Bakers Arms - Woolloongabba

Brunch catch ups with a friend over the weekend. Presented with another opportunity to tick another place off my list, we decided to go to The Baker's Arms at Woolloongabba. As a highly popular cafe, I wasn't surprised at all to see how packed it was at peak hour brunch on Saturday Morning.

 

Grabbing one of the last seats in the house, we had a nice view of the passing traffic whilst still enjoying the shade. The menu was a bit different from what we found online, my companion had been planning on ordering one dish, which was apparently no longer available, but he managed to find a replacement fairly easily.

Cold brews are always a clean crisp way to start off a warmer morning. The blend was strong and full of body. I just wish I had ordered a second cup. 

Food came fairly quickly, which is always appreciated when I'm hungry.

My companion ordered the Potato Cakes with Smoked Salmon, served with two poached eggs and herb & lemon yoghurt sauce. Although the portion didn't look overly large on the plate, he said it was really satisfying and extremely filling, to the point where he almost didn't finish the meal.

I opted for the weekly special of Savoury French Toast with Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Maple Syrup, and toasted brioche with a side of avocado. For a popular bakery, the brioche was fluffy and soft with a crisp exterior. The scrambled eggs were a little more well done than I would have preferred, however the portion of bacon was very generous and crisp. The avocado was also ripe and delicious, making for a fairly indulgent meal. 

Price Range: $15 - $25pp

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

Stanley - Brisbane CBD

As a dedicated HongKonger, there is no way that I would be late to try out Howard Smith Wharve's newest Hong Kong inspired restaurant. Named after the small coastal town in Hong Kong Island known for its beaches, which made it a nice addition to the waterfront scene. Trying it out on the first weekend since opening, it was extremely hard for us to get a reservation, we ended up getting a table for 8.30pm, at which point it was still a full house.

Being a two storey restaurant, I was keen for upstairs seating, but we were seated on the ground floor. Views however, were exceptional and I loved the dark tones and subtle HK references in the decor.

The menu was surprisingly broad in variety. It covered yumcha dishes, cantonese style bbq, mains as well as banquet meals for large groups.

 

One plus from sitting on the ground floor was that we had a fairly good view of the dimsim kitchen and the goodies steaming away.

First up was the Signature Baked and Fried Platter. The baked bbq pork pastry was flakey with a delicious honey basted pork inside. My favourite was the deep fried taro balls with its super crisp coating and meaty mince filling. The pan fried dumpling could have been served warmer and the base could have been crispier. I did however also enjoy the crunchy spring roll.

As a HongKonger, it was hard to grow up without a love for Cantonese Style Roast meats. My favourite of course being roast duck. Although the skin wasn't the crispiest I've had, the meat was marinated impeccably and the textures were on point. I really enjoyed the marinade it was doused in as well as the sweet plum sauce. Definitely one of the best roast ducks I've had in Brisbane.

Sharing a dish of Combination Seafood Chow Mein. The noodles were fried to a crisp, soaked in seafood gravy, topped with prawns, scallops, baby corn and black fungus. The portion was a little smaller than I would have expected for the price in my opinion, however the scallops and prawns were quite fresh and the gravy was homey and comforting. 

Not one to leave a HK restaurant without an egg tart if it's on the menu, we got two for dessert. Served lukewarm, the pastry was a little denser and could be fluffier. I found the custard to also have been a little firmer than what I'm used to. Will have to go try the other desserts next time I'm back.

Price Range: $60 - $80pp

Taste: 8.5/10
Value: 6/10
Service: 8/10
Environment: 8/10

Eleven - Fortitude Valley

Finished work early on a Friday and had some time before meeting a friend for dinner. Decided to check out Eleven Roof Top Bar beforehand to enjoy the sunset and finally check it off my list.

Taking the lift up to Level 11, the views were indeed fairly spectacular, especially with city views and a sunset. Definitely a place I will come back to for food at a later date.

First drink I tried was the Birthday Cake. Have seen so many photos of this on the internet and it was definitely super cute but also super rich and sweet but not overly strong on alcohol taste. Next time I'll try something different.

Next drink wasn't on the menu as far as I could see, but I definitely ordered the Espresso Martini when I saw other people order it. Compared to the Birthday Cake, it was definitely stronger and packed a good punch of caffeine but was still very sweet compared to my usual at John Mills. 

