Delizioso on Oxford

As mentioned in my previous post, we had journeyed to Bulimba in search of a nice restaurant to host a celebratory dinner for a relative. We opted to sample a relatively new addition to the main strip of trendy Bulimba - Delizioso on Oxford. This bustling restaurant meaning delicious in Italian, is the latest occupant of the eye catching spot on the corner of Oxford and Cambridge Streets. When we arrived the place was packed with people, which seemed very promising for a Thursday evening. Our party was seated quickly and attended to very efficiently by a bevy of great staff. Things were looking good. We had opted to BYO as the corkage was a very reasonable $3, although the extensive wine list and nifty bar/wine fridge almost demand sampling.

After some deliberation we decided to share a plate of Arancini Balls as an entree. These arrived very swiftly and were warm and fairly plentiful - a plate of six medium sized balls. The balls were listed as "made with different flavours to share" we all had one each and it seemed that each had a fairly similar cheesy parmesan flavour. But in saying that, the balls were crispy on the outside then soft and tasty on the inside leaving you with the desired hunger for the main dish.

Our mains had been ordered just after the entree arrived and were brought to the table in just about perfect timing - long enough to allow plenty of banter but not too long that you were tapping you fingers and constantly looking over your shoulder. In the meantime, the lovely staff had been very attentive - good service always makes for a great environment! Our group ordered two of the Gnocchi dishes, the Lamb Rack, a Saltimbocca (pictured above)and one of the Linguini Scoglio (pictured below). All meals were presented as hearty Italian dishes and looked very appetizing - we couldn't wait to dig in!

The Lamb Rack was gloriously cooked, tender and pink on the inside and so tasty that even a seasoned cook was impressed. The Gnocchi I am told were light and tasty with a hearty tomato sauce - great on a cold evening. The Saltimbocca was delicious and well plated, but sadly let down by the veal being overcooked and chewy. I opted for the Linguini as I was craving a seafood fix. It was served with plenty of mussels (perhaps a few too many), beautiful tender calamari strips which were definitely the highlight and a few prawns which probably could have been more evenly balanced with the ratio of mussels. Nonetheless, the dish was very tasty and the seafood was a high quality.

We were so full from dinner that desserts were not required, although the gelato and tiramisu that passed our table looked delicious. Instead we elected for a round of coffees and given the hour I felt a chai latte would be a yummy option. The coffees all appeared to be well made and in typical Italian style were nice and strong. My chai was quite enjoyable, not too strong and a good temperature. Overall, Delizioso was a great host for our dinner - the food was fresh and tasty, the staff were helpful and attentive and the restaurant was very comfortable and well priced.

Food - 4/5
Coffee - 3.5/5
Atmosphere - 4/5

Larte

We were driving through Bulimba the other day seeking a restaurant to host a dinner party later in the week and took the chance to visit a new coffee shop which we were yet to sample. Larte is located on Riding Road in Hawthorne and is sneakily hidden in a little group of shops, making it a little difficult to spot at first. However, there is plenty of parking around so once you sight it, it's easy to pull over and pop in. 

This location has housed a cafe for around 2 years but was taken over in March by new owners who have breathed a new life into this funky joint. The interior has fresh and interesting decor with a little section of jewellery and nic-naks which make for great browsing whilst waiting for your brew. When we entered we were greeted by a couple of very friendly and welcoming staff. The cafe was suprisingly quiet but the girls informed us we had just missed the morning breakfast rush - lucky us!

My accomplice is a well practiced coffee drinker who loves a very strong cup, so we went to order my usual cap and her double shot latte. The lovely barista warned us that the beans they use are generally a stronger blend and perhaps the double shot may be a little much. After some deliberation the latte order was left at a double shot and we were very impressed by the barista's forthcoming willingness to make another coffee if it was not to taste, love good service! 

The coffees came in great time and were delish! The double shot didn't end up being too strong for my lovely sidekick - however she does warn it is definitely a stronger blend then a mainstream brew and may be too strong for most. What absolutely made the coffee for me was the melt in your mouth almond shortbread served complementary with the coffees. Today we did not order any sweet treats which made the shortbread just that extra bit wonderful! 
Overall, Larte is a wonderful addition to the area and with great service, good coffee and complementary shortbread it is certainly worth a visit. 


