, QLD

(also at Robina Town Centre)

(07) 5591 1588

Open Monday-Friday, 10am until very late
Saturday and Sunday, 9am until very late
maxbrenner.com.au

Category: BEYOND BRISBANE, CAFE, DESSERT |

ally | 16/10/2009

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Quick Bites: Melbourne Cup 09 Special

Giddy Up Baby, Giddy Up Giddy Up

Say whaaat? Sorry, I got distracted by that line. Melbourne Cup-AKA the Race that Stops a Nation, AKA Two Hour Office Lunch-is coming soon. If you’re not lucky enough to be at the track watching the actual race, here’s a selection of the hundreds of restaurants and bars out there happy to entertain and feed you all on November 3.

Chow down in class at Libertine at Petrie Terrace. The recently opened French-Viet restaurant and bar is offering a whopping eight course banquet for the Cup. Now, I’m not saying I couldn’t do eight courses-I have been known to pack away a good meal in my time. I’m just saying you better be careful: you’ll need to make room for the glass of Mumm Champers you’ll be served on arrival, plus a button popping if you’re in Fashions on the Field could be rather embarassing. Tickets are $95.

Party with a conscience at Woolloongabba’s Chalk Hotel. The popular bar and eatery is hosting an event that includes a cocktail on arrival, a four hour beverage package, a buffet, raffles, entertainment, and more. Plus, all proceeds go to the Leukaemia Foundation of Queensland. Tickets are $100, and things kick off at 11.45am.

Splash out at the Limes Hotel in the Valley. The roof-top bar and lounge is offering a gourmet luncheon catered by Philip Johnson (of a little bistro called E’cco? You may have heard of it). The $135 ticket prices may seem steep, but the eats are accompanied by entertainment, thousands of dollars worth of prizes, sweeps, a glass of Veuve Clicquot on arrival, and a Fashions on the Field event hosted by Mike Goldman (you know, that dude from Big Brother Uplate. I credit that show with getting me through all-nighters in high school).

Calm your race nerves at Watt at New Farm. The riverside restaurant is selling tickets to their Melbourne Cup ‘do for $95. This gets you an outdoor BBQ, canapes, champagne on arrival, a Thai mini foot spa, a cool on-site DJ, and sweeps and prizes. Bare feet, BBQ, bubbly: what horse race?

Be ab fab at Berkley’s on Ann in the CBD. City workers, there is a Melbourne Cup event for you too. Plus it involves British comedy! And a buffet! And bubbles! And, of course Berkley’s on Ann. ‘Patsy’ and ‘Eddie’ from Absolutely Fabulous will play host at the restaurant, all for the reasonable price of $42.50. Sounds fabulous, sweetie darling sweetie (etc.).

Category: QUICK BITES |

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