Miel Container, CBD

A tiny corner of the CBD made delicious.

WHERE // Miel Container, 96 Albert St, CBD

This bright, red container nestled at the corner of Mary and Albert St in the city has been attracting burger fans from far and wide. I'd heard a lot of great things about their DIY burgers, so visited on a chilly Friday night. It was freezing - definitely bring a coat in winter, as all of the seating is outside! They are licensed and have a range of beers and ciders, being a great place to eat before heading out. It's also frequented by office workers during the day.

WHAT // We all elected to have DIY burgers after some onion rings. They (pictured above) were very crispy and well received.

I won't trouble you with all the details of which ingredients we picked - here's their DIY menu (from their facebook). Each burger comes with 5 or so chips, so order extra if you need!

 Blue cheese, beef, bacon.

 Beef, pumpkin, brie, caramelised onion.

Beef, lettuce, tomato.

A special - artichoke lamb.

VERDICT // Great burgers and great prices - I think the beer was about $7 so decently priced as well. Will return for some other combos and to try the set burgers!

INFO // Mon - Thu: 11:00 - 22:00 Fri - Sat: 11:00 - 00:00

LINKS // facebook

Beccofino, Teneriffe

Renowned for its beautiful and authentic pastas and pizzas in the trendy Teneriffe.

WHERE // Beccofino, 10 Vernon Terrace, Teneriffe

 

I'd been hoping for a chance to check out Beccofino forever, especially since their Duck Ragu was listed as #1 on Urbanlist's 50 meals to eat in Brisbane. It's a very well known Teneriffe joint and is always buzzing, even midweek! We heard the wait can be pretty long on weekends - as they don't take bookings - so popped by for a midweek, early Father's Day dinner.

WHAT // None of us were big pizza people, so pastas it was! It was very dim in the restaurant - great atmosphere, bad photos.

Calamari fritti con rucola - Fried baby calamari with rocket and lemon. We grabbed the bigger size, and it was enormous. I was pretty full after eating more than my fair share of this - it was so fresh, juicy, crispy and I was sad to finish it. Give me a plate of this on the beach any day.

Risotto del giorno - Risotto of the day (22). Leek, smoked mozzarella. A huge serving of delicious, well cooked risotto. It was perhaps bordering on the side of too cheesy (blasphemy!). But I'd eat it again.

Trecce con calamari - Short twisted pasta with calamari, 
cherry tomatoes, zucchini, mint and chilli (24.5). Beccofino certainly knows how to cook pasta - al dente it was, and my dad said it was the best texture he'd ever encountered (and we have been to Italy). A good kick of spice, but the portion size was more mum than dad sized.

Pappardelle al Ragu d’Anatra - Flat ribbon pasta with a duck and tomato ragu (23.5). Again, the pasta was gorgeous - but that sauce! Rich, hearty, and packed full of flavour. We could see how it's come to be Brisbane's favourite dish. 

Frittelle di Brioche - Fried brioche dumplings with nutella 
and vanilla icecream (10.5). Holy mother of god. I was so full after our meal, but the trusty dessert stomach kicked in and I managed to stuff this down as well. Hot and crispy, on a bed of nutella. You must eat this.

 VERDICT // Definitely will come back and try the pizzas, and more dessert. The service was great, we had a lovely waitress who was very attentive even though all the tables were full.

INFO // Mon – closed Tuesday, Wednesday from 5:30 till 9:30pm. Thursday 5:30 till 10pm. Friday & Saturday from 12 noon till late. Sunday 12 noon to 9pm.
Parking can be tricky around Teneriffe. No bookings.

LINKS // Beccofino

The Roastery Cafe, South Brisbane

A new chef and a new image for this roastery cafe.

WHERE // The Roastery Cafe, 25 Glenelg St, South Brisbane

 

Tucked away on Glenelg St away from the South Bank crowds, The Roastery Cafe is the accompaniment to Rouge Coffee Roasters. But with a new French head chef, it has definitely come into its own as an eatery. I was invited along to sample some of the goods on offer, having visited of my own volition a few weeks prior (inconveniently forgetting my camera that time). It's surprisingly large, with a lovely herb garden out the back to bask in and enjoy the morning sun.

WHAT // We tried out a few of the yummiest meals on offer.

Kale Salad w roasted sweet potato & avocado topped with roasted almonds, a citrus balsamic dressing & two poached eggs. I personally hate kale, but...if it floats your boat!

Lemony Feta & Avocado whipped feta infused with lemon olive oil over smashed avo w house dukkah & rocket on toasted sourdough. This looked incredible!

 Classic baked eggs chorizo & tomato sugo topped with goat’s cheese & rocket w toasted sourdough. My choice - clearly the best choice. With added haloumi, this was easily the heartiest breakfast on offer, and filled me up until dinnertime.

the roastery breakfast house beans w chorizo, bacon, tomato, avocado and two poached eggs on sourdough w house relish. This unfortunately came out missing a few items.

Breakfast Roll w crispy bacon, free range egg, cheddar & house relish 

We were also treated to some dessert!

 VERDICT // Beautifully presented food, great coffee, great atmosphere, and a Bitcoin machine. I'll be baaaack.

INFO // Open seven days | Breakfast and Lunch
Mon - Fri 6:30- 4:00
Sat 7:00 - 2:00
Sun 7:00 - 2:00

LINKS // the roastery cafe facebook

Pawpaw Cafe, Woolloongabba [#2]

You already know Pawpaw is a Brissy favourite - just sharing more foodporn pictures!

