The Paleo Cafe

Recently I encountered a few health problems and this, combined with my boyfriend's new-found love for crossfit, has seen the two of us slowly adapt to following a Paleo lifestyle (for more information on Paleo scroll to the bottom of this post).So it was with much excitement that we waited for The Paleo Cafe to open up in Brisbane last month (we had visited the Cairns location earlier in the year and simply loved it).

Our anticipation for lifestyle-friendly food reached fever pitch when I clocked the new cafe - with its signature orange and white decor - opening just down the road from us at Paddington (look out for a few new franchises set to open up around Brisbane in coming months).

The week it opened I went twice in two days and I'm happy to admit I was one of the many people lining up again last weekend for a table.

Eggs and Avocado on Toast with  side of Nitrate Free Bacon

The food is simple but delicious!

To date I've enjoyed the following:

- Eggs and Avocado on Paleo Toast with the addition of nitrate free bacon - this was yummmmmy! Completely no fuss but still full of flavour - and the bacon tastes amazing and contains no harmful additives or preservatives. Win!
- Pistachio & Coconut Crusted Ocean Fish served with seasonal greens - this meal was delicious. I absolutely adored it and will definitely be going back again and re-ordering it. It was a great size for lunch and the combination of pistachio and coconut was really light and complimented the fish perfectly.

The boyfriend tried the following and loved both of them:

- Caveman's Big Breakfast of free range eggs cooked to your liking served with sirloin steak, crispy bacon, pork sausage, wild mushrooms, roast cherry tomato, red onion and spinach on Paleo toast with Paleo tomato sauce
- Seared Tasmanian Salmon served with sweet potato and pumpkin mash, grilled asparagus spears and caper and lemon ghee. I can confirm the salmon was excellent, but perhaps not as amazing as my ocean fish.

Drinks wise I've tried the Breakfast smoothie, the Acai smoothie, an iced coffee and some chocolate banana smoothie thing - all non dairy and all very, very delicious.

The Caveman's Big Breakfast

Overall, I can safely say that The Paleo Cafe has already become my new local favourite and I am positive that I'll keep it in business for years to come. It is perfect for anyone with food intolerances (hello all you non-gluten and non-dairy warriors) and also for those who just love good grub.

Now if only they opened for dinner all my prayers would be answered...



If you're looking for more information on the Paleo Lifestyle some websites I found helpful include:
- Eat Drink Paleo (I also have this recipe book which is full of delicious and easy to make meals!)
- Paleo Diet Lifestyle 
- NomNomPaleo

Market wanderings

I little while ago I posted about 10 Things you can do in Brisbane on a weekend and outlined a few of the great farmer's markets you can visit to get your fix of fresh fruit and veg, good coffee and superior flowers.

But dear reader's I must admit that in that post I failed to include the ahhhmazing Kelvin Grove Urban Village markets. I stumbled across a month or two ago and now I can't leave them alone - you must get yourselves there asap!

Conveniently located (and by that I mean it is close to my house and my favourite frozen yoghurt shop) in Kelvin Grove this market is smaller than most but it makes up for it in quality. The produce is the best I have seen and the prices are significantly lower than more popular markets in Brisbane. Think huge bunches of kale for $3 and delicious fresh mangos at $2.50 a pop.

Plus there is (my personal favourite) a store that sells ice tea...in mason jars! I know it is painfully hipster but I am so obsessed with the hibiscus and green tea 'flavours' that I have amassed my own little collection of mason jars from my weekend visits...can you say cocktail hour at Kirst's house?

   

Other reasons that make the KG Village markets great are the handful of local designers and homeware stores like Paddington fair trade favourite Spout and Sherpa which sells gorgeous handmade products.

All in all, you can pick up your groceries (4 Aussie eye fillets for $20!), some new purchases for your living room, a bunch of flowers for your mum and all without having to fork our your entire pay packet or battle a million other market goers equipped with their 'danger carts'.

What more could you ask for?

The Urban Village Markets run every Saturday from 6am - 1pm so mark it in your diaries and get shopping.

Diner en Blanc, Brisbane Style

This past Saturday, a bunch of my girlfriends and I participated in Diner en Blanc - the second year it has been held in Brisbane.

