Stanton - Brisbane CBD

End of week dinner catch up with some friends and we decided to get dinner at Stanton which opened a while ago atop Queens Plaza. I had previously gone with a friend to enjoy coffee there but have never tried out their main meals and there was really not too many reviews of it online. Bookings weren't available so we made it there early.

The dining area was very spacious and it was only about half full by the time we arrived. Service was fast and friendly.

The menu comprised of breakfast options, mains, pizzas and sides. Prices were far more reasonable than I would have thought from the outside.

At the recommendation of our friend, we shared two main dishes. The first was the Stanton Pie. This came with fries and salad. Apparently the pie fillings go on rotation so if we came back tomorrow we probably wouldnt get the creamy chicken filling we got today. The pie alone wouldn't have been enough for a main meal, but with the sides it was definitely more than sufficient. The pastry was light and flaky but also rich and buttery. The filling was creamy and meaty. I liked the shoestring fries which were crisp and the fresh salad for balance.

Having enjoyed a large lunch, our second main was the crispy chicken salad with avocado and bocconcini. Again serving sizes were generous. It came with four crispy chicken tenders, atop a large salad with avocado and bocconcini. The vinaigrette was light and tangy. Overall a really enjoyable meal and a definite place for us to return soon.

Price Range: $20 - $30pp

Taste: 8.5/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Environment: 9/10

Hallowed Grounds - Mt Gravatt East

There have been quite a few brunch places which are a little out of the way that I have always wanted to go to. One such places is Hallowed Grounds. Last week we had an errand nearby and took the opportunity to check it out for a late brunch. 

Arriving at around 11 on a Saturday, the place was still quite full and we had a table by the window, thankfully in the shade, whilst there was still outside seating in the back. 

 

There were quite a few brunch classics on the menu. We didn't take too long to decide on what we want and put our order at the counter. Service was fast and friendly.

What really impressed me though was the still and sparkling water available on tap. Since Dr L likes still water and I enjoy sparkling, we were able to finally have the best of both worlds without either of us compromising. 

Drinks wise, he had the iced chocolate and I had the freshly squeezed orange juice. We found both to be them to be very delicious and refreshing. His chocolate milk was fairly large with chocolate that wasn't too sweet whereas my orange juice was surprisingly sweet and not too sour. 

Having already had a little bit of breakfast before we headed out for the day, I didn't want us to order too much by way of brunch, so we had a big breakfast with extra avocado to share. I was very impressed to have the big breakfast split between two dishes for us. The portions provided were definitely excellent value for money. 

All elements of the big breakfast were executed quite well. My favourite was the potato rosti which was shredded and far superior to supermarket hash that I often have at home. It was crisp without being oily. The bacon was also crisp and generous in portion. The egg was done well with a thoroughly cooked white but a runny yolk. The haloumi was also well caramelised. I enjoyed the wonderfully ripe avocado which also complimented the wholesome sourdough. Definitely will have to come back and try their other breakfast options soon.

Price Range: $15 - $25pp

Taste: 9/10

Value: 9/10

Service: 8.5/10

Environment: 8/10

Mac from way back - Woolloongabba

There are few more enjoyable albeit guilty pleasures than a good burger after a long week of work. With this in mind we went out to the newly opened Mac from Way Back at Woolloongabba last friday to check out their burgers. 

Arriving just after 12 it was definitely busy and we took the last table. There were also quite a lot of people milling outside awaiting their take away orders. The decor was simple and there were a few elements of graffiti on the walls but very little else. 

Ordering at the counter, the menu comprised of burgers, fries, mac and cheese and some customiseable add ons. Service was fast and friendly. We ordered a selection to share.

Dr L ordered a double smashie. This was well caramelised and had a good balance of meat to bread and he said this was very similar to the burger he had last time from Jee's. 

Not wanting to miss any opportunity, I had the Oaklahoma Triple smash burger. Comprising three smashed patties, cheese, onions, and pickles it was a sight to behold. As the patties were smashed, it meant that I was still able to eat it the burger without it getting too messy. Compared to Jee's the patties were a lot more crisp and caramelised, bordering on lightly burnt. The cheese was deliciously melted and glued the patties together well. The buns were soft and not too sweet which was enjoyable and the pickles gave it enough tang to ensure the burger wasn't too decadent.  

We also had a serve of feral fries to go with our burgers. Having been told before that the mac and cheese is a bit bland to have on its's own, we made sure to get it with bacon, ketchup and spicy mayo atop fries. These were unbelievably crispy and had a good amount of sauce on them which I really enjoyed. The mac and cheese was al dente and would definitely have been bland alone but with all the toppings it was wholesome and comforting. Glad to have this shop so close to home.

Price Range: $20 - $30pp

Taste: 8/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Environment: 8/10 

Oishii Sushi Express - Coorparoo

Friday night we went to visit our friends and their new baby. With everyone being too exhausted to go out or to cook, we offered to pick up some take away. I was actually very excited to do some exploring in the local area of Coorparoo, having grown up nearby and it has since developed quite well with a number of food options which I was keen on trying so of course we started with the Japanese option at the long established Oishii Sushi Express.

The store was fairly homely and staff were friendly and efficient. There was a fairly basic menu comprising a few rice and noodle dishes as well as sushi. Our friend who had very recently given birth said that one of the things she missed most during pregnancy was sushi, so we mainly ordered sushi.

