Archive for CAFE

The Food Store @ Hilton Surfers Paradise

The Food Store platter

 

Simon visits the new deli-style shop inside the Hilton at Surfers Paradise.

To be honest with you, I initially wasn’t to sure about the idea of a deli placed within a hotel… but the more I thought about it, the greater my curiosity became about the delivery of the concept.  Over the years, I have frequented a number of “delis” around Brisbane and the Gold Coast, but those that have remained true to the ideal of a delicatessen have become fewer. Many of them have slipped into becoming coffee shops that happen to serve a selection of fancy condiments and imported goods, usually at overly inflated prices.
The concept of a “European Deli” has always been one of quality produce and products, sourced both from afar and, much more importantly, from local producers.  This however is something that is seen less and less now in Queensland, sadly enough.
So, I ventured to the relatively new (opened in Sept 2010) Hilton Surfers Paradise and was greeted by the lovely Chelsea.  After giving me a quick tour of Luke Mangan’s signature restaurant Salt Grill, and the mixologist Grant Collins’ stylish Fix Cocktail Bar, we returned to The Food Store.

The Food Store Hilton
The Food Store stretches the length of the lobby walkway, from the Hilton’s Orchid Avenue entrance through to reception, providing easy access to both curious public and hotel guests alike. Featuring rich dark wood paneling, stainless steel floor-to-ceiling chilling cabinets, and shelves of delicacies from around the world, ones’ eye is immediately drawn to it.  Whether you find yourself perusing the multitude of gourmet delights or taking a seat to savour a selection from the cabinets with a glass of wine, you easily slip into a little moment of indulgence.
I sat down with The Food Stores’ executive chef, Thomas Pirker.

As he stepped me through a beautiful selection of sliced meats, cheeses and antipasti, he went into great detail about each item on the board and how it had been sourced. Many of the products are produced by local farmers and suppliers established around  the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Byron Bay regions.  Thomas strongly believes that we have some truly incredible produce here in Australia, which he has gathered from as far north as the tablelands, west of Cairns, and as far south as Tasmania. All of these quality Australian delectables share pride of place with cheeses from France, ham from Spain, and sausages from Italy.
As my taste buds were seduced by the rich marbling of dried Wagyu beef, the gentle aniseed flavour of the fennel seed encrusted salami, and the smooth creaminess of Fromager Des Clarines (a french cheese), I was impressed not only by the quality of the food before me but also by Thomas’ passion for what he has brought to life.  The concept was to provide a place where people could select quality produce from an extensive array that is not readily available anywhere else on the Gold Coast.  The expert staff of The Food Store are enthusiastic about what they are serving and are incredibly helpful  when choices are to be made from the vast selection on hand.
Customers have the option of building a tasting board of cheeses, antipasti, meats and patisserie items to dine upon at the long communal table or to take away for a quiet night at home. For guests of the hotel, they can choose to have their selection delivered to their room with a chilled bottle of wine.  In addition to this, there is also a cafe-style menu of temptations – if you find selecting from the towering cabinets of charcuterie and cheeses a bit overwhelming.
Whether you want a late afternoon meeting over a cheeseboard with a glass of wine, a light meal complemented by some great coffee, or you need to collect some beautiful ingredients for a gathering of friends at home, The Food Store lends itself to all of these situations and many more.  It is this combination of fine food, passionate staff, and comfortable ambiance makes it a desirable destination for anyone who truly loves food.  I doubt it will be long before I find myself there again.

The Food Store
Hilton Surfers Paradise
6 Orchid Avenue
Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast
(07) 5680 8000
http://www.hiltonsurfersparadise.com.au/restaurant-the-food-store.html

Simon was a guest of The Food Store. Many thanks!

The Frog & Turtle Cafe

FnT_20110529-300x212

Another guest post from my new favorite foodie, Simon. The Frog & Turtle, at the Gold Coast, very nicely invited Simon to check out their new menu.

Take it away Simes!

 

I must admit, this is the second time that I have been to the Frog & Turtle Cafe.  The first time was a couple of months ago when we had friends from Brisbane visiting us and we dropped into the cafe for a late-ish (2pm) lunch.  At the time, the service was good, and the food delicious, but the menu a bit sparse in its offerings.  I was going to do a review back then but time got away from me… thanks to life/work/etc.