Dressed all in white, with our picnic baskets, tables and chairs in toe we assembled at our meeting point at 4:25pm and after a short while were whisked away by bus to a secret location along the Brisbane River.

Once we arrived at the location - Hamilton Reach - the fun began.

We set up our tables and chairs, collected our cheese and wine then popped champagne to celebrate spending a lovely, girly evening of fun together.

We ate, we drank (in moderation), we danced like lunatics to the band, waved our serviettes in the air and lit sparklers in the moonlight.

I had so much fun it was worth lugging my four ikea chairs across Brisbane and I'll certainly be keen to do it all again next year!

I'd highly encourage you to get on board with the special event if there is one being held in your city - it really is a pretty fabulous experience

Sparkle-tastic

I love sparklers!!

Some of the amazing table decorations

My beautiful friends 

Hot sauce and tasty tacos – date night at Chilliwow

On Sunday night Tom and I found ourselves escaping the first flush of winter, in a booth at one of Brisbane’s newest fiesta joints – Chilliwow. Residing in what was once Barsoma, Chilliwow has brought its A-game to the themed bar scene in Brisbane with festive splashes of paint and more mexican décor than you can poke at a piñata.

It also offers a cheap and tasty menu consisting pretty much of chilidogs and tacos.

We only stayed a while but while we were there we indulged in two tacos (one beef, one pork) a chilidog, a Mexican beer and a red Mexican sangria.

Look at these babies - yummo!

The food was quick to come out and the tacos were simple, but fresh and tasty – not amazing – really the kind of food you’d throw together at home, but for $5 each you can’t complain.  The chilidog was a lot smaller than we expected but Tom seemed to enjoy it along with his beer.

I will say I was a bit disappointed with the sangria. It tasted good but the already small cup was crammed to the top with ice so I got around 4 small sips and it was over. Not really worth it in my book and next time I will most likely order a beer so I have a drink that lasts a little/a lot longer (when hot sauce is involved, this is important to me).

For a newly opened bar on a Sunday night Chilliwow wasn’t doing too badly. There were plenty of seats available and a steady stream of people kept coming through the door so I’m sure it would have picked up later on in the evening.

Chilliwow is a visual treat with its kitschy Mexican styling and this transpires to a super fun atmosphere – perfect for a laidback get together or a fun night out. I think it will become a firm and reliable favourite of ours and we’ll definitely stop in again for an inexpensive and relaxing evening...only next time I might read the labels on the hot sauce more carefully before sloshing it all over my tacos (beware the XXX hot!)…

Must try this drink next time

Images courtesy of The Thousands, The Urban List and The Weekend Edition.

Next Door Kitchen and Bar

“Prohibition was supposed to usher in a new era of sobriety and restraint. Instead America’s “Noble Experiment” was submerged by the madcap wave of the Roaring 20’s, when inventive recording artists on their way to fame unleashed spirited sounds that set the tone for the century”

This is what greets you when you open the menu at Next DoorKitchen and Bar, a 1920's “themed” bar and restaurant located on Southbank’s popular Little Stanley Street.

Next Door, has a superb, modern menu accompanied by a great beer, wine and cocktail list and if I’m honest I was sold the minute they served me champagne in a champagne coupe. To me, a champagne coupe seems 1000 times more sophisticated than your regular champagne flute and it really made me feel special – just a bit more sparkly or glamorous than I normally would when sipping champagne while having dinner with friends (can’t quite explain why but who cares it was a coupe!).

But let’s talk about the food. It was all…phenomenal. No jokes. I cannot fault a single dish that we tried!  The food is all designed to be shared and we found the plates to be very decent sized portions – between four of us we ordered the following and we couldn’t finish it all (despite the fact that the two adult males in our party are normally bottomless pits):

Share plates $14.5

• Flash fried school prawns, smoked paprika salt – we ordered these with a side of aioli and they were amazing. Crispy and salty and perfectly seasoned...I know they might not be everyone’s cup of tea, as  you do eat each prawn whole but they tasted sooooo good!
• Golden fried polenta chips, salsa verde, sour cream, pickled eggplant (v, gf) – The polenta fries we again had with aioli. They were delicious but not the most outstanding menu item we ordered.
•  Pea arancini, goats curd aioli, coriander oil (v) – Potentially one of the best dishes of the night. When you bite into the arancini you are greeted with a delightful  mint coloured centre and the balance of flavours is really very tasty…ooh my mouth is watering just thinking about them!

