Gallery SOHO

Am loving all these new fabulous cafes that are popping up across Brisbane. I noticed Gallery SoHo when they started the fit out on busy Old Cleveland Road. It had these awesome decals of renaissance style artisans, which kept me guessing as to what it would be. A cafe? A bakery? It was a very small space, and they built long communal tables out the front. All very exciting.

It's been open for a few weeks at least and being on Old Cleveland Road, I drive past it often. It was clearly a cafe and ALWAY busy! Graham and I finally had a chance to check it out on Sunday for brunch and it FAABULOUS!

Firstly, all day breakfast. Tick one for Graham. Secondly, all the breads are artisan type breads - no animal fats and baked freshly daily from a "secret" local supplier. I know all this because the owner actually took the time to explain it all, while we were ordering and later for a chat when he collected our places. Tick one for me!

Was soo delicious, ate it before I got the iPhone out

Thirdly, lots of vegetarian options AND you can make changes the menu if requested...without the sour looking face from the waiter. Tick one for both of us! I had a vegetarian grill with eggplant, tomatoes, marinated capsicum, swiss cheese and aoili - I asked them to hold the onion jus - I'm sure it would have been delicious, but onion doesn't agree with me. Graham had scrambled eggs and mushrooms, and was as happy as Larry.

I had my "quarter strength latte", poured nicely, and not burnt or bitter

Despite being a super busy main road, we didn't notice the traffic and didn't mind sharing tables with complete strangers.

Loving living on the East side at the moment...I'll definitely be back...if just for the coffee.

Cute Girl Discount

Do I get one?

Lady Marmalade Cafe

Ahhh Lady Marmalade Cafe, I think you're my new favourite cafe! Great coffee, friendly service and a simple menu. It's tucked in the corner of the Logan Road near Stones Corner, and when Graham and I dropped in it was a chilly Winter's morning and it was warm inside with the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

I love the old crockery they serve on, it's like the retro dinnerware you'd get at Grandma's, but when it's here it seems way cooler.

We just had coffee and raison toast cause we were in a hurry, but it was fast and pretty yummy. Most importantly, they made me a quarter strength flat white just how I like it.

The guy next to me was tucking into the haloumi, roasted pumpkin, chilli & mint pesto, tomato and spinach on sourdough...that'll be what I'm ordering next time.

The Institution that is The Laksa Hut

The Laksa Hut at Toowong has been an institution in Brisbane for years! I used to walk past it every day when I was at uni in the, ahem, early 90s when I used to live in Jephson Street. Don't actually remember eating there, but my cousin Tehana mentioned it the other day, so I thought it might be a good halfway place to meet the bestie Bernice for lunch before we had to go and pick up the kids.

I had this salt and pepper tofu and it was divine. Deep fried tofu goodness, pressed with just enough salt and pepper to make it tasty and spicy. The decor  and service was typically Asian, with roast ducks hanging in the windows, mismatched plates, and no nonense waitresses. But who cares. The tofu rocked.

Dinner at Jellyfish

Had dinner at the famed Jellyfish Restaurant at Eagle Street Pier. It was bustling for a Thursday night and the atmosphere was buzzing. We had the private dining room with 20 of Graham's work colleagues and while the menu looked mouthwatering...to a vegetarian, it looked empty.

The waitress was lovely, and brought out a bocconcini platter with a vine ripened tomato, baby bocconcini and pesto along with a rocket salad with roasted almonds and shaved parmesan. It was nice and fresh, but looking at everyone else's tempura soft shell crab with wasabe mayonnaise was a little depressing.

One thing that did impress me was the Voss Sparkling Water that was promptly refilled as soon as it hit empty. The contents itself weren't anything more than any other sparkling water, but the packaging was divine. Clear, tall gloss bottle with simple branding. I want one for home. Between that and the Cloudy Bay Sauvingon Blanc, drinks were definitely a 10!

For mains they made crumbed tomatoes and gnocci which was delicious, but the person next to me had whole fried baby barramundi and the presentation was a work of art. I wish I'd been able to take a photo...but I thought it might seem rude to ask, or at least a little odd, and I didn't want to be "the wierd girl I sat next to last night who took photos of all the food". Again. Like the cat lady of the culinary world.

I had actually checked out the menu the day before (not at all obsessed with food) and was sooo looking forward to passionfruit crème brûlée with passionfruit ice cream and madeleines, but we didn't order until 8pm and it was 9.30pm while we were just finishing up our mains, and we had to pick up Josh from my bestie's place. So, regretfully, we had to go. I'm going back later to get that crème brûlée.

Pompidou Cafe

I absolutely love trying new restaurants and cafes, but I love going back to my favourites. I love knowing that when I get there, my favourite dessert or pasta will be served up just as I love it, just as it always is. I love the familiarity of the menu, and the decor, and the waitresses or even the comfy chairs.

So imagine my despair when we rocked up to Wicked Sister in Bulimba on Sunday for my favourite avocado on sourdough with lemon and...

It was gone.

Not just the avocado and sourdough off the menu.  The WHOLE restaurant!!! What the??

Grrrrr! It was replaced by an Italian cafe. I do love Italian, but it didn't have an all day breakfast, and there were only 2 vegetarian options on the menu.  I wasn't actually that hungry, and would have shared a vegetable lasagne, but Graham wasn't in a sharing mood, so the only option was the mushroom, goat's cheese, roasted capsicum and rocket pizza.  Which we shared. Go figure.

Anyway, it was delicious! The base was a incy bit too thick, but I can live with that. I don't even really like mushrooms, but they weren't too chunky and most of all, not slimy, and the goat's cheese was tart and smushy as it should be. Normally I don't deal very well with my favourite restaurants just disappearing, but I'll make an exception for Pompidou Cafe. The coffee was nice too.

There was one thing that was the same though and that was a huge wooden table with bench seats. They throw a whole heap of magazines and newspapers on there to browse while you're waiting for your meal - Vogue, inStyle, Marie Claire. Good choice.  They had also mounted a HUGE photo of, I guess, maybe the new owner's family back in the 1940s or 1950s. Made a cool back drop.

The Best Paneer...where?

Who'd have thought the best Indian I'd ever had would be in Warwick. We stopped in at Zaika for a quick bite to eat before heading up to the farm. At the moment Warwick is FREEZING as we head in to the first days of Winter and the thought of a piping hot curry was a much better option than a Subway. We ordered the Aloo Masala and Spinach Paneer and oh...my...god. It was divine. Rich, creamy, spicy, but not at all oily. Served with the perfect amount of saffron rice and I'm pretty sure this is what it's like in India.

I should clarify this is the best Indian I've ever had AT A RESTAURANT. Our friends Anoushka and Ashish make the best Indian food EVER. Hands down. Zaika comes a very close second.