Since then, the Frog & Turtle Cafe (or the FnT as they like to abbreviate it) have re-designed their menus, and gone online with a new website in an effort to share their cafe’s concept of “Your home away from home“.  Thus, I decided that maybe I should go back and make another attempt at writing a review.

This time, my visit was just before midday on a Saturday, where I was greeted by a friendly waitress quite promptly, in spite of the cafe being rather busy.  I was guided to a table in the outside area and informed that, even though the breakfast menu was closing in a matter of minutes (breakfast is from 7am-12pm), I was free to choose from either menu (the lunchtime menu runs from 12pm-3pm, but includes a smaller selection of breakfast dishes for the “all day breakfast” diner). After ordering a flat white, I spent some time perusing both menus, and generally absorbing the atmosphere.

The FnT sits just off the busy Gold Coast Highway in Burleigh Heads, with plenty of nearby street parking  (unusual in this part of the coast).  The noise from the passing traffic fades into the background of the outside area (thanks to the clear cafe blinds), and is further masked by the sound of people talking and generally enjoying their food.

The inside area is very cosy and unpretentious, with a couple of couches that seem to beg for you to sit down and relax.  The front counter is dominated by a glass cabinet that has an additional selection of tasty looking treats – definitely check these out before placing your final order.

The new menus are a big step up from their predecessors.  Breakfast options were extensive, with a definite emphasis that dishes can be modified to meet individual tastes, with prices ranging from $7 to $18.  I was immediately drawn to their “specialty” of Eggs Benedict, especially when it was described as “2 poach eggs, served atop sautéed mushroom and onion, on turkish, with creamy homemade hollandaise, with bacon, spinach or salmon“.  I mentioned to my waitress that it was a curious offering to have it served on “sautéed mushroom and onion”, and was quickly told that if I would prefer it differently, the chef would be happy to oblige.  As I sometimes attempt to be a bit adventurous and try new things, I ordered the Eggs Benedict with Spinach ($13.50), as it was suggested on the menu.

The Vivo coffee blend that FnT uses has quite a creamy finish, but is not as strong or full-bodied as I normally prefer my coffee.  However, it was a well made coffee and still made for a good cup, which inevitably led me to ordering a second one when my meal came out.

My Eggs Benedict arrived, looking almost identical to how they were pictured on the menu.  The eggs were beautifully poached, with clean intact whites around soft golden yokes.  The sautéed mushroom and onion, with the spinach mixed in, was tasty and well cooked, with all of this being positioned on top of a generous serving of turkish bread.  Unfortunately, the hollandaise sauce turned out to be quite bland, leaving the mushrooms to be the defining flavour of the dish.  This was a little disappointing as the presentation was great, and the other elements of the dish were definitely there.  I suspect that the issue with the sauce was not enough lemon juice in its preparation, but this may have just been the chef’s own interpretation of hollandaise sauce.

FnT may have missed me with their Eggs Benedict this time, but during my previous visit, my friends and I all enjoyed our selections from the lunch menu. Here’s the tasty burger we ordered last time:

The service at the FnT is sincere and enthusiastic, with the staff making every effort to cater to their customers’ needs, while the surroundings itself are laid back, comfortable, and inviting.  There is a lot of potential here, especially with their upcoming Nights@FnT, which look to include a curry night and a pasta night.

 

The Frog & Turtle Cafe is somewhere that I would definitely recommend trying – you may even find it’s a good home away from home.

 

The Frog and Turtle Cafe

1863 Gold Coast Highway

Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast

(07) 5576 3933

http://www.frogandturtlecafe.com

Cibo Espresso

Cibo Cappucino

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m going to make this short and sweet.

Cibo Espresso makes, hands down, the best coffee in Brisbane.

Make that – the best coffee in South East Queensland, Melbourne, and Sydney.

CIBO CANNOLI

(The cannoli ain’t bad either)

I would say “the world”, but I haven’t been everywhere, have I?

 

Cibo Espresso

4/85 Merthyr Road, New Farm

(also at West End)

http://www.ciboespresso.com.au

Cibo Espresso on Urbanspoon

The Gunshop Cafe

Gunshop Cafe

D and I have one regret about our recent trip to New York. Cupcakes.

“I cannot BELIEVE we split that cupcake.”

