I’m a big soup fan. Perhaps it’s because it’s a good vehicle for bread; perhaps it’s because I can annoy my boyfriend with the slurping noises I make while I eat it. If you’re into soup too, La Zuppa is giving you a chance to shape the future of one of its products. Come up with a flavour you’d like to see in the 2012 La Zuppa range; if your idea wins, you’ll get a trip to Italy and some cold hard cash! Enter via the La Zuppa facebook page before July 31.

2012 Pure Bier Fest – Until May 31

My love affair with German beer started in the summer of ’10. It was a steamy 38c when I stumbled into a bottle shop in Berlin, dying for something cold to quench my thirst. I grabbed something out of the fridge, barely looking at the label (it was a Weihenstephaner). Soon after I popped that sucker open and it wasn’t too long before I was bowing to the refreshing glory that is German wheat beer.

Understandably, then, I am BUMMED I am going to miss out on the Pure Bier Fest, held at the Bavarian Bier Cafe until May 31. They’re celebrating the purity and excellence of German beer with a great lineup of events – both educational and fun. Check out the Bavarian Bier Cafe’s website for the full details.


Noosa International Food and Wine Festival – 17-20 May
Venture outside of town this weekend and hit up one of the best foodie festivals in the country. More than 200 chefs, winemakers, restaurateurs, and other industry figureheads will be present at this year’s event, held at Lions Park in Noose Heads. There’s a variety of ticket options available; visit the event’s website for more info.

Sadly, Momma T and I are still separated by a really large ocean and several pesky masses of land, but I know I’d be chowing down with her this weekend if I could.

The Lark - Sunday Roast
The Lark is a cute little bar in Paddington, so it’s an ideal place to snuggle up with your momma. No shame in that – my mother may be half my size, but I still enjoy a good cuddle. Get a good feed too with a special roast lunch, served from noon: roasted lamb in a sourdough herb crust, stuffed with sun dried tomato and olives, with chat potatoes, artichoke, baby carrots, rosemary sauce, and beetroot chutney….mmmm! Call 3369 1299 for reservations.


Stamford Plaza – High Tea/Lunch
Your mum’s a slapper? You are a little bit, too? Well, pull it together for one day ladies – there’s scones and finger sandwiches on the line here! Check out the swank Stamford Plaza for a delicious high tea. Check out their website for more info.
UPDATE: High Tea has been fully booked! Try their buffet lunch instead – it includes a three hour beverage package (that means wine during the day! Whee!).

16th on Park – Breakfast/Lunch/High Tea/Dinner
If your momma has a busy schedule (mine sure does – she used to get home later than I did on a Saturday night), this Park Rd cafe has plenty of options. High Tea? Brekkie? Just a cheeky little cake’n'coffee combo? No worries! I personally am partial to their cheesecake. Visit http://16onpark.com.au/category/whats-on for more info.

The Normanby – Two Course Meal
When I think ‘Normanby’, I don’t think ‘lovely place to take my mother’. I think ‘misspent youth’, ‘I can’t believe I used to dress like that’, ‘where’s my dignity’. But truth be told, it is quite a lovely location during the day. So, treat your mum to a two course meal and a glass of champers for just $38. Phone 3831 3353 to book.

In spite of the fact that I was living in a nearby suburb at the time, I never took the opportunity to visit Sono Portside. Recently, EatDrinkBrisbane was invited to sample Sono Portside’s new a la carte menu, and I was lucky enough to be sent along to check things out.

As my brother-in-law ”C” is also a huge fan of Japanese cuisine, I invited him to come along. We were greeted at the door and escorted to our table, where we removed our shoes before sitting (a traditional element in some Japanese restaurants). Our table was located by the glass windows overlooking the Brisbane River, affording us a great view as we caught up.

I find that many of the restaurants at Portside have a very busy, energetic atmosphere. Sono, however, exudes an incredible peaceful and welcoming vibe. We immediately began to relax, aided by the infallibly polite and friendly staff, who happily answered our questions and offered their own personal recommendations on what to try from the menu.

