Jo-Jo's Restaurant, CBD

Unexpectedly good food from this 1980 Brisbane classic.

WHERE // Jo-Jo's Restaurant, Queen St Mall, Brisbane CBD

Jo-Jo's is, quite frankly, a Brisbane institution. If you haven't been at some point over the last thirty years, you can hardly call yourself a Brisbane native. To be perfectly honest, I always tend to bypass Jo-Jo's in favour of the more boutique cafés that populate the CBD these days, with my last visit being around four years ago for a friend's birthday. I was excited to re-evaluate my opinion when invited along to sample some of their menu, which is filled with options from no less than 4 separate kitchens. These include a grill, Thai, Mediterranean and a dessert bar. On a Friday lunchtime, the place was full and buzzing. It had a great airy feel - perfect for the upcoming summer.

WHAT // We tried out a few of their starters, mains and desserts. Overall impressions - huge portions, and the quality was definitely high - much more than I was expecting from what I'd misjudged as a glorified canteen. Although the prices are fairly high, they are fair enough for the CBD and the portions you get. The drinks we had (pictured above) were probably the most disappointing thing, with my green 'smoothie' coming out as a very foamy juice.

Salt and pepper calamari (17), with beautifully crisp batter. Well seasoned and very tender, these went down very well.

 

Black angus rump skewers (18), lots of meat here. Tender and we loved the accompanying tomato-based sauce.

 

 Moreton bay bag risotto (27), peas and braised leek with soft goats cheese and crispy speck. I'm a bit of a risotto nut, always ordering it when it's available. I was extremely surprised with this one, which successfully avoided being gluggy and too salty as risottos often are. Polished off the whole thing - no mean feat, if I do say so myself.

Vietnamese salmon fillet salad (27), aromatic herbs with rice stick noodles and tangy dressing. Nicely cooked salmon with crisp skin, which is all you really need. The salad underneath was very light, but fresh. It may have been a little bland for some, but definitely good if you're watching out for heavy dressings.

Belgian waffles (15), with vanilla ice-cream, berries and chocolate. Gorgeous to look at and to eat. The berries were plump and tangy, offsetting the sweetness of the dish.

 

VERDICT // I had reservations before going, but they've been overturned. Recommend this place for a long lazy lunch or large groups, as it's easy to pay separately and provides a huge variety of choice - you'll definitely find something you like. The Thai food is apparently very good - will return to try it out! 

INFO // 10.30am til late, 7 days.

LINKS // Jo-Jo's

Disclaimer: BNE Cafés was an invited guest of Jo-Jo's. All views expressed are the author's own.