Food took a fairly long time to get ready and there was also a constant stream of customers and take away orders come in as we waited. It took at least half an hour before our order was ready.

This was the Alaska roll, comprising of crab meat, cucumber and avocado topped with salmon sashimi. I found the sushi to be surprisingly disappointing given how many people had frequented the store. The sashimi was very thinly sliced and doused in overpowering sweet soy sauce. The fillings were moderately generous however it was also apparent that the rice was not seasoned with vinegar. 

Our next roll was the Caterpillar roll with cooked tuna, cucumber topped with avocado and tobiko. As expected the rice was also unseasoned. Comparatively the avocado was also very thinly sliced but the tobiko was generous and the filling also so. I quite enjoyed this roll and it met the expectations I had for it.

We had an assortment of nigiri including salmon and unagi. These were also not very generous when it came to topping to rice ratio as they were fairly thinly sliced. The rice was not seasoned again and I consider it substantially inferior to the baseline Sushi Edo.

Another friend ordered a dish of Teriyaki Chicken Rice. This was far more generous, represented good value for money and as well received. Overall though, this was not a place that impressed and next time I'll be trying out other Japanese restaurants nearby.

Price: $15 - $25pp

Taste: 4/10

Value: 5/10

Service: 7/10

Environment: 7/10

The Maillard Project - Brisbane CBD

Hadn't been back to work in the city for quite a long time, but when I did, I made sure to go and check out The Maillard Project, sister store to the local favourite, Coffee Anthology. Opened several weeks ago, reviews have been quite stellar and it was an understatement to say that I was very excited to finally go try it out.

Arriving at midday on a Friday, it was definitely packed, especially given social distancing limitations. We had to wait a little while before we could get a table. Thankfully it didn't take too long.

I couldn't find much on the menu online, so wasn't able to do much by way of deciding beforehand. Content wise, it had a few standard cafe options like eggs benedict, however it also had a nice range of modern Asian dishes such as congee and hor fun wrap. We stuck with more conservative choices, but am definitely keen to them next time.

 

Iron Fist had a cold drip and I a batch brew. His came well before the meal whereas mine came long after the food had arrived. We found these to be really delicious with the highlighted tones definitely present. Strong and bold without being too bitter, I really enjoyed it.

My companion had the Eggs Benedict with Ham and Haloumi. With a perfectly cooked egg and generous toppings she really enjoyed it.

I almost ordered the congee but settled for the wagyu burger as it was lunch time. It was executed wonderfully with a thick beef patty and a very thick cut and fatty bacon steak which was caramelised to perfection. The roasted tomato sauce was delicious albeit a bit runny and there was a small pool of juices on our plate, maybe a thicker sauce would have been better. The chips were crisp and fresh, I would have liked some sauce or seasoning to go with it, but it was undeniably tasty.

Price Range: $20 - $30pp

Taste: 8.5/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Environment: 8/10 

Bistro Korea - Coorparoo

Not usually much of a food delivery fan due to the relatively small portions and higher than usual prices, I rarely ever get it unless friends decide to. Such a situation arose lat week when we visited some friends who just had a baby and weren't able to cook or eat out. Resorting to UberEats, we decided on Bistro Korea which was not too far from us at Coorparoo Square. 

This was the medium boneless fried chicken with chips. We ordered original crispy to get an appreciation of the flavours (and I can't really tolerate much by way of spice). The portion was surprisingly generous and the chicken was fairly hot and crisp when we got it. The batter was a lot more like a Japanese karaage than Korean fried chicken, it was quite well flavoured and juicy on the inside. The chips were a slight letdown with them being very similar to the storebought variety and were a bit soggy by the time we had it.

We also had a serve of Kimchi Pancake. This also exceeded my expectations. Other than the few slices at the bottom which were lightly steamed and a bit soggy every other piece was wonderfully crisp. It was comparatively a lot thinner than other pancakes I've had and a little oily but the kimchi to batter ratio was wonderful, it was light, crisp and crunchy. Would definitely recommend going to the restaurant again at a later point.

Price Range: $15 - $25pp

Taste: 8/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Environment: N/A

Red Lotus - Annerley

Busy day at work and I was keen to get out of cooking duty. We decided to walk out and explore Annerley a bit more. This time we stopped at Red Lotus, a well established Vietnamese restaurant for a casual dinner.

The menu contained everything you would want from a Vietnamese restaurant, with Pho, Salad and some mains. Next time, I will definitely have to check out their charcoal grill options. Service was fast and friendly.

First up was the rare beef pho. I can never really go to a Vietnamese place without trying it. We ordered our serve with extra noodles and shared it. The beef was lean, thinly sliced and perfectly rare. I really enjoyed it. The noodles were very generous and cooked a little firmer than other places. The soup was light in taste and lacked the depth I enjoy from other places.

We also had a serve of Noodle Salad with 300g of Crispy Pork Belly. There was definitely an abundance of pork. Some pieces were very crisp but others were soggy from the fish sauce. The noodles were delicious and had bite whilst the veggies were fresh.

Spring rolls were moderately expensive at $9 for three. These were freshly fried, crisp and crunchy with a meaty chicken filling. Nothing special but no faults that stood out.

Price Range: $20 - $30pp

Taste: 8/10

Value: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Environment: 8/10