Price Range: $30 - $50pp

Taste: 6/10
Value: 7/10
Service: 7/10
Environment: 9/10

Shishou by Takashi - Fortitude Valley

Long time readers will know that I have been a long time fan of sushi master Takashi Nami. Having followed him from Ku-O to Mercado, I was thrilled to hear that he had decided to go solo and open Brisbane's first sushi degustation. It was an absolute honour to be privileged to attend the opening launch, and we loved it so much we made a reservation to go back the week after. Situated along the ever busy Brunswick Street, inside was a tranquil paradise, reminding me of my last trip to Japan. 

With only twelve seats and one sitting per evening, the focus was on Kappo Style dining whereby the customers sit along a bench and interacts with the chef whilst he prepares the meal, always an experience that I enjoy.

 

We had a phenomenal time at the launch party and met up with quite a few other food bloggers. We enjoyed it so much we made a point to go back the week after to have one of the set courses there.

There were three courses on offer an 8 piece, a 12 piece and a 15 piece. Due to the fact it was a soft launch, the only option that evening was the short course. I guess I will have to come back at a later time for the long course.

 

After ordering, we were presented with several pairs of chopsticks for us to choose from. I found them super adorable, and my companion enjoyed the choices, and I found the size and colour variations to be very cute.

Being served three types of tea, we started off with the light and fruity summer sencha. With its light fermentation and strong body, it provided for a very appetizing opening tea. 

First entree we had was the Blue Eye Trevalla Sashimi with a light tangy ponzu. The fish was extremely fresh, I loved the tangy citrus sauce which highlighted the textures and flavours of the sashimi. 

We interluded with a sweet glass of ume prior to our second entree. 

Our second entree was very aesthetically pleasing and an absolute thrill to devour.

First component was the truffle omelette. This was your traditional Japanese tamago omelette with truffle specks mixed through. I really enjoyed the sweet layered omelette with its porous texture, coupled with the subtle fragrance of truffle.

Second part of the entree was definitely far more exciting with four elements. Wagyu beef sashimi topped with uni and caviar atop a piece of perilla leaf. I loved the whole melody of textures. The fatty wagyu was rich and smooth, the uni brought a delicious freshness of the sea along with the delicious popping caviar. I loved it. 

Second tea of the evening was the toasty warm genmaicha. I really enjoyed the warm wholesome flavours of rice infused within the tea. 

Commencing the course, this was the South Australian Calamari Nigiri. It was thick cut and tender,  perfectly char grilled.

Second course was the Western Australian Scampi with Scampi Caviar. The Scampi was thick and fresh with an almost sweet flavour. Again I really appreciate the popping texture of the caviar.

Third course was Aburi Scallop with Truffle Mayo and Truffle. Always a fan of aburi scallop, it had a great texture with a raw interior. The soy dressing was wholesome and delicious, the truffle mayo was rich, and the truffle flavours were intense.

Next one was the 48 hour dry aged salmon with caviar. The salmon had a lot more depth of flavour than the usual salmon sashimi, The portion was thick cut and generous, the fish roe was always delicious. 

My favourite for the evening was the Toro Nigiri with the highly fatty tuna being sourced straight from Tokyo. With an extremely smooth texture and a melt in your mouth feeling, it was a sure winner of my affections.

The Uni Nigiri was also very generous, the portion almost eclipsing the rice. Served with a delicious soy glaze, this was definitely a tasty morsel that is a rare find in Brisbane.

My companion's favourite of the evening comprised of wagyu, foie gois and burgundy truffle. The wagyu was rich and decadent, the foie gois smooth and flavoursome whilst the fragrant truffle really rounded off the whole package. Definitely also a highlight of the meal.

Last piece of sushi from the meal was an Unagi. Having eaten a considerable amount of unagi in my time, this was remarkably thick cut. I like the smooth meat texture and generous portion. Definitely a nice way to round off the course.

Soup of the day then arrived, it comprised of a Scorpion Cod Miso with Scampi and Pipis. This definitely tasted far different from my usual instant packets of miso soup at work. The broth was hearty and wholesome, the toppings were generous and definitely infused the dish was a heavy seafood flavour.

Third tea was the deeper and more full bodied Pumin Tea. With a definitely milder mouthfeel compared to the previous two teas, it was a well rounded brew which we enjoyed.

Dessert was a Japanese Green Tea Macaron with Adzuki Bean filling. I found it to be farily sweet, but loved how crisp the shell was and the texture of the adzuki beans. A perfect desset to finish of a wonderful meal!

 

Good luck with your restaurant Takashi San! We will definitely be back soon!

Price Range: $80 - $150pp

Taste: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Service: 10/10
Environment: 10/10