As suggested by our waitress Masami, we decided to go with the Tasting Course ($85/person), and the optional matching wines (+$45/person).  We were also encouraged to try the Sake options with each of the dishes – we were happy to comply!

After a brief wait, the Appetizer Platter was served with a glass of the Ranman Reiryo Sake. Each item on the platter was a superb introduction of what was to come.  The Fresh Oyster in Lime Sauce had a creaminess that combined well with a touch of salmon roe, as the roe gently popped inside your mouth. The citrus soy sauce and chilli grated radish brought forth the earthy taste of the seared wagyu, and the Soft Shell Crab Karaage with Shiso Salsa still defies my attempts to accurately describe its balance of delicious flavours with the light crispiness of the fried crustacean.

All of this was highlighted by the Ranman Reiryo Sake: the smoothness and light melon tones in it provided the perfect accompaniment to each of these dishes.  I have tried various Sakes over the years, both in Japan and in a number of Japanese restaurants in Australia, but this would have to be my new favourite… a sentiment echoed by C. If you ever get a chance to try this Sake chilled, do yourself a favour and sample it!

The first entree arrived shortly after we had consumed our appetizers, and consisted of the Tuna and Salmon Sashimi and Snapper Carpaccio with shallots, sesame seeds, and garlic vinaigrette. The tuna and salmon was incredibly fresh and of fantastic quality. The Snapper Carpaccio, with its “lotus flower” presentation, was a surprise of smooth texture and subtle flavours. The complementing glass of Mitchell Watervale Riesling (2009) was delicate enough to not overpower the sashimi.

The second entree was  the Fresh Crab Meat Croquette and Scampi Spring Roll, served with a glass of Giant Steps Sexton Chardonnay (2008).  Though the dish was nicely presented, the scampi spring roll was the champion here, full of flavour and crispy texture.  The croquette’s crispy exterior contained a very creamy filling, although it had very little flavour in comparison.

The third entree made up for this though; being a selection of sushi: Prawn Tempura Sushi Roll, Fish Tempura Sushi Roll, and a Seared Salmon Belly Sushi, drizzled with mayonnaise, sea salt and avocado. All of the sushi was fresh. I also liked that I was given a set of rolls that I normally wouldn’t order.

For our mains, I chose the South Qld Kobe Cuisine Wagyu striploin MB6 Steak with garlic soy Jus, and C set his sights on the NSW Duck Breast Teriyaki orange sauce… and neither of us were disappointed! My requested medium-rare striploin came out perfectly and then proceeded to ‘dissolve’ upon my tongue. The accompanying parsnip and long beans gave the dish quite a western feel, but the meat was so good that I really didn’t care. C’s duck breast was also a source of delight, being tender and juicy while the sauce was not at all overpowering (an all too often occurrence I find with an orange sauce).

Just as we were discussing the great quality of the food and the attentive service over a glass of red, the “Chef’s selection” dessert was delivered in the form of Gateua au Chocolat with Vanilla Bean ice cream. While I was eager to dive in, C reminded me of his allergy to chocolate…but the situation was quickly remedied by Masami bringing out a replacement dessert for C – the Dessert Duo.

The Dessert Duo was a visual feast compared to my Gateua au Chocolat, served in a clamshell-shaped bowl filled with ice, upon which rested two glass eggs.  One egg was spilt in two: one half filled with custard pudding with burnt toffee sauce, the other with vanilla bean ice cream. The second egg contained a citrus yoghurt mousse with strawberry sauce and apple jelly. C very generously allowed me enough of a taste from each to spend the rest of our time wishing that I had said I was allergic to chocolate too!

Sono Portside would have to be one the finest Japanese restaurants in Brisbane. They have hit the balance between great food, fantastic service and a beautiful dining environment, an achievement that any restaurant would be proud of. I will definitely be returning there soon, and would highly recommend Sono Portside to anyone who loves a fine Japanese dining experience.

- Simon

Sono Portside

Portside Wharf (opposite Dendy Cinema)

Hamilton QLD 4007

(07) 3268 6655

http://www.sonorestaurant.com.au

EatDrinkBrisbane were guests of Sono Portside. Thank you, Sono! This was an unpaid review.

