Communal Bar and Eat House - Brisbane CBD

Following my lunch at Cafe Brisbane, the next up on my list of places to go in Brisbane Square was the Communal Bar and Eat House, being the spacially largest of the four new shops opened in the square.

Communal offers both a selection of indoors and outdoors seating, which gives the option to those who like to sit outdoors, and those who like to sit indoors (such as myself). The atmosphere is relaxed, and the decor is rustic but casual. 

There is a big 'Order Food Here' sign, which meant that I avoided any confusion sitting at the table waiting to be served. 

I was quite impressed about being provided with water without having to ask for it. Service was friendly and the waiters' smiles were very warm and genuine.

Whist I would have loved to try the wood fired pizza, I was skeptical of the cooking time it would take, especially given my tight lunch hour. Conservatively, I ordered a wagyu burger. I found the bun to be toasted but soft on the inside, and I particularly love how the back was cooked until crunchy without being overly burnt. While my preference is with the purple spanish onions which is the norm for most burgers, Communal used caramelised onions instead, which was quite a refreshing change. The patty was nicely cooked, though it was small in size compared to the bun, but quite thick.  For a place which is not a burger chain, I found this to be one of the better burgers that I've had.

My first associate ordered the Barvarian Dog, which was served with potato salad. While the hotdog was good, (Bread was soft, sausage was done nicely), the potato salad was definitely the highlight for us. It was served cold, which was very refreshing on a hot summer day, and the dressing was very creamy, and worked to emphasise the flavours of the herbs.

Our remaining companion got the battered whiting and chips. I found the serving to be quite generous, with three pieces of whiting, and an ample amount of chips and salad. At first bite, we found the whiting to be quite fishy, but that was easily covered up by the lemon. The batter was light and crispy, without being overly oily.

I really enjoyed my lunch at Communal Bar and Eat House, hopefully I will be able to go back and try their pizzas and share platters sometime soon.

Price Range: $15 - $30 per person

Taste: 7.5/10
Value: 7/10
Service: 8/10
Environment: 7.5/10