WHERE // Pawpaw Cafe, Cnr Potts + Stanley St, Woollongabba

Giorgina, the lovely manager of the Venzin Group restaurants, invited a group of foodies around for a taster of all the breakfast options. 

WHAT // We got to try a variety of the meals - have a look below!

Banoffee french toast - Banana, caramel, chocolate & cream served on French toasted brioche. Surprisingly, not too sweet! I found this tasty but probably a bit too much for your everyday breakfast.

Californian breakfast burrito - Toasted tortilla filled with black beans, scrambled egg and cheddar topped with chipotle sour cream and tomato salsa. This behemoth was a sight to behold, and reportedly very tasty.



Corn fritters with chipotle sour cream, avocado and tomato relish.

Oven roasted mushrooms marinated in thyme and garlic, with blistered cherry tomatoes, kale and pepitas on goats' cheese toast.

Son in law eggs. Boiled then deep fried, coated with a sweet and sticky sauce. I actually loved this! (Sorry, blurry pic).

Barley bowl - for the health conscious!

 

Avo on toast with haloumi.

 

VERDICT // Great coffee and solid breakfast options makes this a place you can always rely on.

  INFO // Open for all-day brekky and lunch, 7 days a week.

links // pawpaw website facebook instagram

Hoo Ha Bar, South Brisbane

This bar has all you'll ever need.

WHERE // Hoo Ha Bar, South Brisbane, 41 Tribune St  

I'd been meaning to check out Hoo Ha Bar since I realised it was so conveniently located - right underneath the South Bank Bus Station. The low key launch of their new spring menu, along with a late start on placement, gave me the perfect opportunity. By day, the bar is an open, laid-back setting with a very chilled atmosphere, perfect for early morning business meetings or a quiet spot to read the paper. At night it transforms into a bar serving up a range of craft beers and ciders, as well as tasty grazing plates and meals.

WHAT // The new weekday breakfast menu is an abbreviated version of the weekend version, offering up four simple dishes with a twist.

Slow cooked pork hock, fried free-range egg, greens, Swiss cheese & chilli salsa on a poppy seed bagel. I've been craving a good bagel for a while, and this was it. Great chewy texture from the bagel, amazing flavour from the pork and deliciously melty Swiss cheese. The chilli salsa smeared on the inside really pulled everything together.

VERDICT // Will be back to try EVERYTHING else.

  INFO // Open Tue-Fri 7am til late, Sat 8am til late, Sun 3pm til late.

links // hooha bar facebook

Pawpaw Cafe, Woolloongabba

A brief trip to perennial favourite Pawpaw left us eagerly awaiting the next visit.

WHERE // Pawpaw Cafe, Cnr Potts + Stanley St, Woollongabba

If you don't know about Pawpaw, you're not a true Brisbanite. This giant of the brunch scene has been a Brisbane favourite for a long time, having a huge and loyal following. We couldn't resist popping back into the 'Gabba cafe after seeing so many drool-worthy instagram posts.

WHAT // The whole table ordered the same meal - so there's only the one thing to show you! Fortunately, it was incredible.

Oven roasted mushrooms marinated in thyme and garlic, with blistered cherry tomatoes, kale and pepitas on goats' cheese toast. So simple, yet so tasty. The mushroom juices (for lack of a better term) soaked nicely through the toast, making it easy to cut into bite-sized pieces. The goats' cheese also provided a good savoury kick to the dish.

VERDICT // Pawpaw never fails to impress! If you've never been, that's a travesty. Get yourself there pronto.

  INFO // Open for all-day brekky and lunch, 7 days a week.

links // pawpaw website facebook instagram

Little Brew, Paddington

PSA: After four months away from this blog, I've re-evaluated my previously misguided decision to veto capital letters and shall endeavour to utilise appropriate grammar in the future. 

Welcome to another year of gastronomical delights!

WHERE // Little Brew, 131 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington

Paddington is definitely one of the big boys when it comes to cafè hotspots in Brisbane, so you've got to deliver to survive. Little Brew sits just past the supermarket complex on Latrobe Terrace, occupying a small but airy space at the end of a few shops. There's still seating to suit everyone: out the front to watch people and cars pass by, inside in the cozy bar area, or my personal favourite - the back room, with faux grass flooring and a view over the leafy suburbs. We popped by for a spot of lunch, but Little Brew also transforms into a tapas bar Thursday through Sunday nights.

WHAT // time for the food!

Toasted brioche w peaches / jamon /ricotta/ almonds /honey vanilla reduction. Incredibly pretty and dainty. The brioche was a little dry, but overall the flavours worked really well together - the ricotta tied everything together nicely.

Mexican corn fritters with chorizo, goat's cheese, rocket and a poached egg. With fritters, it can be a bit hit and miss, often coming with too much batter and being very stodgy. These, however, were amazing - full of corny deliciousness. The chorizo was also tasty and generous.

VERDICT // This is the second time I've been to Little Brew, and it has delivered on both occasions. It doesn't just serve up the standard, everyday cafè options - everything on the menu has a unique spin. It's very affordable as well, with options around the $15 mark.
INFO // Open every day for brekky and lunch, with the tapas bar open on Thursday to Sunday nights. 

links // facebook