While not all of the dishes at Gerard's Bistro impressed me, I need to point out right up front…read morethat Gerard's cauliflower was the single best cauliflower dish I've had in my life - anywhere. Star 1: How were the service and atmosphere? Tucked away in Fortitude Valley, Gerard's Bistro brings it when it comes to a classy and accommodating atmosphere. Surprisingly, my co-worker and I were literally the only two people there for the duration of our happy hour around 1500 on a Sunday afternoon, which gave us a friendly and attentive server all to ourselves. After ordering, the dishes came out quickly. Star. Star 2: How were the portions relative to the cost? Gerard's isn't cheap, but you probably know that heading into the experience. Four pieces of house bread ran us $8.00 AUD, and the smaller cauliflower dish ran $18.00 AUD. It's borderline, but Star. Stars 3 and 4: How was the food? The dishes at Gerard's were a bit of a mixed bag, but there was unquestionably an all-star. To start off, the house bread was unique, but didn't blow me away. From there, the lamb tartare was the low point, and nothing about the dish impressed. Now, having experienced both of those dishes, out came the cauliflower dish, and it was sensational. The curry sauce was amazing, and it paired perfectly with, wait for it, pomegranate seeds. Pomegranate seeds! Brilliant. Single Star. Star 5: Would you be excited to go back? Were it not for the cauliflower dish? No, but that dish alone is carrying the weight of Gerard's Bistro. Star.

I dare say, Gerard's Bistro served up the most memorable midday meal I've had so far this year!…read more Sometimes you read a menu full of things you've never seen or heard of before and it's a drag and other times it's the beginning of an exciting taste adventure. I am happy to report my lunch at Gerard's Bistro was firmly the latter. In need of greens after days of excess, we ordered the coal-grilled broccolini and kale with shallot oil and lemon. The house-cured basturma was an exciting taste adventure as I'd never had anything like this sort of air-dried cured beef. The Bekaa wings with kishk yoghurt and rose petals were a definite crowd pleaser with their vibrant flavor. It's highly possible that I had more than my fair share of the fried cauliflower with tahini, ras el hanout, smoked almonds and pomegranate. (Apologies to my table mates, I just couldn't help myself!) We sat outside for lunch which I really liked. There's no direct sun but the fresh air definitely enhanced the meal for me. I loved every dish we tried here from the Iranian style wild rice to the slow-roasted full-blood wagyu brisket. Were I to recommend one restaurant in Brisbane, Gerard's Bistro would definitely be it!

On a search for some coffee (other than at Alen's) on a weekday, I walked down George Street,…read moreoriginally heading towards Frisky Goat, which I've been meaning to try. Instead, I saw the sign for Bean, and having passed it several times, I thought, hey, why not walk through this shady looking garage and dumpster (looked like one) and see what's up? I walked up to a chalked door and a short flight of stairs down into a kitschy, cute, nicely air conditioned cafe, and was greeted by a really eccentric but friendly barista. I was just looking for a cuppa to-go, but was rather tempted to plant myself and look around. The cafe isn't big, but there is a good amount of table space, either to study at or to play the many board games that this place houses! I was quite pleased at their game selection of Cluedo, Scrabble, Jenga, and more! This is also one of the few cafes in Brisbane that provide free wi-fi. So much win! As for the coffee, I've only had their skinny latte, which I do enjoy. For Brisbane, it is definitely good - a bit bold, but not overly dark, like I find the places around here. The coffee has a bit of a fruity or nutty aftertaste - I can't quite tell (must have it again!), but I would definitely have it again. I wasn't sure if they had food to offer, as I only saw some cupcakes on display, but it looked like they might serve sandwiches... Alleyway cafes seem to be very characteristic of Brisbane's hip cafes, and although my friends know me to always find these places with shady entrances, quite a few of them turn out to be good, if not intriguing! All in all, this is one of my favorite places so far - the ambience, board games, free wi-fi, and the barista!

After going through a side alley and down a narrow staircase, was a hidden gem with a great…read moreatmosphere and great conversation with the barista. So many options to choose from, but I ordered a Chai Tea Latte with macadamia nut milk and was in heaven. 11/10 recommend

Tucked away, literally in a laneway. It's intimate and a little bit hard to find. Just what us bar…read moreflies love. So you sneak through Urbane on Mary St and skip up the stairs to find bar keeps with a true passion for innovative, classy drinks. I walked up to the bar and said, 'it's my friend's birthday, I need a drink that's, well, ridiculous'. The response... 'Ridiculous? We can do that'. Before I knew there was blue fire, dry ice, top shelf cointreau, sorbet and a whole world of fun. These guys take pride in their art. No fish bowls with umbrellas here. For my drink. The gentleman. Apart from tasting amazing, the key element is a triple frozen chunk of ice that took 72 hrs to make. Come here for post after Eagle St dinner drinks. You will be welcomed. But most of all, rest assured your drinks will be exotic and delicious in a fantastic atmosphere.

