Johnny Rockets - Fortitude Valley

Whilst some of my readers have heard me make mention of my travels in Asia, my travels across America and Canada have been less documented. Without giving too much away, I can say that it was an exercise of eating a week of fast food, which wasn't too enjoyable at the end. Having said that, what was really memorable for us was the burgers at Johnny Rockets. So when I heard that they decided to open one in Brisbane, it made its way to the top of my "eat list" and I went twice in quick succession.

Like all fast food joints, we ordered at the counter. Like the big sign outside indicated, they had a variety of burgers, sides and shakes for us to choose from.

We ordered, got a number and made our way to a table. Even at 4.30pm, it was half full, and customers were still happily munching away at their meals.

Since it was so late in the afternoon, I didn't have a burger on the first instance, opting for a coffee shake instead (I had a buffet in two hours and really didn't want to ruin my appetite too much).

My companion though, had the Rocket Single, containing a patty with melted cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles. She really enjoyed it, considering it to be a well balanced burger that wasn't overly heavy.

My companion opted for a strawberry shake and I a coffee one. I tried a sip of hers and really enjoyed the fresh strawberry puree which was blended into the creamy blend of milky soft serve. My coffee one was incredibly smooth and rich, even without mixing the cream in. I really enjoyed it, but could have liked the shake to be less sweet but stronger in coffee. 

The second time I went I found some DIY tap water before sitting down with our number.

This time I opted for a Milo Milkshake. I really enjoyed the delicious melty milo in the milkshake, which was just as creamy as the coffee one I had the week before. 

My companion opted for the peanut butter milkshake in the large size. It came in the same glass that I had, but with considerably more in a steel milkshake cup. She also said that the milkshake was super smooth, but not very strong in peanut butter taste though.

My companion ordered the Southern Crispy Chicken burger, without tomatoes, so it just contained chicken, lettuce and mayonnaise with a side of chips. Despite the relative simplicity of the burger, she remarked that the chicken was extremely fresh, crunchy whilst maintaining its juiciness on the inside. 

I opted for the Bacon Cheddar, and resisted the temptation to get an extra patty. The burger was wonderfully delicious, with a tasty bun that was soft but denser than the Charboys milk bun. The patty was also cooked through, but still deliciously seasoned and crumbly, but what I enjoyed the best was the melted cheese on the patty, which formed a sort of glue with the crumbly patty. Both the tomato and the lettuce was fresh as well. As for my side of chips, the portion was quite generous, and whilst they weren't my preferred shoestring cut, they were extremely crunchy. 

Price Range: $15 - $25pp

Taste: 8.5/10
Value: 8.5/10
Service: 7/10
Environment: 8.5/10

Super Combo - Bowen Hills

With my usual cheat day companion (despite the fact that I am a gym abstainer) off climbing mountains overseas, I was left to my own devices to determine my own fate (for lunch that one Thursday anyway). Wanting to keep up the tradition, I pulled out my phone to look for some inspiration that dreary day, and was shortly drawn in by the aesthetically pleasing burgers at Super Combo, which would satisfy my fast food craving whilst tickling my gamer side with their themed buns.

 

Being the big fan of Japanese food that I am, there was no hesitation in me deciding to get the Hadoken Burger. The shakes were also really captivating, but my fat budget didn't allow for it and fries that day so I had to save it for next time.

 

Again with Ubereats, they didnt allow me to specify a time for delivery, only to have the restaurant start preparing my food upon receipt of the order. My delivery guy got lost for a short while too, but his warmth and friendliness made up for it.

Not only was the driver friendly, but I also liked the cute greeting drawn onto the bag, which made that extra little bit of difference.

My Hadoken burger contained a beef patty, mushroom sauce, gruyere cheese, onion, tomato and a Parmesan crisp. I really enjoyed the burger, with its toasty exterior but fluffy interior (extra points for no sesame), the patty was cooked quite well done, but still crumbled in my mouth. The mushroom sauce was quite smokey but not overly strong. Without a doubt though the burger was dominated by the Parmesan crisp, which had a super strong flavour, so strong that it completely overcame the gruyere which only added texture value. Having said that, I did really enjoy the burger, and would still put it in my top five in Brisbane.

I also ordered a side of chips, which looked quite plain, but were surprisingly very very crispy. For a regular size, it was a generous portion and I enjoyed it thoroughly, though next time some added sauce would be nice.

Price Range: $15 - $25pp

Taste: 8.5/10
Value: 8.5/10
Service: 9/10
Environment: N/A

Sushi D'Lite - Brisbane CBD

Got to leave work earlier one day last week due to some unforeseen circumstances. Going before lunch, my usual express bus wasn't available so I made my way through to Myer to get home. Walking past the food court, I realised I hadn't even had lunch yet, so took the opportunity to grab something at my regular go to place for quick sushi rolls, Sushi D'Lite, which I conveniently realised I hadn't blogged about yet.