Share plates $16.5

• Crushed wagyu meat balls, provolone, sticky onion jam – by the time this dish came out I was full so I only managed one teeny tiny bite, but I know these were enjoyed immensely by the men in our party. Phrases like ‘best meatballs I’ve ever had’ and ‘why don’t we have these in England’ were uttered.
• Garlic prawns, green onion pilaf, green butter & snail beignet – prawns are always an Aussie favourite and these were no exception. The snail beignet melts in your mouth and was utterly delicious – we considered ordering a second plate but decided against is simply due to the sheer amount of food we’d already ingested!

Sides

• Truffle parmesan fries (v, gf) – we got these to accompany all our shareplates and to they were very nice - a much nicer option than your regular beer battered or regular fries!

Over the duration of our evening we also ordered some local beers, white wine and of course some sparkling to go with our meals - it was a very merry night indeed. The laidback atmosphere at Next Door Kitchen and Bar is really refreshing and it was lovely to sit outside and enjoy the nice weather Brisbane has been having. The staff were also great - super attentive and friendly and I went with 3 Britons who had particular fun guessing where in the UK our waitress was from (it was Manchester and none of them got it right).

I would definitely recommend Next Door Kitchen and Bar for a fun night out full of great food and wine and if you’re getting into the Gatsby Spirit with the highly anticipated, soon to be released Great Gatsby film why not reserve a table for the Next Door’s Gatsby Soiree to celebrate the movie release and their new limited edition cocktail menu on May 30^th?

You might see me there - I’ll be the one drinking Champagne from my coupe... 

Images courtesy of The Weekend Edition and The Urban List.

10 things to do in Brisbane this weekend

What are your plans for the weekend? Anything exciting? If you haven’t got anything locked in as yet and you’re in or around the Brisbane area why not do a little exploring and samples some local flavours. Here is a list of some of my favourite things to do in Brisbane on a weekend.

1. Farmers Markets. Thanks to our fantastic weather most of the year Queensland has excellent fresh produce and thankfully you can get your hands on it at one of Brisbane’s many farmers markets.  Fresh and tasty fruit and veg can be found at West End Markets, Northey St Markets and Jan Power Markets to name a few. You’ll also find an array of gourmet and local sellers

2. Southbank. Adored by families and backpackers for years, Southbank has undergone a steady transformation from a site aimed at tourists to a destination for great food, a beautiful city view and a little bit of culture too. You can enjoy a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants (a favourite is French Martini and I’m dying to try Next door Kitchen and Bar), take a wander along the river or got to a show at QPAC. And of course if the weather heats up there is still the chlorinated man-made beach…

3. Explore on wheels. Brisbane is actually blessed to have a huge network of bike paths and cycling is becoming increasingly more popular (and accepted) on the roads. Why not dust off that fixie and explore the local parks or even do a ‘river loop’. If you don’t own a bike, borrow a helmet and sign yourself up for the the Brisbane City Council’s CityCycle Scheme. There are bikes located around the CBD and areas including Toowong, Newfarm, Teneriffe and plenty of other suburbs - the potential for exploring is unlimited!

4. Newfarm Park. One of my favourite things to do is jump on a city cat and ride all the way to Newfarm Park. Some of my fondest childhood memories were spent here (including when the fire brigade had to come and rescue a boy who had climbed too far up one of the huge old trees and got stuck). It’s great for picnics, exercise, lazying about with a loved one or for some simple solitude.In the summertime ther's open air cinema and there's always plenty on at the Powerhouse too!  

5. The Valley is probably Brisbane’s favourite destination for a night out. Once the red light district it’s now home to designer boutiques, award winning cocktail bars and a whole host of clubs. This Saturday night, why not can take a trip to Hawaii at Alfred and Constance, dance all night at Blackbear Lodge and enjoy some relaxed people watching at Kerbside…be sure to look your best!