Gerrod: Think you know beer? Matt Kirkegaard certainly does, so he’s the perfect person to be launching Beer Academy in Australia. The Beer Academy is a beer appreciation class which started in the UK in 2003. And now, it’s come to Australia – starting in Brisbane, no less! My brother Jason and I went along to a Wednesday lunch-time class to check it out, on behalf of Eat Drink Brisbane.

Jason: “Free beer and snacks, can you come?” Well, there was much more to the conversation and that, but they were the strong points!

Bitter Suite at New Farm played host to the event – it was quite a small group in attendance, which in my opinion worked well. It was also great to see the crowd was split pretty much 50 / 50 between males to females.

Gerrod: I agree, the small class size was great. Beer Academy limits class sizes to a maximum of 20 people. They’ll even come to your home/office/etc if you want a private class!

Jason: As I walked in the door of Bitter Suite I was greeted by a ice cold glass of Stone & Wood Pacific Ale – it was like summer in a glass!

Gerrod: It was so light and fruity! Matt explained that it’s actually a dry beer – the fruity flavour comes from the smell, which tricks your taste buds into thinking it tastes like passionfruit. I would have been happy drinking it all afternoon; but there were more beers to be sampled…

Jason: The next drop was unique – it was a Brut des Flandres. Unlike your usual beers, this one presents in a champagne-like bottle. The beer is brewed and aged in Belgium, before heading off to France for a yeast fermentation before final capping of the bottles. It was matched with some Coffin Bay oysters. I’m not sure if it was the combining with the beer or not, but they were some of the creamiest oysters I have ever had.

Gerrod: Those oysters were goooooood. For my birthday this year, I’m going to replicate this exact combination. Matt also suggested that scallops pair well with this beer. Its only downside is that it has a peculiar smell – someone suggested steak and kidney pie, and I don’t think they were far off.

Jason: Next came the Burleigh Brewing Hefeweizen, or “Hef” to the locals. Hef’s an unfiltered wheat beer in the classic Southern German style. To me this beer smelt just like banana lollies. I really enjoyed it, and its pairing with the goat’s cheese feta was unbelievable. A perfect example of how pairing beer and food can heighten the taste of both.

Gerrod: I couldn’t believe how much the first three beers didn’t smell like beer – banana lollies was bang-on for this one. Matt reckons that beer (in general) is “the gymnast of beverages”, because it’s so flexible with the way it can be paired with food. Personally, I preferred the cheddar cheese with this one…Hef and cheddar should get together to make some sort of beer-cheese love child.

Jason: Number five on our list was the Four ‘Wives’ Pilsener from the Malt Shovel brewery (one of my favourites!). It’s not one I usually drink, but the malty flavour – thanks to the pale and munich malts – paired with some chorizo sausage really made me consider buying it more often. One interesting fact that Beer Captain Matt told us was the malt in beer helps breaks down the capsaicin (the really spicy bit) in chili, which is why beer is the beverage of choice in most SE Asian countries.

Gerrod: And here I’ve been downing milk with spicy foods, like a sucker! The Pilsener was the first beer that actually smelled like beer – as did the next drop we were presented with – the Fighting Falcon IPA, from Brisbane’s very own Bacchus Brewing Co, at Capalaba. This one was also paired with the chorizo and the cheeses, but I didn’t think the pairing worked quite as well as the less bitter beers. Maybe it’s because I’m generally not a fan of pale-ales.

Jason: The Falcon was another great drop – it had a great body to it, and a nice depth of flavour. I tried it with most of the foods, but didn’t remember any pairings being a stand-out.

Gerrod: The last two beers were porters, and both paired with dessert – vanilla-bean ice cream, and a chocolate brownie.

Jason: Not just any brownie – a Dello Mano Luxury Brownie!

Gerrod: I wasn’t sure if I’d had a porter beer before, and Matt explained that even though they weren’t very common nowadays, they were basically the beer of choice back in olden times. In fact, the first fleet were sucking down porters when they landed in Australia! The two that we enjoyed were Baltic Rum Porter (another number from Bacchus), and The Temptress from Holgate Brewhouse in Victoria.

