Vox Vegas

Sono - Queen st Mall

Vv's idea of fancy Japanese is traditionally an upmarket sushi bar... Haniachi after the pub is about as classy as it usually gets. No longer. Sono was a revelation in just how enjoyable and fun Japanese cuisine can be, even without the train.

The food tasted just as good (actually much better) when placed carefully on the table as when you have to catch it yourself as it cruises by.  Actually the train thing has never really appealed, the food gets cold and your favorite never sneaks past the chubby couple with the surprisingly good reflexes. 

As usual Vv sampled more of the menu than is recommended by the AMA and it was all delightful, except the Gyu Steak which was tough (go the Wagu - novice error). Don't miss the soft shell crab served in a tomato, cucumber and vinegar salsa - just sublime. The crab was possibley the Vv culinary highlight of 2008 so far.  

Sono wont get any awards for value for money but your paying for inner city rent, top quality ingredients and great atmosphere.   

Cant wait to return.

Dudley st Espresso

Found this little gem on Ipswich road at Annerly during a pit stop on the way to the Rocklea markets. Perfect example of the beauty of keeping things simple and high quality.

The vibe is a quaint mix of antique collectible v surfaces darling and it gives the impression of the kind of place that despite being small, always has room for you and your paper. There is a small but tasty range of simple toasted sandwiches and bagels to choose from to accompany the top draw coffee. You cant go wrong.

This relatively new addition to the emerging South-side coffee scene is sure to thrive because it is not trying to bite of more than it can chew or pretend to be something it ain't. I cant stand a place that insists on serving a two kilo Turkish bread filled with 17 ingredients for morning tea - I just wanted a snack - something lite and tasty to complement my drink.  Dudley st is the kind of joint locals can visit every day, and that is a good thing, because it will be while before the latte set are abandoning there usual haunts north of the river to venture over to the inner south side. (However the advent of the Pearl Cafe may change all that - but that is another story).

Club India - Elizabeth st, Brisbane

A curry house with a well stocked bar, located directly above a pole dancing club… a bachelors dream? Well perhaps, for the unimaginative. Unfortunately, “exotic” may be an even more optimistic description of the food that emerges from the Club India Kitchen than the dancing that goes on downstairs.

The curries lacked the flair and fragrance which makes Indian food one of the great world cuisines.

Aesthetically, the large space with uncovered tables spread out across what was once a dance floor, creates a soulless atmosphere despite the aggressively decorative wallpaper and uncomfortably loud soundtrack.

We love the idea of crossing a bar with an Indian restaurant, however at the moment Club India falls awkwardly somewhere in the middle, achieving neither well. Club India has none of the mouthwatering home home style flavours of the Taj nor the slick finish and friendly service of the other new kid on the curry block, Mehfil. 

Verdict: More folly than Bolly - hopefully this new addition to the eating scene will find its feet, as the almost complete lack of Peshwari Naan in the CBD is yet another example of Brisbane clinging stubbornly to its big country town vibe.

Pandemonium - Paddington

Paddington is home to some of the best breakfasts in Brisbane - Anouk, Sassafrass, Fundies- it’s a wonder Pandemonium gets a look in… no really, we don’t understand.

For so long we had been meaning to get around to visiting this super cute colourful venue on Given tce with the retro vinyl topped tables and breezy vibe. Unfortunately the food was a genuine let down. The coffee was weak and bitter, the eggs soggy, the bread stale and cold, the mushrooms tasteless, the sausages carried a cheap n’ nasty aura and the whole thing came with a complimentary curly black hair. (yes the curly ones are so much more off putting)

The hair was accompanied by a discount, if not complete contrition. We feel (snobbishly) that the bar needs to be set higher if Paddington ever wants to graduate into a genuine centre for food lovers. However it is fair to say that ours may be a minority opinion of Pandemonium, as it fills with enthusiastic clientele each weekend. 

Gerbinos Pasticceria - Ashgrove

What is not to love about a bakery that serves up the best Aussie pie n' peas in town, alongside delicate Italian pastries, proper gelati and perfect long blacks?

I cant think of anything. Love it.

Stay tuned for a pizza review, of course we will have to get past those pies and order one first...

166 Ashgrove ave, Ashgrove.

-Ed

Vancha Ghar - Macgregor Tce, Bardon

The first thing we notice is the cute bar, love a place you can have a drink beforehand. The next delight, aside from the warm welcome, is complimentary Papadums. Such a small gesture but don't we love them. I'm always surprised that more Brisbane venues have not realised that a little bit of free Papadum buys a lot of good will.

Cold beer and crispy nibbles while we contemplate the exotic sounding menu which includes a range of tasty sounding entrees and a varied mains list with plenty of vegetarian options (no, we don't think being vegetarian is OK - but we guess they need to eat too). 

Tonight we choose Momo - Nepalese dumplings served with a tangy sauce made from sesame seeds, chili, lime and coriander and Khuhura Poleko - Chicken marinated in spiced yogurt, followed by a dish of spinach and onion fried with (what we assume to be) chili, ginger, garlic and coriander seeds.

The food prepared by the all Nepalese kitchen was terrific and unique. Certainly did not taste like any other place we have been to. With further testing, this place could potentially find its self in the Vox Vegas Hall of Fame, cant wait to go back. 