6. Go fossicking.  Paddington Antique Centre is a treasure trove of pre-loved furniture, vintage clothing and second-hand goods. I can spend hours in there browsing and a lot of willpower avoiding the temptation to buy! They also have a little café inside with a tea and cupcake special if you need some sustenance whilst shopping!

7. Woolloongabba is another hotspot for eating out in Brisbane with Pearl Café, The Crosstown Eating House and Canvas some of Brisbane most beloved spots. The Woolloongabba Antique Centre offers up perhaps even more gems than its Paddington counterpart and is a fun place to spend an afternoon working your way through previous decades

8. Get high. If you’re in the mood for a quiet or even romantic evening out, take a drive up to Mt Cootha lookout and see the city sparkle in all her glory. Yes it’s a bit touristy but it does actually make you appreciate what a lovely city we live in.

9. James St is the perfect place to grab a smoothie, take a stroll, get some designer clobber and do a spot of people watching. If you’re a bit of a masterchef make sure you check out the quality produce at James St Market but if an evening adventure is more your style the astroturf outside Sixes and Sevens will no doubt entice you in for a cocktail or three…beware of the hipsters though.

10. But wait there's more. Finally I’m going to say that whilst Brisbane has loads of great stuff going on one of the best things about it is being able to easily escape the hustle and bustle for a weekend.  Head North for Brissy and you’ve a whole host of Sunshine Coast beaches and hinterland to choose from. 45 minutes south and you can be laying on a Gold Coast beach…drive a bit further south and you can relax and rejuvenate (or party) in Byron Bay or Bangalow. You can even catch a ferry to Stradbroke Island or Moreton island to really escape it all. We really are smack bang in the middle of a whole lot of wonderful.

So get out and have some adventures already!!

Xx Kirst

Lady Marmalade...she's a fine dame

This weekend, my boyfriend and I ventured across town to Lady Marmalade at Stones Corner for sunday breakfast.

Another cafe on my list of 'Resol-funs' I've been meaning to visit this place for years and I'm so glad we  finally 'crossed the river' to do so.

We ordered a B-H-T (Bacon, Haloumi and Tomato) and the special of Baked Eggs, Greens and Asparagus, Sourdough and Hollandaise as well as a slice of Banana bread to share along with a latte and English Breakfast tea. Then we settled in to enjoy the Brisbane sunshine and do a spot of people watching - an excellent activity considering the crowds were snaking out the door and locals were jostling for tables.

Our meals came out quickly and all were fresh, super yummy, and left us wanting more. I was very tempted to take home some of the amazing looking baked treats on show at the counter but managed to control myself.

Sunday's Special

The Boyfriend preferred the Special to the B-H-T but honestly it had me at hello with the cocktail umbrella holding it together...how could anyone not love it?!! 

The Famous -B-H-T 

After breakfast we enjoyed wandering around the crazy dollar shops Stones Corner is known for as well as a great local bookstore. 

Lady Marmalade is definitely a new favourite breakfast spot for me (I've already booked a tentative return date with a girlfriend) and if you're a Brisbane local you should definitely check it out if you haven't already. 

And that's another one off my list...25 down...31 to go (the list may have grown a little.

Happy eating!

xx Kirst

 

Ole - a trip to Spain in the heart of Brisbane

Recently, my boyfriend and I went to dinner at Ole Restaurant at Southbank in Brisbane.

Ole has been a firm favourite on the Brisbane casual dining scene since it opened in 2011, but this was our first visit as part of my 'Resol-funs' list.

As it was a Friday evening, we were unable to reserve a table but they seated us quickly at the bar when we showed up and before we could order a drink they had already directed us to a table.

Sangria is always a good idea

Fist up, let me say that the Sangria was delicious and the perfect way to start the evening.


We ordered quite a few dishes and it was way, way too much. The staff were lovely, friendly and very attentive but it would have been great to get a bit more knowledge about the dishes on offer and how many might be suitable to satiate our appetites.

Chickpea fritters with chilli sauce and Jamon fritters in the back right!

This is what we ordered:

• Jamón fritters  - these were lovely but nothing special.

• Chickpea fritters with hot chilli sauce  - a little dry but the sauce was great!