Jason: I had previously tried the Temptress, so was excited to see how it performed with the pairings. Sadly my first experience of the temptress a few weeks ago was rather lack-luster as the bar staff at the establishment I purchased it from had no idea what it even tasted like, so I was a bit apprehensive trying it. This is where I see the Beer Academy being a great thing for Australia – not only can the average punter go along and become better educated about beer, but bar staff can learn more about this ancient beverage, and hopefully share more love of beer with their patrons.

Back to the Temptress; pairing it with the Dello Mano brownies really changed the profile of the beer, making it a perfect after-dinner dessert option.

Gerrod: Agreed – the chocloate notes in the beer did a great job matching up with the brownie – but the Rum Porter was the stand-out for me. Emphasis is definitely on “rum” in that one.

Jason: I LOVED the Rum Porter! The labelling sold me on it – “dark, complex with hints of malt chocolate, roasted coffee, and a creamy finish”. Gladly the Rum Porter was all of that, plus delicious hint of rum and raisin. This was especially good with the brownie and the vanilla ice cream. On Matt’s recommendation, I spooned a large scoop of the ice cream into the beer, creating some kind of beeragatto, or beer spider float. It was so good – I would certainly do it again. It was just like Christmas pudding!

Gerrod: I thorougly enjoyed our beer excursion, and it was great to get more of an insight into the different characteristics of various beers. Before attending the academy, I would have thought that pairing food and alcohol was something strictly reserved for wine, but I was amazed at how well it works with beer. Anyone who appreciates a fine brew and delicious food should sign themselves up for a class, it’s money well spent!

Jason: Definitely – I’d encourage anyone with any interest in beer to get on down to a tasting session. I like to think I am pretty adventurous with trying different beers, and now having more knowledge on the beer and food matching, I think a trip down to my local bottle-o is on order!

The Beer Academy Australia

http://beeracademyoz.com/

Contact: Matt Kirkegaard, 0407 968 430

Bitter Suite

http://bittersuite.com.au/

75 Welsby Street New Farm QLD 4005

(07) 3254 4426

Thanks to Matt and The Beer Academy for inviting EatDrinkBrisbane along to the launch and tasting. This was an unpaid review.

Valentine’s Day Dinner Cruise

The iconic Kookaburra Queen will be gently gliding down the river on Tuesday night, as the people on board enjoy a V-Day dinner. $99 for adults, $49.50 for the little ones (four years and under are free). Visit the Kookaburra Queen website for booking info.

Three Course Dinner at Gazebo

Hotel Urban’s Gazebo restaurant is serving a three course meal + a bottle of Moet & Chandon for $110 per person. I hear there will be oysters…phone Hotel Urban on  07 3831 6177 to book.

Tasting Menu at Sono Portside

Those maestros of Japanese cuisine, Sono, are offering a five-course set menu for $95 per person ($145 with matched wines). Bookings are limited, so phone  07 3268 6655 or email them at events@sonorestaurant.com.au

Ahmet’s Three Course Set Menu

This yummy Turkish restaurant at South Bank is offering a very affordable three course set menu + wine or beer (just $42 per person!) There will be romantic music, roses, a belly dancer, and candles to set the scene. Phone Ahmet’s on 38466699 to book.

Thyme2 Restaurant in the Sofitel

Valentine’s Day events kick off this Saturday the 11th, with a seafood buffet and live entertainment. The fun continues on Sunday morning, where $79 per person will give you access to another sumptuous buffet, plus a glass of pink Moscato. Finally, it all comes together on Tuesday night, when the seafood buffet is offered once more. For bookings, phone 07 3835 3535 or email h5992@sofitel.com

Photo credit

Australia Day 2012 – Thursday, January 26

I’m crossing my fingers that the floods currently hitting the East coast (yes, again – although so far not as bad as 2011, thank God) will recede so that you all can enjoy a sunshiny Invasion Day ‘Strayla Day. So far, the official celebrations at South Bank have been cancelled, but there’s still a few things happening that celebrate thongs, stubbies, and genocide:

• Try the Liquid Lamington cocktail at the Atrium Bar at Jupiters on the Gold Coast. As if Lamingtons aren’t good enough, some clever bugger has found out a way to combine them with alcohol!
• Dig into the Aussie Buffet, served this Thursday – Sunday at Food Fantasty, also at Jupiters.
• Party over two days at The Vic in downtown Brisbane. This popular uni student hangout will have a strict ‘bikinis and boardshorts’ dress code. Because who doesn’t love drinking with strangers who are half naked?
• Enjoy a free BBQ at The Normanby in inner-city Brisbane.
• Race a cocky or two at The Story Bridge Hotel, also in the inner-city. Yes, cockroach races. The first race starts at midday on the 26th.

March 30 to April 2 will see the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre welcome Enrich, an inaugural food and wine expo. This is no typical foodie event, however – Enrich describes itself as innovative and interactive, stepping outside the boundaries of a typical expo. A ‘lifestyle approach’ will be incorporated, showcasing a variety of exhibitors, speakers, and interative demonstrations. Popular chefs Alastair McLeod and Ben O’Donoghue are already slated in, as well as Lydney Milan.

The good people at Enrich are giving four EatDrinkBrisbane readers the chance to win a free pass to Enrich!

Cool. How do I enter?

There are two ways to enter:

1) Leave a comment here describing the most enriching (ha, get it) thing you’ve ever done. Don’t forget to include your email address!

2) Tweet a link to this page on Twitter.

The comp opens at 6am EST on January 26, and runs until midnight EST on February 2, 2012. I’ll randomly pick four winners after that!

FREE

South Bank  - Once again, the sky will light up with the bursts of the South Bank fireworks. There will be two sessions – 8.30pm and midnight – and there are various vantage points in and around the city. Visit the South Bank website for more information.

$10 – $55

Archive - My favourite pub in Brisbane, and arguably home of the best beer list, is offering a Little Creatures-themed NYE party. Tickets ($56.10) will get you a three hour all-inclusive food and drink package, including brews like Bright Ale, Pale Ale, and Single Batch Big Dipper Double IPA. There will also be live entertainment, and some Little Creatures prizes up for grabs. This would definitely be my pick for NYE; Archive is the ideal location for a chilled out night. Check out Archive’s website for more info.
Zuri - Have you been a good boy this year? Who cares what Santa said – everyone’s welcome at Zuri’s Saints and Sinners NYE party. There’s a two course dinner option for $55, or regular entry to the club is $20. Visit Zuri’s website for more info.

$55+

South Bank Surf Club – There are a variety of packages to suit all price points at the Club, from a four-hour cocktail party and canapes ($120 per person), to a two course dinner and beverage package ($99 per person, $30 for kids), to the beefier three course dinner ($120 per person). This restaurant overlooks the river and South Bank beach, and was awarded ‘Best Casual Dining’ in the Queensland Food & Wine Guide Awards – so clearly, it would be an ideal venue to ring in 2012! You can book tickets online.

Birdee Num Nums – Be someone else for the night at Birdee’s – they’re throwing a masquerade party. Tickets are $91 and can be bought online. Babey Drew and Ivan Gough will also be DJing. I can’t say I’m cool enough to know who they are, but I’m sure they’re a hit. Time to get crafty with some masks…

Dragonfly – Masquerade seems to be a popular theme this year – Dragonfly in the CBD are also doing a masked party. $79 per head will get you a four-hour beverage package and Asian-inspired snacks. Bookings are essential, so contact Dragonfly at marketing@dragon-fly.com.au

Watt Restaurant & Bar – It’s about to get all exotic up in here. Watt will transform into an Arabian Nights NYE party, complete with belly dancers, fire eaters, and stilt walkers. There are two options available – a five course dinner ($99), or a cocktail  party ($75). To book, or for more information, visit this link.

Normanby – This sprawling pub and restaurant is offering quite a good deal for a New Year’s Eve party: four hours of basic spirits, Coronoas, Bundy Red, Smirnoff Red, other beers, and red wine and sparkling, and food, all for $79. Visit the Normanby’s website to buy tickets.