“I am never splitting a Magnolia cupcake with you again.”

Yes, it would seem our newly greedy selves are disgusted that we shared a famed Magnolia cupcake. I don’t know where the hell that self-restraint came from, but suffice to say it’s been pretty absent lately.

Somehow, we dug deep and found that sharing vibe on a recent trip to The Gunshop Cafe for breakfast. I was worried we’d have to join a huge line up, but we only had to wait for about 10 minutes before our friendly waiter showed us to a nice outdoor table.

Both of our eyes immediately zeroed in on the Canadian brioche french toast with bacon, caramelized banana, pecans and maple syrup ($17.50). We both wanted it. However, I was neither starving nor hungover, and also thought the simple Sonoma spelt maple & almond muesli with d’agen prunes and ‘barambah’ natural yoghurt ($9.5o) sounded good.

I KNOW RIGHT

I suggested we order both and share. D agreed, pouting. I admit, when the french toast arrived I had to stop myself from dashing off with it. Thick slices of maple syrup-drenched, fluffy brioche were the anchor to a tower of bacon, gooey banana, and perfectly toasted pecans.

I started in on the muesli first, which was a very generous serve (it’s under the ‘light’ heading, but it’s definitely a hearty meal). The prunes were a great touch, transforming what could be just an average (albeit tasty) bowl of muesli into something gourmet.

I couldn’t wait until it was time to swap, and eagerly dug into my half of the french toast. Now – here we go – are you ready?

Best French Toast EVER.

This french toast is no joke. Brioche is hands-down the perfect bread for this dish. The slices were cooked perfectly, with a crispy golden crust and fluffy inside. The combination of banana, bacon, pecan, and maple is just insanely perfect. I moaned my way through this dish.

Afterwards I was feeling pretty full – the french toast may be no joke but it is rich. Wasn’t splitting it such a good idea? I asked D.

D begrudgingly agreed. “I could still eat the whole thing myself. I still want to next time,” he frowned.

This was one instance when I didn’t regret flexing my willpower and sharing muscle, but for all of you out there who aren’t so strong: get into it and enjoy every damn bite.

The Gunshop Cafe

53 Mollison Street, West End

07 3844 2241

www.thegunshopcafe.com

Gunshop Cafe on Urbanspoon

Espresso Garage

I feel like there are two categories of people in this world: cyclists and runners. Not too fond of the way my ass looks in spandex, I am a runner. I proudly pound the pavement, bits jiggling everywhere, sweating my little heart out, and ignoring the fact that every kilometre brings me closer to a knee reconstruction.

I know there are people who enjoy both activities, but when you hit a run/cycle track, you can definitely sense the separation. And I’m just going to say it: there is some animosity. Not from everyone, sure, but I know that a lot of cyclists think they are better than runners, and that a lot of runners scoff at those who are bike-bound.

I don’t have a problem with cyclists per se, but they intimidate me when they whiz by in ultra-fit packs, taut bums in the air, taunting me with their firmness.

That was why D warned me recently as we were about to visit Espresso Garage, a cafe in South Bank: “It is a cyclist hangout.”

And sure enough, there they all were: lapping up the sunshine at the few tables Espresso Garage has, admiring the pretty view of South Bank, reading the basic but thoughtful menu, chatting with the friendly waitstaff, and stretching out their legs with their perfect patellas inside.

I, in my little running shoes and sweaty hair, cautiously sat down and let D order. He had been raving about Espresso Garage’s avocado toast, so we shared an order. A thick serve of toasted turkish bread was served with half an avocado, and a little tub of tomato salsa. This salsa was crazy good: sweet, salty, spicy, hearty, and it paired so well with the avo. This was simple food, but done so freaking well. A bit of salt and pepper on top brought out the flavours even more. I know people might think avo toast is not rocket science, but food like this is surprisingly difficult to do well. Take vegemite toast: no one makes it better than your mum, correct?

The coffees were pretty good too; my skim capp was smooth and had a lovely after taste, and D’s flat white was milky and tasty. But the winner here really was the toast. This toast could write tax returns; it could prevent stock market crashes and win presidential elections. It could, even, narrow the divide between cyclists and runners. If there’s one thing that can draw the two of us to the same place willingly, it will be this avocado toast.