Food - N.A (though the breakfast menu looked a treat)
Coffee - 4/5 Made that extra bit better by the bikkie
Atmosphere - 3.5/5 

Three Monkeys

Visiting this West End icon for the first time immediately took me back to standing in my Grandparents spare room staring at Grandma's antique cupboard as a young kid, desperately fighting the urge to rip open the prized doors and explore the exciting world I was certain existed beyond the timber veneer. I felt many parallels to my imaginary world of years past when walking into this little maze of a restaurant. Between the little nooks that lurk in every direction and the unique memorabilia that line the rustic walls, it is easy to be captivated by the history of this long standing local haunt.

  
Today we were once again in between meals and simply keen for a caffeine and potential sweet fix. The potential didn't linger for long - one glance at the large and attention demanding sweet cabinet and we were sold. In an attempt to be slightly "good" we opted to share a Greek shortbread or kourabiethes as these are a personal favourite of mine so if I see a good one I usually can't go past a taste. 

When we arrived the queue was around 5 deep, with most tables in the near vicinity already full, leaving us slightly concerned about how long this "quick stop" would actually take. I ventured from my accomplice to get an early jump on the table hunt and was surprised to find the true expanse of their setup meant that even in the height of business there were plenty of seats inside or in the back courtyard. I opted for a slightly rickety old chessboard table inside to soak up the atmosphere. 

The coffee arrived quite quickly given the number of customers and obviously hadn't been rushed through as it was well made and a great temperature. Thankfully our biscuit also arrived at the same time but was slightly lacklustre on the plate. Overall, the coffee was tasty, well made and hot - as we like it and the biscuit satisfied our kourabiethes craving well. This historic place is a fun visit and one you can happily pop into the old faithful book. 


Food - 3.5/5
Coffee - 3.5/5
Atmosphere - 4/5 

Campos

Many a time I've heard people recommend with great enthusiasm Campos in the Valley as the place to go for breakfast. For me the valley is a bit of a stretch for breakfast, especially if you've only just left a few hours before :S
Recently I was in the valley at mid-morning coffee hour and finally hunted down Campos to sample what the fuss is all about. 

Just a hint, this place is a little tricky to find for the first time! It's hidden behind the James Street Markets facing onto Wandoo Street. Once you've found it, it's easy but silly us thought it was on James Street and drove up and down like crazy people few times. The actual restaurant is at the rear of the building and to get there you walk down an artistic little lane, that makes you feel as though you are about to unearth a new gem. 

As it wasn't quite breakfast nor lunch we opted for a cheeky coffee and cake. Campos really does spoil you for choices when it comes to a sweet treat, with a cabinet full of beautiful home made cakes, brownies and even rocky road - all looked so good that it took us a ridiculous amount of time to decide what our sweet devil was most tempted by. 

In the end we opted for a honeycomb baked cheesecake that was served with a raspberry compote and fresh cream. The cake itself was nice but the honeycomb title is a little misleading as what appears to be chocolate coated honeycomb pieces is in fact caramello chocolate - this of course is not bad by any means! But it is just very rich and a little unexpected. The greatest let down for us was we ordered two coffees to enjoy with our cake however these came extremely fast and the cake was extremely slow. After slowly sipping and looking longingly at the kitchen we were told the person who serves them was busy making smoothies and it shouldn't be much longer - our question was out of all the staff they had only one person could put a bit of cake on a plate??

The coffee itself was quite nice, but just let down by its speed and I personally didn't like the lack of chocolate on my cap (pictured) as I enjoy this sweetness with my coffee. Overall, a fun and comfortable place with many eating options and fairly good coffee. I definitely want to go back and try their breakfasts one day but hope they've sorted out their timing problems by then! 