I’ve always been a big fan of whiskey.  During my younger years, I’m sure I’ve consumed enough scotch whiskey  to pickle most people’s insides twice over.  As I grew older however, I began to appreciate my whiskey for its other attributes, not just its ability to help me lose my inhibitions and act like a complete twit. One whiskey that I have always appreciated, but did not really know a lot about, was Jameson Irish Whiskey.  However, that was about to change…

My brother-in-law and I found ourselves outside The Lark Food & Drink bar in Paddington on a warm Tuesday night, wondering what we had ahead of us.  Neither of us had ever been to a “whiskey tasting” before, and our imaginations were running wild!  My mind was swimming with mental images of stately gentlemen, cigar in one hand and crystal tumbler of fine whiskey in the other, debating the merits of the distillation processes used for 12-year-old and 18-year-old reserves.

Needless to say that this was not the case; we stepped inside The Lark and were greeted by Imogen, one of the organisers of the evening.  She guided us outside to an enclosed courtyard area, that already contained over a dozen people eagerly awaiting  the evening to commence.  Here we were greeted by the Jameson Brand Ambassador, Grace McGlynn.

Grace started the evening sharing some of the history behind Irish whiskey and the Jameson distillery. Interestingly, the Irish were the first to distil whiskey in the sixth century, when missionary monks  returned to Ireland with an apparatus used to distil perfume.  However, the Irish quickly adapted the process to distil liquor, which was the forerunner to today’s whiskey.

As she was recounting this to us, we were each served a whiskey sour, to accompany a bowl of mixed marinated olives (which were quickly disappearing).  The taste of the whiskey sour was amazing, the acidic touch of the lemon juice went marvelously with the olives, and overall it was really refreshing.

It was not long before the real tastings began in earnest. We had before us four glasses of Jameson: Jameson Standard, Special Reserve 12YO, Gold Reserve, and the Limited Reserve 18YO. We stepped through each of these, and compared them to a scotch and a sour mash (American style) whiskey.  As we were enjoying and learning about some fantastic whiskey, there was a steady stream of dishes arriving from the kitchens of The Lark.

The Jameson Standard was complimented by a wonderful Charcuterie Plate, which contained a selection of cured/aged meats, one of which was a smoked duck that was so tender and juicy that it was the first to disappear from the plate. For the vegetarians at our table, the Antipasti Plate was a great collection of grilled vegetables, sun dried tomato, buffalo mozzerella & rocket.

Next, was the Jameson Special Reserve 12 Year Old, which had an increased smoothness (over the Jameson Standard) and mellow flavours which made it the preferred reserve for making cocktails. Everyone at our table agreed that it was a great tasting whiskey, yet there were two more to try!

Wagyu Beef Sliders were the accompanying dish for this tasting (not so good for the vegetarians unfortunately) and Risotto Balls (with roast pumpkin, spinach, and fetta cheese).  The Risotto Balls were absolutely divine, and the Sliders were very tasty, but played havoc with my tastebuds thanks to the jalapenos.

Our next whiskey was the Jameson Gold Reserve, which we all found very smoky, especially so after the Slider’s jalapenos. However, it had a sweetness that came through, which apparently makes it popular with the ladies.

As we discussed amongst ourselves the merits of our latest tasting, Grace was regaling us of an American chaser called the “Pickleback”.  Basically, it’s a shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey followed by a “back” of pickle juice, which people have gone nuts for over in the US.  However, a bar in Sydney has taken an alternative approach to the idea and created the “Chilliback” – a shot of Jameson followed by a back of cloudy apple juice, that has been dosed with 3-5 dashes of Tabasco sauce.

Before we could get too excited over shots though, we needed to finish our tastings with the Jameson Limited Reserve 18 Year Old.  The 18YO had a completely different nose/taste/finish to each of the previous tastings, with each appealing differently to the people at our table. However, inspite of the mellow and smooth flavours of fudge & toffee spice coming through in the 18YO, I was surprised to find myself being drawn back to the Special Reserve 12YO.  For me, that was the drop of the evening.