• Crisp calamari and whitebait with aioli  - I don't like whitebait (this one was for the boy) but I did try the calamari and it was ok. Nothing special.

• Sourdough bread with Olé extra virgin olive oil - we barely ate any of this dish due to the sheer amount of food we ordered. I will say it is a pretty decent size but you will fill up quickly eating lots of small dishes so you probably don't need it!

• Beef and chorizo meat balls served with sourdough - This was the hero of all the dishes. They don't look like much but by god they were delicious. Again not anything amazingly special or ground-breaking but very tasty despite this.

• Local prawns wrapped in jamón, fried with garlic - Honestly these were another disappointment. They sounded amazing but both of us were underwhelmed with the size and flavour (or lack there of) of the dish. 

The prawns

I couldn't get photos of everything but you can take my word that all the dishes were presented beautifully, however, overall Ole didn't like up to my expectations. The food was fine, but in my opinion nowhere near as good as what's on offer a few streets away at Granada Tapas Bar. That said, the fun atmosphere and a desire to try a few more things on the menu will definitely lead me back there...not without a return visit to Granada first though!

Vote for ME!

A lovely friend of mine just informed me that I've made the Top 10 in The Urban List's Best Brisbane itineraries! GO me! This was something I did a while ago and I then forgot about it so it was a huge surprise when her email popped into my inbox this morning.

If you've got a chance please PLEASE, vote for my itinerary as the best and you could score yourself a $200 voucher to River Bar and Kitchen.

Look at how Ahhhhmazing it is! You want that voucher don't you? Get voting here and here's to good luck  for both of us in the competition :)

All photos courtesy of Riverbar and Kitchen

In search of a good brew

Since Archive Beer Boutique opened its doors a couple of years ago, the Brisbane "beer scene" has really come into its own.

No longer is a Corona with lime considered the beer of choice and although I'm still quite impartial to that light mexican flavour, it makes me ridiculously happy that there is more choice in both beer and in bars around Brisbane these days.

I'm going to warn you here, I'm no beer aficionado but I do like to enjoy a glass or two of golden goodness in the company of friends on occasion, and so I was a teeny bit excited when I finally crossed another two places off my 'Resolu-fun list on Friday night.

Beers at Tippler's Tap - Image from Brisbane Devoured

First up was Tippler's Tap in Newstead. I just knew I would love this place after receiving a cheeky, comical response from the Owner/Manager when I enquired about bringing a Birthday cake for the boyfriend (in case you're wondering they don't charge cakeage).

Tippler's looks like nothing from the street, but when you walkthrough those doors you're immediately transported to The Rockies. Decorated like an American log cabin and offering up traditional favourites like chicken wings, pork sliders and onion rings the food at Tippler's Tap is reasonably priced and extremely tasty. We also had the Corn on the Cob and Ploughman's Lunch both were top notch. The only real negative observation was the lack of Gluten free options available which made it difficult for some members of our party.

Onion Rings at Tippler's Tap - Image from Brisbane Devoured

The beer at Tippler's Tap is of course the standout selling point. There is sooooo much to choose from! The staff are super friendly and very knowledgeable in relation to the huge range of local and imported beer on offer and our group certainly did our best to order a plethora of different beers over the few hours we were there. We'll definitely be returning to sample some more Stone and Wood on tap in the near future.

Just a short walk from Tippler's Tap is the recently opened Green Beacon Brewing Co. We headed here for a few beers and a change of scenery and a change it was. The beer was great and set up of long bench style tables in the brewhouse was cool but after the cosiness of Tippler's Tap, Green Beacon seemed a little bit...clinical. The staff were equally friendly and knowledgeable about the beers on offer but the atmosphere didn't win me over 100%. Still the brews could not be faulted and in my opinion you should give Green Beacon a go and support a great local business.

Green Beacon Brewing Co - Image from The Weekend Edition

Green Beacon Brewing Co - Image from ArchitectureAU

Next up in the great Brisbane Beer Adventure? Scratch Bar and Bitter Suite...stay tuned

P.S. I was a bad blogger and didn't take any photographs on Friday night so please forgive me and note my acknowledgments.