Arriving at the peak of lunchtime, as expected, I was met with a considerable queue. Since I wasn't in too much of a rush, lining up gave me ample opportunity to consider my options and make an educated decision on a balanced meal XD.

In the end I opted for three rolls to have on the go (taking photos whilst running for the bus was actually a lot harder than I thought it would be). 

  

I had the crumbed prawn, salmon and crispy chicken, which I scoffed down whilst waiting in line to get on the bus (and also managing to take photos for my dear readers). The reason why Sushi D'Lite is my go to for sushi rolls is because their rolls are made fresh, and not cold from refrigeration (cold rice is a real deal breaker for me). What I also like is that the toppings, whilst they don't appear overly  generous, they are consistent throughout the roll right up to the end. I also enjoy the well seasoned rice, fresh salmon and crunchy prawn and chicken. Considering the price, I find it quite good value for money.

Price Range: $2.50 - $2.80 per roll

Taste: 7.5/10
Value: 8.5/10
Service: 7/10
Environment: N/A

Coppa Spuntino - Brisbane CBD

A couple days ago, I had the pleasure of meeting up with one of my favourite reviewers, the charming yet witty Cino's Mum, after a complete disaster small hiccup with some dinner arrangements the night before, we settled on Coppa Spuntino, being close to work for a cozy midweek lunch

Cino's Mum's making a reservation proved very useful as the restaurant was full within 10 minutes. Menus were provided immediately upon sitting down. The options were sparse, but contained all the Italian essentials that I would have wanted. Being the decisive people that we are, it didn't take long before we were able to order.

Before we knew it, our pizzas arrived (definitely faster than I had expected, which was impressed me as most office people did need to get back to jail the office within the hour). Between the two of us, we shared a Rosso and a Bianco option for balance and variety.

On the Bianco end, we have the Mushroom, Truffle and Egg. I really liked the fragrant truffle smell that wafted from the pizza. Toppings were quite generous, being considerably more than what I had seen from other peoples' photos online. Whilst I didn't think we had too much egg on the pizza, there was definitely added fungus on top of the mushrooms, which came together with the mozzarella to create quite a warm comforting mix on the milder end of the flavour spectrum. I also liked that the base was fresh, and thin with a crispy crust.

Our Rosse option was the Sopressa, Mozzarella and Mint pizza, which sat on the opposite end of the flavour spectrum as our first pizza. Being one of the meater options on the pizza menu, the sopressa was both very salty and reasonably spicy, whilst the mint kept the heat at bay. The base was just as good as the truffle pizza, and toppings were just as generous, but what really stood out for us was the tomato sauce, which had a very refreshing sharpness to it, and tied up the flavours really well.

Price Range: $20 - $30pp

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

Pourboy - South Bank

Managed to schedule a brunch with Queen V in between two interstate trips. Having long missed the delightful brunch offerings at Pourboy (since my office relocation several years ago), I was quite pleased to hear that they had opened a store at SouthPoint (near Burger Project), and made some plans to check it out and see if it is as good as the original.

Arriving just past 9.30, I was pleased to see their specialty berry muffins ready to order, although that morning, we were seeking out a full cafe breakfast instead. (As I write this, I am regretting not getting one takeaway).

Considering their high calibre of food (as far as I was concerned, their Wharf street store is one of the best cafes in Brisbane), I was quite surprised to see that we were the only table there. Having said that, by the time we started eating, it had started to fill up.

The breakfast menu was short, but concise, and consisted of quite a few modern and innovative combinations, which we were definitely keen to try.

Starting off, I grabbed my regular cappuccino. I really enjoyed their Mecca blend, which was strong in body being overly acidic. It was definitely one of the better coffees I've had in a while. Queen V, who arrived a little later than me, saw me savouring my coffee and ordered the same. 

Our food arrived soon after the coffee, much to our delight. To share, we ordered the PB Big Breakfast, as well as the Croque Madame.

The PB Big Breakfast was an interesting combination, consisting of Serrano Ham, Tomatoes, Baby Peppers, Chorizo, Avocado, Goats Cheese, Eggs and a piece of Sourdough. My companion, ever the fan of goats cheese, dug in enthusiastically. I tentatively followed suit, and found it to be very rich and creamy without an overpowering taste. The chorizos on the other hand, were very spicy and strong in taste, as was the delicious serrano ham. The peppers and tomato were sweet and balanced the dish, and for me the highlight would definitely have been the avocado which was rich, creamy and well seasoned.

My pick of the day was without a doubt the Croque Madame, containing melted swiss cheese, shaved ham, dijonnaise, and topped with a poached egg, it was quite perfect. The toast was wonderfully crunchy but not overly hard, the melty swiss cheese complimented  the shaved ham, and the dijonnaise tied it all together. The egg on top was also cooked just right, with a runny centre, but whites definitely cooked through, I really enjoyed the dish.

Price Range: $15 - $25pp

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