Espresso Garage

176 Grey St

South Bank

(07) 3846 6162

Espresso Garage on Urbanspoon

Monty’s Chocolates

Monty's Sampler

Sometimes I think I am a masochist. You would think that a month in Europe (where I scoffed pastries, beer, full-fat milky coffees, and huge wedges of cheese on a daily basis) would make me sick of rich food by the time I got home.

Err, no. I like to torture my liver and my blood glucose levels, it seems. One of my first outings since arriving back in Brisbane was to Monty’s Chocolates, a little cafe and chocolate shop in Paddington. Chocolate shops are basically the equivalent of S & M for me.

Monty’s is very small, but it’s cosy and there are a few tables inside. We ordered the chocolate sampler ($8.80), which came with a hot chocolate, one liquid salted caramel, fruit and nut candies, plain chocolate, a truffle, and chocolate covered coffee beans. We also got a mocha. Because we are nasty, nasty people.

The salted caramels seem to be a popular item at Monty’s, but I wasn’t too sold on them. I love the idea of sweet and salty, but the bitter cocoa dusting on the shell threw the taste off for me a bit. Naughty.

The chocolate-covered fruit and nut candies were delicious;  like grown up M & Ms. I also liked the chocolate-covered cocoa beans, which didn’t have the overly bitter taste I was expecting. The plain chocolate was good. It had this great balance between milk and dark. Finally, the strawberry truffle was gooey and sweet, and pretty tasty. Cheeky little thing.

The hot chocolate was a bit average. It was done in an ‘Italian style’, true, but I found it to be too sickly. This could be a matter of personal taste, and it is hard to make a milkier hot chocolate that is still rich and chocolatey. Note too that it’s a very, very small cup of hot chocolate that comes with the sampler – although trust me, it’s more than enough. The mocha was fantastic – creamy, smooth, and chocolatey, with a hint of coffee flavour. Definitely no punishing your tastebuds here.

We bought some hand made chocolates to take home, because I am a bad, bad girl who likes to mess with my insulin levels. The Hazelnut Cup was my favourite, and was filled with a whipped hazelnut chocolate filling; the Cookies & Cream cup was delicious and had a filling that reminded me of icing; the Peanut Butter Fudge was a bit average, and the filling was too sugary and not buttery enough; the Black Forest Bomb had a liquor-like bite to it; and the Sticky Date Fudge was amazing. The smooth chocolate filling hid a very strong date and caramel flavour.

Monty’s Chocolates definitely satisfies a sweet tooth and is a cute spot for a coffee and truffle. If you’re into that kind of thing.

Monty’s Chocolates

Cafe & Chocolate Shop

155 Latrobe Terrace

Paddington

07 3369 3135

http://www.montyschocolates.com.au/

Monty's Chocolates on Urbanspoon

Sol Bread

Sol pizza

I like variety in my lunches. Sometimes I want soup; sometimes I want a salad. Sometimes I want one of those blindingly white ham and cheese bread rolls from Woolworths (don’t judge, I know you poke them too to feel their softness).

I was therefore pleased recently to see the wide variety of cheap lunch options at Sol Bread in Paddington. If you’ve ever wandered past this cafe/bakery and dismissed it as only selling bread, think again: pizza, muesli, savoury pastries, fruit salad, sandwiches, salad, and cake were just some of the offerings I saw on the day I visited.

The price was right too; my small pumpkin salad was $7.50 and was a very generous serve. My only complaint? Cheese OVERLOAD. I know, I know, there’s no such thing as a cheese overload, right? Well, when you order a pumpkin salad and a bowl with a thick blanket of fetta hiding a tiny amount of greens, pumpkin, and pine nuts arrives, you start to re-think your devotion to the wonder blocks of calcium. A more even ratio of vegies to cheese would have been brilliant.

Momma T ordered a slice of vegie pizza, and had no complaints. The pizza was also of a generous size. Our coffees were just average – their main letdown was the fact that they were very luke warm.

This little cafe is cosy, comfortable, and cheery, and service is swift and laid back. It’s a great place if you’re after a cheap and healthy lunch, plus they’re well-stocked with the famous Sol bread varieties. I’ve had the fruit sourdough bread before and it was hearty and delicious.

Although if you prefer a sneaky piece of cheese’n'bacon, I totally understand.

