The Wheat House - Runcorn

Some readers may be aware of the newly opened bakery, The Wheat House, which had opened along Compton Road at Runcorn. Apparently the public response to their opening has been phenomenal and it regularly sells out and has a staggered restocking schedule throughout the day. Having really piqued my curiosity, Queen V and I got up at 7am last Saturday to line up at 8am for a 9am opening. It was lucky we went when we did, because the queue was very significant by opening time.

On the sweet side, there was a variety of cube croissants, in largely Asian centric flavours. On the savoury side, there was an assortment of toast. Prices were quite reasonable, but I did go during their soft opening, and apparently they are due to go up at the official opening. Also during the soft opening, there was also limits on how many items you could purchase at once per person. Lucky I had Queen V with me that morning.

We ordered a small selection to try and had a few items for take away too. The ones we had during dine in were served on plates. Coffee was not yet available and there appeared to be no facilities for water either.

First up was the Tuna Toast. I was quite excited about this one, being the only savoury item we had that morning. The bread was alright, the crust was dry and hard but the inside was quite fluffy still. The toppings weren't as generous as expected and the tuna and cheese had dried up. It was served at room temperature and not warm, which was a shame because it could definitely have been a lot better. The flavour profile was good, but textures left much to be desired, especially without water to go with the bread.

I had some hope for the Sesame Croissant. This was also served at room temperature with a fragrant sesame crust on top. I was semi expecting it to come with some sort of sesame cream filling, but it was sadly empty. The crust was dry and fairly firm. The croissant was flaky and hard but not as crisp as I would have liked. I probably wouldn't get this again.

The highlight of our visit was of course the extremely photogenic Cube Croissants. We had a Matcha and a Strawberry to share. These were fairly good value, each being fist sized. The matcha one had a creamier filling than strawberry, but it was undeniable for both of us that they were very both very sweet, especially without water. Queen V aptly put it that there were an abundance of layers but they were neither as crispy or as flaky as she would have liked. Although it was nice to satisfy our curiosity at The Wheat House, we both agreed that compared we would have preferred to go to Reno Patisserie in the future for baked goods.

Price Range: $10 - $20pp

Taste: 6.5/10

Value: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Environment: 7/10 

Mokkoji - Upper Mt Gravatt

Ever since I saw that Mokkoji opened last year, I've actually been really interested to try it out. Originally I had planned it for my birthday, but due to some issues with their communicating their booking deposit, I decided to hold it at Hachi instead. Anyway, I was still curious, so we decided to go back on a more quiet day for a casual dinner for two.

Despite their contentions with booking, it was fairly empty when we went and only filled up past half full in the evening. I did like the rustic wooden vibes though.

 

As with most BBQ places, they also served a la carte dishes, but that of course was not what we were here to try today. We were also unsure if ordering individual bbq dishes came with sides, so we opted for a set menu instead.

Drinks came fast, we only had one to share so we could drive home.

Our sides came next and this is the main reason why we came. With a generous 13 side dishes upon ordering a set menu, these were a sight to behold. Also noteworthy though, other than the kimchi, there were no free refills on any of the other dishes. What stood out the most for me was of course the gochujang marinated raw sand crab, which was somewhat difficult to eat but quite tasty. I also liked the kimchi raw octopus and the creamy steamed egg. There could have been a bit more lettuce though or a bowl of rice to go with the meat. The extra dish of shredded lettuce was also odd when there was already a large bowl of lettuce leaves.

We ordered a beef and pork set to share. The plating left a little to be desired, but the meat was fairly good quality and portions were generous. My favourites of the night would have been the crunchy pork jowl and the marinated beef. 

Overall, it was a moderately expensive dinner, but it would appear that KBBQs are all roughly the same price these days. Given the competition in Brisbane, Mokkoji is a solid contender and I would have no issues coming back, but despite the abundant sides, it doesn't stand out to me as particularly special, I'd have to say I still like Meet and Meat more for now.

Price Range: $50 - $60pp

Taste: 7.5/10

Value: 6/10

Service: 7/10

Environment: 8/10
 

Hachi Yakiniku - Brisbane CBD

Hachi Yakiniku has long been one of our favourite Japanese BBQ places. Having been a fan since their first opening at fudo dori all those years ago, we were pleased to hear they were relocating to larger premises but not so pleased with the wait we would have to undertake to get our next fix. Thankfully their opening coincided with my annual Birthday celebration and we were easily able to make a booking for a big group.

Arriving on time, our table was set and menus were laid out. Compared to previously, their prices had gone up a bit, more or less in line with the level of inflation that other restaurants had, and they had the addition of drinks which looked super cute so we ordered some.

 

The BBQs were set up just like their old store, with small table top charcoal grills. Again, the nets were a slight risk of moving when cooking food.

