Banyo not normally on your radar for a suburb to venture to for breakfast, lunch or dinner? No, me…read moreeither. But I'm glad I made the exception to stop by Putia Pure Food for lunch today. Located directly opposite Banyo train station, the cafe is easily accessible by public transport and there's ample street parking in the surrounding streets if you've driven. I arrived around 12:30pm to see the cafe-slash-cooking school bustling with mums, ladies who lunch, and nearby office workers all creating a little buzz. With both table and bench seating you'll find a spot to sit and enjoy a meal quite easily. The menu is, thank heavens, focusing on the healthy. Owner Dominique Rizzo, a chef by trade, says via their website, they're driven by "healthy lifestyles, vitality and inspiration in the kitchen, garden and beyond." Sure, there's a few sweet treats but you'll not see a 13-patty cheeseburger on this menu. Perched upon a bar stool overlooking the street, I settled in for a relaxing lunch for one opting for a green tea and the broccoli & parmesan fritters with a side salad. The menu is broken into breakfast, light snacks, lunches and "on bread" aka sandwiches. Despite the fullness of the cafe everyone seemed to be relaxed and my meal was delivered soon enough. The fritters were the perfect light lunch companion and it's refreshing to leave a venue energised rather than ready to declare oneself in a food coma. Now to check out their schedule of cooking classes and workshops.... Pro Tip: Sit at one of the indoor bench tables. It gives you prime viewing into the open kitchen and seeing all the meals prepared is quite magical.

I had high hopes for Putia and on first glance it's a lovely cafe with a great menu and gorgeous…read morecourtyard, but it was let down by hard poached eggs...those three words should never be uttered in the same sentence. Our orders were taken and the coffees arrived promptly but we had to ask for sugar as there was none on the table and none offered. It was the same story with salt and pepper, they would benefit from setting the tables first up to save repeated requests for the basics. We ordered the Gympie bacon with poached eggs, relish and wilted greens and asked for soft poached eggs. Unfortunately we were served hard poached eggs, and I mean hard pale yolks like a hard boiled egg. Very disappointed... When we mentioned this to our waitress there was no offer to cook the eggs again but they did offer to bring free drinks. The juice they brought was nice but it couldn't satisfy my craving for runny yolks.. Overall the rest of the food was really nice. If they could cook eggs I would happily rate them higher but there is no excuse for hard poached eggs coming out of a professional kitchen. With no offer to cook them again I can only comment on what I received and will be steering clear of Putia from now on.

My wife and I recently visited and found a well stocked and laid out store with helpful and…read moreknowledgable staff. The cake decorating classes looked like a great deal of fun and very informative, with a full hands on involvement from an experienced teacher. Well done to the team you sure know how to run this business.

From the owner: From absolute beginners to more advanced classes for serious hobbyists and professionals, all are…read morewelcome.

Brisbane Institute of Art is a not-for-profit community college with classes designed to suit all…read moreskill levels and lifestyles. They offer short courses over a weekend for people interested in learning the foundations of jewellery making, painting, ceramic or photography. There are also regular evening classes throughout the semester for those who prefer a structured framework to develop their skills. I've previously studied painting and ceramics here and found the tutors knowledgeable and the classes friendly. However, I think these classes are tailored towards hobbyists. I was frustrated with the emphasis placed on creativity over technical skills. Having also done short painting and sculpting courses at Southbank Tafe and Queensland College of Arts, I think a short course with QCA Enterprise or Southbank Tafe would suit people wishing to pursue their art seriously and the prices would be comparable as well. NB: Some subjects at Brisbane Institute of Art can count towards a Certificate in Art or a Diploma in Art but check with staff for clarification. NB: Opening hours refer to the office hours. BIA is open on weekends and evenings for students attending classes

From the owner: The Institute also offers a structured program from the mastery of foundation skills to full…read moreprofessional practice.