SCAM DO NOT EAT HERE I went to this bar on the 18th of…read moredecember and ordered a coffee, long black with cream. I was then told by the waiter they did not have any cream, I attempted to cancel the order, but they refused and made me pay for a coffee, they did not make and I did not order.

For a place as hip as the W, it's oddly traditional in cooking style. Note that I do not say the…read moremenu-- but rather the execution. The decor is very appropriate for both the area and for the W brand, servers are young and a little overbearing (probably due to inexperience?), and the kitchen, while mostly good, is also occasionally prone to bouts of slowness. Prawns and oysters off the chilled menu are both quite traditional; solid items but one might have expected them to take a few more risks here. On the other hand, W is a huge brand so maybe they're risk-adverse? And the swordfish main course was recommend medium rare but again otherwise not particularly innovative. And to be fair, sticking with the seafood, per the recommendation of all the servers, may have been a mistake on my part. The porchetta and I think the lamb (?) both sounded amazing, but I ended up skipping those. At least the seafood, for a nice place, was very reasonably priced. 3* sounds right. Don't be off-put by the rating, there's potential...

Situated on level 3 of the W hotel on north quay the views to the Brisbane river and skyline were…read morestunning. The open aspect of the design made full use of the space and capitalises on the beautiful weather Queenslanders enjoy. Signage is scarce when finding the place and parking is also tough. I'd recommend turning in to the hotel driveway and parking in their car park. Of course this is ticketed so you will need to pay. Good news is you don't have to be a guest to use the car park so you can drive straight in and take a ticket. The restaurant is spacious and open plan. It is welcoming and certainly the decor is modern and interesting by design. One small complaint, being of mature age I appreciate a comfortable and padded chair when out for dinner and the chair I had was neither. After a couple of hours my backside was needing a break! Anyway, the menu is limited but diverse. All the dishes were interesting and appealing. I had the only steak on the menu which was a 500 gram t-bone. I was in a party of eight so two others ordered the t-bone... in total two medium and one rare. Others in the party ordered fish, bugs and chicken. We also ordered some starters which was a sweet potato hummus and a fava bean and anchovy dip. Bread was an organic sourdough with cultured butter. All were delicious. Mains arrived all at once which is a real necessity in my books however the waiter could not identify which of the three steaks was the rare one. He simply placed one down in front of the person who ordered it and said "that should be it". One diner received an incorrect meal which was promptly returned to the kitchen and replaced with the correct one. No real drama, these things can happen. All diners enjoyed their meals with no complaints whatsoever. The portions were generous and all were visually appealing. My steak was delicious., cooked perfectly, juicy and tender. The meals don't come with sides so we ordered a mix of different dishes including asparagus, roasted garlic and rosemary potatoes and carrots. All were delicious. In terms of drinks the beer and wine lists were extensive and well represented. Service was efficient and slightly ambiguous. Whilst everyone was pleasant I didn't see anyone smile or engaging in terms of recommendations when requested. In all, I would recommend this restaurant to anyone wanting a slightly upmarket but relaxing atmosphere with great views, excellent food and a very good list of wines and beers.

Popped in here on a Saturday afternoon looking for a late lunch.. It was 3pm and we had been turned…read moreaway from a place nearby as the kitchen had been closed so we were hoping this place would be churning out the goods... And they were... We ordered a cheeseburger and fries to share as I've eaten here before a few times when I lived in the area, and I remembered how generous the portions were. Well I am pleased to report that nothing has changed in that department because even two of us couldn't finish it. Such a meaty dirty bun of goodness. It did not disappoint. Next treat to discover was that they were now serving Brookvale Union ginger beer in a can. A can?! Brilliance. At $9 a pop though it's a little steep.. But for a Saturday refreshment we were pretty pleased with ourselves. The decor is pretty sweet with the mismatched furniture that makes you question if you've just walked into a suburban garage sale.. But the real winner is the clever use of books on the walls and under the bar. Well done archive. I like the cut if your jib. I will be back. But please for the love of freshness do something about the urine soaked stench in the ladies room. Every single time I've been here (and it's a lot) it's the same thing.. What is going on?!

This bar was another one of those bars that I thought was literally nothing short of awesome. In…read morefact you seriously could not get a bar that would be better than this. Okay, you probably can, but you would be pushing really, really hard. This is one of those bars that I absolutely love, even if only for the really nice atmosphere inside. However, the other thing was that they also have some pretty awesome beers on tap as well.