Food - 3.5/5
Coffee - 3.5/5 
Atmosphere - 4/5 

Sourced Grocer

Today following a suggestion from my beautiful cousin and Teneriffe resident I ventured to this trendy riverside suburb to try a new local treasure, Sourced Grocer. Tucked away in Florence Street this fabulous setup fits snugly among the commercial surrounds. My foodie heart was immediately fluttering after walking through the door and being greeted by a gorgeous fresh grocer/deli that opens into a cute cafe/coffee bar overlooking the street. 

Immediately you are welcomed by several charming staff who are more than willing to help you out or just let you explore. Of course, I had to tempt my desires in the deli right off the bat. The grocery section is fresh and features many exotic products, such as squid ink noodles, that you delight to find in a good deli. 

Our coffee addiction then prevailed so we headed to the quaint coffee bar and ordered a latte and cappuccino whilst browsing the range of gourmet breads and sweet treats on the counter. The coffee served was glorious! easily the best we've had in a long time - hot, strong (but not too strong), and no hint of a bitter after taste... delicious! My cap was even served with a fresh chocolate sprinkle that had lightly melted into the foam, I think I may have gone to heaven and back. I was interested to find that the beans they used were a unique blend they had made for them by Brother Espresso in their brewhouse at Spring Hill. Definitely worth the effort I'm sure they went to in sourcing their own individual style brew. 

Mid way through enjoying our beautiful coffees the sandwich we had decided on arrived. We opted for the special of the day: shaved bangalow ham, jarlsberg, avocado, tomato, leaves and mango chutney on some of their homely sourdough. It was just what we felt like, a plentiful, tasty meal that was big enough for us to comfortably share. 

I can confidently say it was well worth the trip and I fully understand why my cousin has made the permanent switch to Sourced Grocer for her all important morning coffee. With great service, food, prices and most importantly coffee I highly recommended this place to all!


Food - 4/5
Coffee - 5/5 
Atmosphere - 4/5

Dinner with a hint of Japan

Tonight I was on dinner duties and happily used the freedom to indulge my recent desire for a nice warm noodle dish. I am yet to find a really great noodle place in Brisbane (please let me know if you've got a favourite) and thus my noodle craving has been shelved until now. 

I am a big fan of all things Asian and tonight opted for a Japanese style noodle dish after finding some inspiration on foodie bible taste.com.au. The dish initially called for fish stock, rice vinegar, tamari & caster sugar but I decided to alter the dish by using slightly different flavours - ketjap manis, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime and chilli instead. Making sauces is one of my favourite cooking techniques, so I am often inclined to take the given recipe and add or alter from this foundation. I served the dish with fresh pak choi, carrot, onion, broccoli and some re-hydrated shitake mushrooms in a slightly thickened sauce with some hot soba noodles. Thankfully the dish was well received, even by my painfully picky brother! 

Inspiration Japanese Recipe from Taste: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/4596/japanese+chicken+and+egg

New Farm Deli

My blogging begins today with a lovely, vibrant local gem. The New Farm Deli is a constantly bustling setup that may even be overwhelming to some. From the moment I walked in the door I knew this place tickled my fancy (potentially due to the wicked sweet treats in all directions) but more because of the wide range of lunch options and the beautiful Italian Deli.

I do have to admit I have a real soft spot for delicatessens - it's something about the fantastic international goodies and fun new items just waiting to be unearthed that stoke my inner foodie. But back to the good stuff - today I shared lunch with some family. The menu to select from is very extensive, as can be seen below, and ranges from gourmet pastas to just about any type of sandwich you have ever imagined served on a choice of ciabatta, focaccia or turkish breads.  

Between us we ordered the Lamb Burger and the special of the day Seafood Chowder. The burger was a minced lamb pattie served with fresh avo, green leaves, brie and some onion jam on a turkish bun. It was enjoyable and plentiful but definitely not the bees knees of sandwiches. The seafood chowder was very clean and fresh. Had an abundance of seafood and was quite tasty. Overall, the New Farm Deli was a great host to our luncheon and left us well satisfied and would definitely have a meal to satisfy any palate. We washed our meals down with a round of coffees which were a good temperature, perhaps very slightly burnt but otherwise very enjoyable. 
                                          
Food - 3.5/5
Coffee - 3.5/5
Atmosphere - 4/5