What's new in Brisbane food? Check out the new French deli store, new organic shop, new Vietnamese and Indian eateries, a little bit Spanish + happy news for flyers.
Getting Frenchy
If you are pining for Paris or just feeling Frenchy take yourself down to the new La Provence French Market which has opened as an offshoot of Sprout at 37a Bangalla Street, Auchenflower.
This little deli has a range of French goodies including delicious Foie Gras, cheeses, sweets, preserves, and loads of things to cook with including vanilla and mustard and even a great cheat crepe mix. There is also a range of organic cosmetics and gorgeous linens from Provence. Open Tuesday to Sunday between 8am and 8pm.
New organic option
Marcia’s on Montague in West End has opened Organics at Marcia’s, a rustic yet contemporary green store with an emphasis on local, sustainable, natural and organic products.
Accessible through Marcia’s on Montague or via its own entrance on Beesley Street, the store stocks an inspiring range of products from groceries and pantry items to household cleaning and baby products.
Marcia Evans said customers will find a large range, wide variety, low prices and a stylish shopping experience with some beautiful artisanal products to browse. The store is styled as a modish French larder with natural furnishings and earthy colours, coupled with a warm, friendly atmosphere to match.
No rocks
For a fix of authentic Vietnamese street food head to Hamilton Harbour for new Rice, Paper, Scissors - a restaurant/bakery fusion from Jason Pham.
Jason, who also owns Monticlare Bakery in Ascot, is excited about his fresh, authentic, home-style Vietnamese street food and says the recipes are all their own and everything is made in-house.
Staying in Spain
Jamie Webb, well known for his Petrie Terrace establishments - Peasant, Cabiria and Lefty’s Music Hall, is planning yet another Spanish-themed restaurant.
Gordita is set to open in the new M&A development opposite James Street early this year with a cuisine based on the wholesome market style Andalusian food created by Moorish trade throughout Southern Spain. Expect freshly char-grilled meats which will be carved tableside with a shared tapas style menu to complement the domestic and international artisanal wines.
As much of a bar as it is a restaurant, Gordita will put the fun back into drinking says Jamie with seasonal cocktails and rotating draught beer.
“The name Gordita is an affectionate Spanish phrase given to cute fat chicks, which is originally where I got the concept. She is graceful, old school, and like my other venues, the bar will be the feature in the venue. Dining at the bar will provide a very intimate experience, whilst the restaurant is designed to cater for larger groups in an atmosphere similar to Peasant.”
Despite questioning the wisdom of associating a restaurant with the phrase ‘cute fat chicks’, even if it is in Spanish, Jamie’s Gordita will be worth checking out when it opens in M&A.
With a modern Greek venture on the cards for April, 20 14 is shaping up to be a big year for Jamie & the team.
Extra Spice at Emporium
If you think you know Indian, wrap your lips around some new style Southern Indian dishes at Roti Chenai restaurant, new at Emporium, Fortitude Valley.
Where most other Brisbane Indian restaurants specialise in food from Northern India, Roti Chenai takes its lead from traditional Southern Indian food.
It is owned and operated by father and son team Richard and Jayden Rajasekar, and takes its name from the words roti (roti bread) and chenai (South Indian Tamil). Richard has been running an award-winning restaurant of the same name in Wellington, New Zealand for the past 21 years.
Expect traditional Southern Indian style cuisine and a few Malaysian style dishes. It’s open seven days for lunch and dinner, excepting Sunday lunch.
Happy flying
With the amount of time spent sitting in a plane on the tarmac or waiting to land ever increasing due to air congestion it has become increasingly annoying to have to turn off hand-held devices during take off and landing.
So a big thumbs up to British Airways Flight who have relaxed restrictions on the use of handheld electronic devices on any British Airways flight anywhere in the world.
British Airways customers can now use their tablet devices, phones and eReaders in ‘flight safe’ mode from the moment they board their flight to the second they leave it. British Airways has demonstrated to the CAA, that the changes will comply with all existing safety rules and regulations.
British Airways has connectivity on its double daily London City to New York service, which enables customers to send and receive texts and data. Would this work for you or do you prefer to be incommunicado while flying?
Kerry Heaney
Disclaimer: Just sharing food love