Sol Bread

Bakery and Cafe

20 Latrobe Tce

Paddington (also locations in West End, Newstead, and Toowong)

(07) 3876 4800
http://ishop.solbreads.com.au/default.aspx

Sol Breads Paddington on Urbanspoon

Jeremy’s

Jeremy's Bar Area

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am a major procrastinator. I always put off things like cleaning my room, because I’d rather 1) pick all the raisins out of the muesli and eat them, 2) lie on my bed and read six month old issues of NW that I’ve borrowed from the library, and 3) inspect my head in the mirror, looking for grey hairs (nothing yet).

Case in point: Jeremy’s in the city. I first passed by this little wine bar/restaurant about a year ago and loved the look of it – the bar in the centre of the room, the low couches, the intimate little tables, the fairy lights covering one of the back walls. There’s something very ‘Melbourne’ about Jeremy’s: it looks chic and cool, but also warm and inviting at the same time. I also loved the menu, which was well-priced (dinner $20-$35, breakfast from $10), and featured such yummy dishes like gnocchi in a blue cheese sauce, dukkah spiced lamb, and salmon with champagne hollandaise.

And so, “oh, we HAVE to go to Jeremy’s soon” became a regular weekly phrase flying out of D’s and my mouth. A year later, finally this happened:

D: “I booked Jeremy’s for tomorrow…”

Me: “Awesome.”

D: “Guess who answered the phone?”

Me: “Who?”

D: “JEREMY.”

Cue my eyes bugging out, D nodding solemnly, and us both whispering, “Jeremy? He exists? You mean there is actually a Jeremy?”

Anyway. Jeremy was absent on our visit, but a very polite and professional waiter was there instead. You know what else was there? Cloth tablecloths. You know I’m a sucka for them.

Breakfast is served until 2pm on Sunday, and the menu is quite extensive, featuring both light and heavier options. I went with Jeremy’s Muesli, which was a blend of  ”fruits, nuts, grains, sliced banana, skim or full cream milk and honey cinnamon yogurt” ($10.90). D ordered the Ricotta Hotcakes, which came with date cream, poached pear, and a spiced sauce ($15.90). He also got a flat white ($4). I’m much stronger and don’t need caffeine in the morning to be a charming person, so I abstained.

My muesli was a very generous serving of natural oats, with nuts, dried apricot, fresh banana, and just a little bit of yoghurt. I was expecting toasted oats, so this was a surprise dish – the consistency of it in fact reminded me of a chewier, thicker bircher muesli. Despite my surprise, I really enjoyed this healthy dish. It was simple, yet very flavourful. I would have loved just a little more fruit, but only because there was such a huge amount of oats – I couldn’t even finish it, which is unheard of.

Meanwhile, across from me, D was thoroughly cleaning his plate. Two fluffy, perfectly cooked hotcakes were served with a generous dollop of thick cream dotted with dates, and a large piece of poached pear. The cakes had soaked up a lot of the spiced syrup, and that, coupled with the date cream, had me expecting a very dessert-like dish. But to our surprise, the spices balanced everything out and downplayed the sweetness. The contrast of sweet and spicy was amazing – I haven’t tasted flavours like that before. The date cream was delicious – it was so thick it looked like a scoop of ice cream, and had a lovely chew.

D’s flat white was also very good. The service from our main waiter was brilliant – he was so polite and really made the whole experience feel a little posh. Our only complaint was that we were sort of left sitting there for a while after the meal, with no offer from them to bring the bill.

I loved Jeremy’s, and will definitely be going back for dinner. It’s a romantic little spot, but would also be great for a few quiet drinks. Get there – it’s something that shouldn’t be put off.

Jeremy’s

Restaurant and Bar

93 Albert St, Brisbane CBD

(07) 3210 6529

www.jeremys.com.au

Jeremy's Espresso Bistro on Urbanspoon

Spotlight: Tognini’s Spring Hill Re-Opening

Man, I love a good deli. There’s something about a huge, viewable range of fresh produce, cheeses, meats, and antipasti that just excites me. Perhaps I was meant to be born an elegant, sexy gal from Perugia, and not a bumbling, is-that-really-another-food-stain-on-my-shirt chick from Canada.

