Mercato - Jean-Georges in Hong Kong

http://www.jean-georges.com/restaurants

I had to make some serious decisions during my visit to New York, admittedly not life or death decisions, but important to me.

So many restaurants and so little time meant that I had to carefully choose where I would spend my hard earned money.  One of the very last nights left in Manhattan came down to a choice between three star restaurants, Daniel and Jean-Georges.

Daniel won out on the day, but I'd always felt as if I'd missed out on something special.

A couple of years down the track I learned that Jean-Georges was opening an outlet of his slightly more casual Mercato in Hong Kong and I was excited.  I was finally getting to check out the fare of one of the United States' top chefs.  So cool.

Located in California Tower, one of  LKF's funkiest buildings, I'd managed to sneak into Mercato at the right time.  Not yet formally open and running through a soft opening month, I happened to dine on a day where Jean-Georges himself was hosting with some of his crew responsible for designing the restaurant and lighting.

The Eatery - Hotel dining at the Fourpoints by Sheraton

The Eatery

I've mentioned in my blog before that I love wandering about Brisbane and watching all of the new developments take shape.  There had been a really, really big hole in the ground in Mary Street that was vacant for a long time and had a few development, most notably Vision, fail due to the Global Financial Crisis.  The site next to that big hole has been developed and over the last 18 months, I've been avidly watching the new building take shape wondering what who the tenants would be.  As it turns out, it wasn't a commercial or residential building, but a much needed boutique hotel, Fourpoints by Sheraton.

As you'd expect in a Sheraton Hotel, a couple of new restaurants opened up and I was invited along to check out the main dining area, aptly called The Eatery.  Many of the better hotels in Brisbane now have restaurants that have seafood buffets and The Eatery is no exception but I opted to get along mid week and check out The Eatery's a la carte dining options.  Executive Chef Desmond Carneiro is the man in charge of the kitchen at The Eatery and has brought a wealth of experience to the new venture having worked in the prestigious Sheraton on the Park in Sydney.  

Walking out of the elevator to the dining area, we were confronted by a very modern and clean looking restaurant that had overtures of an informal cafe, which I think was the result of the highly colourful chairs.  Any other similarities are quickly dispelled once the contemporary open style kitchen and pink cherry blossom wallpaper came into view.  

The menu for the night was a cut down version of the full a la carte offering with the option of getting two courses for $40 or a full three courses for $50.  

Room with Roses - a hidden gem in a hidden gem

http://www.roomwithroses.com.au/

There is a tendency in Brisbane for old stuff to get discarded and replaced with shiny shiny new stuff.  You really get a sense for this when you walk down the Queen Street Mall at the moment, there are no less than two major redevelopments happening and a third on the way.  This is on the back of the major redevelopment at the Wintergarden and the tearing down of the Regent Cinema complex.  While I generally love shiny shiny new things, I also have a healthy respect for keeping a city's old buildings and architecture, it's how a city builds character. 

It's an interesting dichotomy that Brisbane has been copying the Melbourne idea that laneways are the coolest things ever and attempting to build a laneway culture, but at the same time are tearing down our own unique spaces.  So it's totally refreshing to know that we have our own slice of laneway history that has not been torn down and recently celebrated its 90th birthday.  

Brisbane Arcade is our version of southern style arcade and runs between the Queen Street Mall and Adelaide Street in the CBD.  The fact that the arcade has reached it's 90th birthday and has not been torn down or completely remodeled is surprising given our propensity for shiny new buildings, and this gives the mall some much needed character.  Nestled away on the first floor in the Brisbane Arcade is one of Brisbane's hidden gems, a cafe that is a sea of tranquility in the hustle and bustle of the CBD. 

Il Locale - Our Italian Table

http://www.illocaleitalian.com.au

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, a new Italian dining option has risen from the site formerly owned by Tomato Brothers in Nash Street Rosalie.  Husband and wife team Mark and Narelle Tognini have finally put a long held dream into reality with the opening of Il Locale (the Local).  

Rosalie is one of the dining hotspots around Brisbane and is resplendent with cafes and restaurants but nothing quite like Il Locale.  The site has been transformed from the bright reds of the former Tomato Brothers site to sexy black, and a much more stylish fit-out.  The site has been designed by the team from DNA and care has been made to create a space that is at once welcoming and relaxing.  The style and design of the restaurant has centred around the antique front doors that were sourced from Lebanon and help transform the location.  A purpose built open fridge gives a hint of the delectable food on offer once you walk through the stunning wooden doors.

I was lucky enough to be invited along to the launch party during the week to celebrate the pending opening and mix with a couple of hundred of Mark and Narelle's loyal friends and some other local food bloggers to test out the menu.  The menu is influenced by the traditional dishes of northern Italy, with an emphasis placed on dishes that have been cooked utilizing the wood fired oven.  There will be meats slowly cooked and traditional style pizzas with only the freshest and refined ingredients sitting atop thin crisp bases.

The Depo - where design and food collide

http://the-depo.com/

I knew I was in for something special when I approached new restaurant Depo just as dusk was falling.  It had been a bit of a journey for me, I had decided it was a nice enough evening to walk from the CBD over to West End.  I figured a 30 minute walk would be a fantastic way to begin an evening with about a dozen other Food Bloggers, Lifestyle Bloggers and Food Journalists to check out West End's latest offering, Depo.

I wasn't too sure what to expect when I wandered up Horan Street, which is just a little bit 'off the beaten path' at West End, but I was amazed as I walked to the entrance of the restaurant.  I use the term restaurant loosely here as Deop is so much more.  Horan Street is pretty much just a normal suburban street, all-be-it a pretty nice street near the CBD, but Depo is both out of place and perfectly aligned with the street.

I was one of the first to arrive so had the opportunity to marvel at the layout and interior of Depo, which has been put together by design maestro Alexander Lotersztain, who was also responsible for designing the iconic Limes Hotel and super gastro pub Alfred & Constance.  It's instantly a comforting space, with a semi industrial feel but with a layer of plushness that makes you feel welcome, especially if you seat yourself in one of the many comfy looking couches that are a feature.

Moose & Gibson - Opening Party

https://www.facebook.com/MooseandGibson

There is a new venue in one of Brisbanes coolest food precincts and its certainly making waves already. Moose & Gibson is the second Southside cafe to be opened up by Australian Wallaby Scott Higgenbotham and his business partners Malcolm and Danielle Watts.  Located in semi industrial Jurgen Street, Moose & Gibson is just around the corner from some of the more established cafes of Logan Road, Wooloongabba.

Moose & Gibson aims to be a little different and will trade as a cafe during the day and a bar and live music venue at night.  Moose & Gibson opened with a bang recently with a grand opening party that included a mix of Brisbanes sporting elite and local personalities.  In attendance on the night were a number of Australian Wallabies both past and present along with some of the Brisbane Lions boys.

I was fortunate enough to get a ticket to the hottest party of the week (LOL) along with a number of other Brisbane based Food Bloggers, Melissa Loh, Miss Foodie and Feed Me Now Brisbane.  Its always fun when a group of bloggers get together and we all agreed that Moose & Gibson was a fantastic set up.