 

The Dr had a lemonade sour while I had a watermelon sour. They both came with an ice block in them, which was the reason why we ordered it. It was undeniably adorable, but basically tasted exactly as it looked, sweet with a slight tanginess and a generic icy pole in it. It was fresh and delicious but not particularly difficult to recreate at home. It was very complimentary with our fiery BBQ though.

Kicking off with a tofu salad, this was fresh and umami with a fragrant sesame dressing. I loved the crunchy veggies which was invaluable to balancing out our meat heavy meal.

Our first meat dish was the wagyu rib garlic soy tsubozuke. Whenever I see garlic on the menu, I knew I would have to have it. It was indeed very fragrant, sharp and spicy but the meat was a little bit chewy for my liking.

Next up was the wagyu rib with spicy miso. The plate appears very big but it is actually two serves on one plate. The seasoning was rich and creamy but also had a decent amount of heat to it. The beef texture was also wonderful and fatty without being too rich.

Pork Jowl is always a must order for me. This was glazed with original miso. It had the creamy umami savoury flavours of miso without the spice that the wagyu had. This was quite fatty but I love the crunch and difference in texture that jowl provides.

We also had some cooked food, this was Karaage chicken, topped with a generous amount of tartare sauce. There was an ample amount of chicken and it was done well, crispy on the outside and juicy inside. If anything, I would have liked the batter to be less thick but that's about it.

Our favourite dish of the night was Wagyu beef rib. We liked it so much we had several serves of this. Buttery and tender with a delicious sweet soy marinade, I also really appreciate that the meat was thoroughly marbled throughout and the fat content wasn't excessive, it was the highlight of our evening. 

In terms of cooked food, we also had Takoyaki. This was standard fare with a moist dough-y filling with a bite of octopus in the middle and a crisp fried exterior, doused in an ample amount of mayonnaise and takoyaki sauce. It was good, but tasted more or less like frozen supermarket varieties.

I'm not sure why we always order LA short rib. It always seems very appealing but we end up having difficulty with the bones. Having said that, it was also marinated in the delicious sweet soy and meat textures was on point. I just wish we had more scissors for me to cut the bones out.

Lastly, I ordered a serve of Beef Tube Horumonyaki in original miso flavour out of curiosity, because I have a particular affinity for intestines. This was chewy and crisp on the outside but the inside was definitely way too fatty for my liking. The flavours were good, but I probably won't be ordering this next time.

All round, we had a great night. The food represented good value (given today's prices) and we all rolled out after our meal. I'm really glad they've kept up their quality and now its a lot easier to get a table. Can't wait to come back soon.

 

Price Range: $40 - $60pp

Taste: 8.5/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Environment: 8/10

Hong Kong BBQ - Brisbane CBD

Those who work in the city would no doubt have seen that Hachi Yakiniku has recently relocated out of Fudo Dori, literally to the shop next door which is far larger (thank goodness). In the now empty store on the Charlotte St end of Fudo Dori though, is the newly opened Hong Kong BBQ. I believe it opened at the end of January, but wanted to leave it for a little bit before trying, after hearing some very mixed reviews. Anyway, last week, Brisvegustation and I bit the bullet and we tried it out for lunch.

Arriving just before 12, there were a number of tables in the fairly small restaurant, but just at midday, the crowds came and I was very glad to have secured a seat. It was surprising how many people came, with the vast majority ordering take away. There wasn't any air conditioning on the day and I was glad to have been seated near a fan, in a spot where I was able to appreciate the hanging meats awaiting to be eaten.

The menu was fairly standard for HK BBQ. It largely centered on the four varieties of BBQ meats, with rice, dry or soup noodles or laksa. There were also some daily specials as well. We ordered at the counter and were given a buzzer.

Our food took 5 minutes to be served. This made sense as all the meats were already pre cooked and all it took was for the kitchen to assemble the meal and plate it. Brisvegustation ordered the combo rice to try all of the proteins. The portion appeared fairly good with a decent ratio of meat to rice with the bonus of veggies and half a salted egg (as well as the addition of some fluff attached to a piece of BBQ pork).

I had the 2 choice BBQ with noodles soup. Opting for the roast duck and crispy skin pork, the portions were fairly good. The meat though was surprisingly cold, being both served at or below room temperature, which was disappointing. The pork had a crunchy, albeit hard skin and wasnt too fatty, while the duck was not too crispy and neither protein was particularly well marinated, it is also noteworthy that my meal didn't come with any dipping sauces for my meat either. The noodles were also a let down. I could see they were overcooked and soggy the moment it was set down, without even having to have my first bite given how expanded they had become. Only the buk choy was largely faultless. 

Overall, there were a lot of faults to my meal, having said that, I do think there is scope for improvement. I wouldn't come back for dine in anytime soon, but the prices at Hong Kong BBQ are comparable to those in Sunnybank, especially for takeaway prices. If I was not in the mood to cook, I could definitely see this as an option for a quick and easy dinner, especially when I can ensure that the meat is at least reheated.

Price Range: $15 - $25pp

Taste: 5/10

Value: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Environment: 7/10