Tognini’s has been somewhat of an institution for deli-lovers in Brisbane since the nineties. The other night I was lucky enough to attend a sneak preview of their re-vamped Spring Hill location. What was once a humble (albeit fantastic) deli has now grown to be a bit of a casual restaurant and bistro. Tognini’s Spring Hill will also now open their doors on Sundays, giving us yet another excuse to go out for a late Sunday breakfast (with brekkie dishes like French Toast with Chocolate Sauce ($12.50), and Parmesan Toast with Bacon and Spicy Tomato Salsa ($12.50), I don’t blame us).

The refurb has turned the deli into a very cool and sleek venue, with a centre counter that is reminiscent of a chic bar. In the centre of the bar is a charcuterie cabinet (don’t worry, I had to google it too), which holds a wonderful array of fresh meats that might tempt even the strictest vegetarian.

Mark and Narelle Tognini spoke with passion of their recent visit to Turin in Italy, and the restaurants, delis, and food they experienced that inspired them to transform Tognini’s Spring Hill into more of a bistro. “The kitchen will never close!” Mark declared, referencing the location’s new later opening hours for dinner. The licensed bistro will now stay open for dinner, offering such yummy dishes as Grilled Quail in Vine Leaf with Pistachio Sauce and Labne ($24.50), or Scallops with Oloroso Sherry, Asparagus and Migras ($16.50).

I sampled a few of their ‘sputini’, which are small, tapas-style dishes. The Polenta Chips with Sour Cream and Sea Salt ($8) were soft and fluffy with a crispy shell; while the Scallops with Smoked Pancetta ($14) were the clear favourite. Perfectly cooked, these little guys were perfectly contrasted with the saltiness of the slightly crisp pancetta.

I’ve been very cheeky and haven’t taken any pictures. You’ll just have to go see the new Tognini’s Spring Hill for yourself when it re-opens its doors tomorrow. Meanwhile, I’ll keep trying to turn my ‘ehs’ into ‘sis’ – possibly with the help of a little dolce.

Tognini’s Spring Hill

Bistro Cafe Deli

Springhill Marketplace

Cnr Turbot & Boundary St
Spring Hill
(07) 3831 5300

www.togninis.com

Newsroom Cafe

Newsroom Cafe Cappuccino

You know what? I love Starbucks. I do. I don’t care what you think – it’s great. I am fully behind any cafe in Brisbane that stays open past 6pm (*cough* frappucino *cough*). It’s so hard to find cosy cafes in this city that are open late, especially in the suburbs. This is why sometimes, as much as I love Starbucks, I wish there were more alternatives (I’ve talked about this before). Like most other cafes that are open late, they are not in the suburbs. Yes, I know West End and Milton have several late-night options, but I’m talking outside the inner-city.

I fulfilled half of my quest recently when I visited The Newsroom Cafe, in Toowong. Lots of seats? Check. Good coffee? Check. Sugary treats? Check. Open late? Bahm-bahmmm. This saddens me – Newsroom is a great little cafe, it’s independent, it’s cheap, it’s in an easily accessible area, but it seems to shut on most days well before 6pm.

Now, this is where I admit I’m an idiot and can’t remember the prices. I wrote them down in a very stealthy manner, and now that grubby little piece of paper is gone. I will therefore refer to everything quite vaguely as ‘well priced’. This means cheaper than usual, but not chipped nail polish cheap.

One bizarre thing I can remember is that the delicious white chocolate, cranberry, and pistachio slice we ordered was from Melinda’s Gluten Free Goodies. I loved this – it was like a blondie, but with a much harder and heartier texture. This flavour combination is brilliant, and it reminded me of a treat I had with similar flavours, at the Rosalie Gourmet Market. It was well priced, as were the other cakes and savouries on offer. Our skim cappucinos were also – you guessed it – well priced. The coffees in question were good, although I remember mine being a bit on the strong side.

Newsroom opens pretty early (around 6.30am), and often have pretty cheap breakfast deals. Newsroom, please, please, please think of those poor saps who can’t be bothered tredging up the road to Milton or the city, and stay open later! A-dawg likes her blondies at all hours of the day, not just before 5pm.

Newsroom Cafe

1 High St
Toowong

(07) 3871 1577

Open daily, 6.30am-6pm

Newsroom Cafe on Urbanspoon