- Ed

Sassafras - Latrobe Tce, Paddington

Folks don't come to Sassafras for the attentive service or for the convenience, which is just as well. At peak times visits to this earthy, trendy Cafe in the heart of Paddington, usually involve jostling in a queue, missing out on a table and a long wait for food. All this will make sense and seem well worthwhile once the food arrives.

The food here is not fancy gun shop cuisine, its simple, plentiful, tasty and made with plenty love and attention from the best ingredients. No small feat when you consider the volume of customers Sassafras caters for.

You wont get table service. No one will appear to ask if you have everything you need. Sometimes your order will go missing or come out wrong. None of this is due to a lack of commitment from management or staff - it is because they are all sooo busy, taking orders, heating lentil bake, producing perfect long blacks from the coffee machine and churning out oodles of fabulous food from the tiny kitchen.

Usually packed on the weekends from breakfast till lunch, Sassafras has an excellent range of vegetarian options, plenty of tasty antipasto options, different salads each day, huge breakfasts, great cakes, excellent coffee, a pleasant courtyard, grungy art deco ambiance and funky music.

The quality of the food and drinks are unapologetically the priorities here and that is fine by us.

-Ed Vegas

Java Lounge - Latrobe Terrace, Paddington

Little disclaimer here, the Java Lounge is Villa Vegas' local, as such it occupies a soft  spot in Ed's affections. Cute and laid back, the Java Lounge has recently undergone something of a make over. While every effort has been made not to lose too much of its unique homely charm, Vv's favorite paper reading sofa with the purple knitted cover has been dispensed with. It's tempting to believe that the disappearance of this ratty but comforting Latrobe institution along with the demise of the second hand shop next door signify the end of an era for Paddington. 

Fortunately Java Lounge has retained all its best bits, relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff, cheap prices, cheerful decor and diverse clientele. Unfortunately the menu has also been retained. Your choice of a pretty unimaginative range of dishes that leave even the most reluctant cooks with the feeling they may as well have made the same thing for themselves at home.

While the food and coffee are not the highlights, in a strange way, this just adds to the homely feel. If you really want great food and you don't mind fighting the crowds and paying top dollar - head to Sassafras just metres down the road. If you prefer a more relaxed atmosphere and can live without roasted chestnuts in your salad and bocconcini, pull up a lounge, grab the paper and chill out at the Java Lounge to the sound of Italian opera or rootsy blues.

Caravanserai - West End

Perched above West End on Dornoch Terrace, part of a cluster of yumminess that includes Lefkas and Cantina, sits this sumptuous bustling hub of all things Turkish and tasty. It was a wet night in Brisvegas on APEC eve, but as we passed through the door the cold dark street was forgotten in a full frontal blow of noise, colour, movement, kitchen smoke and mouthwatering aromas. Initially a little overwhelmed, we spotted our companions in the corner and settled into our seats, with a genuine sense of anticipation. The place felt happening. 

After a start like that, the food could easily have been a disappointment, particularly   in light of the huge volume of food flowing from the kitchen. Instead it was plentiful and delicious. After devouring a warm platter of meets and seafood, we tucked into generously proportioned mains, my lamb rack with fig glaze and crushed walnuts was superb. Then one of our number rather unnecessarily, but very cleverly ordered the Dessert Dilemma. Another large platter arrived, this  time piled high with exotic Turkish cakes and sweets. 

Wine of the night was a 12 year old Yarra Valley Cab Sav. Unfortunately the waitress managed to destroy the cork (I'll blame her, but she may, with some justification, blame the poor cellaring techniques employed chateaux Vox Vegas). Despite being filled with cork fragments, this fine drop ha d not yet turned to vinegar. Undeterred we developed an effective (if uncouth) filtering technique. 

Our only complaint would be that, once again, we found ourselves being ushered out the door of a near empty venue at around 10.30pm. When catching up with old friends, as we were, you should be able to make a night of it. Early closing times of Brisbane restaurants has been a Vv bug bear for some time now.

   

Simpatico Paddington Review

I think this kind of dining experience is to me what bungee jumping is to the adrenaline junkie. Total release. For a few blissful hours, nothing seems to exist outside the table, nothing matters but food and laughter.

Of course, the company is the most important ingredient, but not all venues are as conducive to inducing this special gluttonous euphoria as Simpatico. The mouth-watering food, excellent choice of wine and only ever so slightly swanky atmosphere set the scene perfectly. 

There is no doubt about it, Simpatico is food lover heaven. Everything is made from the very best ingredients, each dish is so carefully composed, you truly feel like kitchen staff are pouring every ounce of their love and care into the food. (That's why most of kipflers had gone before I could take a photo)

So, as the A-League football season kicked off two blocks down the road, I plucked a fried crumbed olive from the bowl, the flavours began to dance and sparkle in my mouth, while a slurp of Pin Pin cab sav gently washed away all lingering disappointment at missing my beloved QLD Roar's first home game... until a text message arrived from the Northern Stand to say Captain Craig Moore had been sent off!

Oh well, cheers to another Paddington summer of tasty tapas and footballing underachievement.

- Ed