I had two food experiences, one being room service and the other the full breakfast buffet. In both…read morecases, prices were higher than even usual in Australia, and while there was quantity, the flavors were lacking. Room service us available in the evenings and strangely, the menu is different than if you were eating in the restaurant. I would have eaten in the restaurant, but the menu there was fancy and even more expensive, so I opted for room service. There's a $4 AUD tray fee. I had the crispy chicken sandwich, which came with chunky fries. Large portions on both; the chicken spilled out of the bun. Both were fresh fried and crispy outside. But the chicken was a bit bland, while the fries were oversalted. (I guess they balanced each other, salt-wise.) I was okay with the chicken but the fries were just too salty for me. I had the full breakfast buffet for $25 AUD (about $17 US at the time). There was a continental breakfast buffet for less and a few items you could order, like an omelet or eggs benedict. I had bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, sauteed mushrooms, hash browns, fresh fruit, and orange juice. (I had two flights that day, and needed a big hit of protein to sustain me.) Again, quantity, but flavors were lacking. I made sure to eat and drink everything I took, but it wasn't worth the price. Breakfast was served till 10:30, but already at 9:45 when I arrived, they weren't putting out any more food. People who arrived after me found that a lot of stuff was already depleted. The dining room is spacious, with interior and exterior seating and tables. There's a nice view outside. There's a bar here, too. It would be a nice place to have coffee or a drink and watch the sunset.

You know when you travel for work it can be a bit hit and miss. Whilst not a hit per say, they…read morecertainly started off on the right with a really good coffee. Then there was a choice of buffet; continental or full or you can opt for a la carte, which is what I did. The menu has a great all round selection that would please most. I went for 2 poached eggs with side orders of Haloumi and hash browns. Service was very quick, about ten minutes from ordering. Eggs were cooked to my exact liking and as requested. It was a real shame they weren't free range as they has little flavour. Hash browns were crisp and golden and Haloumi, well I just love that cheese. The bread looked like it was just waved over the toaster which actually worked out for the best. It annoys me web restaurants serve thick hard crusts, like a sourdough, and you can barely put a knife throughout. The wilted rocket used for garnish would have been best left off the plate. Next time I think I'll go for the buttermilk pancakes with mixed berries.

Last year, I was lucky enough to receive an invitation to an intimate birthday dinner at Rhubarb…read moreRhubarb. I hadn't heard anything about this place, except that it was French cuisine. After getting lost in the leafy streets of Wooloowin, I finally found myself sitting in Rhubarb Rhubarb's dining room. The wait staff, from the moment you enter, serve you with the perfect balance of warmth and professionalism. They will be whoever you want them to be. If you don't like overly friendly service, they'll take a step back and serve in a more formal manner, but if you like waiters who will sit down and crack jokes with and your company, well, they can do that too (we chose the latter option). The menu listings look pretentious. Swallow your skepticism, and try something. The dishes are presented immaculately, the flavour combinations are exquisite, and you'll find yourself looking at the dessert menu for the most abstract listing- because all of a sudden, you've realised that being adventurous is fun and extremely tasty. I dare you to try the scallops on apple and celeriac puree with Berkshire pork belly ($19.50). I couldn't even wrap my mind around the idea of scallops and pork belly in union, but I'll you this, when I began to eat it, 'understanding' my food went out the window. I just enjoyed it, immensely. For mains, I'd recommend a more classic dish: the eye fillet with sauce Béarnaise, pommes fondant and asparagus ($39.00). It's less about exploring shocking combinations and more about focusing on elegant and rich flavours. For dessert, well, it's hard to choose anything but the creme brulee ($14.00). Just do it, if only for the spoon cracking element. It is pricey, but I'd wager that you wouldn't have had a meal this good in a long, long time. Go on, indulge yourself. Go to Rhubarb Rhubarb and treat yourself to the elegant method and flavours of French cuisine.

Lovely restaurant with delicious French fare, lovely service and a good atmosphere. Entrees, mains…read moreand desserts were all smashing across the table. The goats cheese entree is a must! The only thing I'd say was that I didn't realise it wasn't licensed so it would have been helpful if that was mentioned when booking so I could've bought wine along instead of having to go back to a bottle shop. Overall, a lovely experience and I'll certainly be back for special occasions.

Six Degrees is quite a surprising place! It does not look like much from the outside but it…read moreactually offers some top quality food. It has become a bit of a secret gem amongst Western suburb dwellers as more and more people are discovering its quality food. I had walked past time place many times and disregarded it as a cafe that probably serves your generic cake, sandwich and coffee type. One day, my boyfriend and I thought we would go for just a quick snack, we did not want to enter the busy shopping centre, so this place seemed like a sensible option. We were impressed from the moment we walked in; the place looks much nice on the inside than the outside. Once we sat down and looked at out menus we realised the place offered better meals than we thought. You can get seafood, duck and all sorts of meals cooked in adventurous ways. Since we weren't that hungry though, we decided to share a satay burger, this was one good burger. The burger was moist, tender and the satay sauce added an unexpected twist. This just goes to show, you can't judge a place by its exterior. Six Degrees looks very plain and uninviting from the outside, but once you walk it - it is a complete different story.

My family and I love this restaurant. We bring all our friends here. Olivia is the sweetest person,…read moreand the most incredible baker. She baked my Mum a tiramisu cake for her birthday this year :) The food is incredible. I dream about their duck pancakes. You seriously can't go wrong with whatever you order though :) I love their curry, pizza, and risottos!! Emphasis on risottos. This place is a hidden little gem :) it's one of those places you wish always had a line out the door because you love the food and the people so much. Highly recommended!