So, to finish off our night, a shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey and a shot of cloudy apple juice, liberally dosed with Tabasco, was placed before each of us. As a group, we tossed down our shots in succession…yum! This is a definite must-try for anyone who loves a bit of spice to their shots. It was very similar to one of my all time favourites, a Bloody Mary Oyster shot!

It was a great night of tasting fine Irish whiskey, beautiful food, and talking to some great people.  My compliments to The Lark for having such a great setting for the evening and serving some great dishes.  If you get a chance, visit them and enjoy a glass of Jameson Irish Whiskey at the bar… the 12 Year Old Special Reserve, of course!

- Simon 

Jameson Irish Whiskey

http://www.jamesonwhiskey.com

The Lark Food & Drink bar

1/267 Given Terrace

Paddington QLD 4064

(07) 3369 1299

http://www.thelark.com.au/

Many thanks to Cav Con, who invited Eat Drink Brisbane to the tasting. All opinions expressed are our own. This was an un-paid review.

I just realized Christmas is like, next weekend. Do you think I’ve bought any presents? Do you suppose I’ve planned a menu? Do you reckon I’ve got any idea what on earth my plans will entail? Heck no. If you’re like me, consider dining out on the big day – here’s a few of my picks:

Cloudland

Part of me is posting Cloudland a bit begrudgingly (my mom’s boyfriend – a 60-year-old-dude – once got turned away because he wasn’t wearing whatever fashionable shoes the Valley was deeming cool that week. Ridiculous) but the other part of me sees what an awesome menu they have. Think lobster, pork belly, turkey, salmon, and other seafood, and dessert, and some beverages! Understandably, it’s $220 a head (children under 13 are $60). Just make sure you’ve got the right socks on. Visit the Cloudland website for more info.

Brisbane Sofitel

While we’re at it, let’s throw another high-flyer onto the list: the Ballroom Le Grand in the CBD’s Sofitel. The Christmas buffet lunch will set you back $210 ($105 for kids under 12), but this includes basically everything you could think of: sushi, sashimi, salads, roast meats, seafood, tandoori chicken, and desserts, to name a few dishes. I hear Santa will also be making a visit…check out the Sofitel’s website for more details.

Breakfast Creek Wharf

There is a phrase that strikes both fear and delight in me: seafood buffet. If you think you can control yourself around a table full of seafood, roast meat, and inclusive drinks, then get yourself to the Brekkie Creek Wharf. The Christmas buffet lunch is $160 per head ($75 under 12, under three is free), and I’m hoping that includes a non-judgmental environment. Visit their website for more info.

Palettes 

Here’s a well-priced option from Palettes Restaurant on Charlotte Street: $89 per adult will get you a traditional three-course lunch or dinner, as well as a glass of Chandon NV Brut. Kids 13-17 are $59, kids four-12 are $39, and the little guys three and under are free!

Wasabi Warriors Opening – Now OPEN!

This funky little sushi/Japanese eatery just opened at 289 Queen St in the CBD. What sets the Warriors apart from other similar restaurants? Well, they call themselves a brand with a heart – fighting only to “eat good, do good, feel good”. Hey, as long as they serve up tasty sushi, I’m down. Check out the Wasabi Warriors website for more info.

Christmas Cooking at Black Pearl – December 6

Black Pearl Epicure, known for their in-depth cooking school and comprehensive gourmet food store, is offering a class just in time for Christmas. Learn how to make holiday dishes with a Turkish twist, like pastry-wrapped king prawns and lamb tenderloin kebabs. Classes are $130 per person; visit the Black Pearl Epicure’s website to find out how to book.

Airport Village Christmas Feast Masterclass Weekend – 10-11 December

Alistair McLeod, James St Cooking School, and an Executive Chef from the Novotel will all be on hand to show Brisbane food lovers how to cook an awesome Christmas feast. Audience members will be able to sample dishes, try matching wines, and learn cooking secrets and recipes. The Christmas Feast Masterclass Weekend will run from 11am to 1:30pm next Saturday and Sunday, near the entrance to Woolworths at The Village Markets (opposite DFO). No bookings necessary – just show up! Visit the website for more info.