Archive - West End

http://www.archivebeerboutique.com.au/

100 Boundary Street West End Brisbane, Ph: 3844 3419.

If you're a beer and cider lover then you have to get your drink on at Archive in West End.  If you're tired of the same old traditional Aussie beers in Brisbane's watering holes and you especially love a good pale ale, then Archive will be heaven for you. Located below Uber on Boundary Street Archive is a brilliant place to check out. Whether you are looking for a night out or a place to have lunch, Archive will definitely make you want to return. Offering the finest of local and overseas beers according to their website Archive has, "eight constantly rotating draught beers on tap and over 200 different bottled beers in our bar fridges ,as well as another 100 or so more beers are available in our Next Door Cellar bottle-shop". Can it get much better than is?. It's also nice to see passion in a workplace and this is quite obvious at Archive. Every little detail has been gone into such as the interior design through to their beer selection and bistro menu. Book shelves full of old novels and hard covered Readers Digests run along the back wall. Another wall is layered with recycled paper comic books but where it really gets impressive is the bar itself. Although it is hard to describe imagine a bar tiled with leather bound books. A big plus for me is the pool tables and darts boards, personally I love a game of pool over a few beers and everywhere you go there is always a snooker hotshot ready to challenge you to a game. I haven't yet come across one of these types at Archive and to be honest I dont think I will. 


In terms of food, Archive's bistro offers vibrant tasty dishes. The mains are big meals and as an alternative I would even suggest maybe sharing a couple of entrée's and I think there is more variety on offer on the entré menu anyway. There are also plenty of vegetarian and gluten free dishes. 


I don't think I have seen  a bar in Brisbane with such uniqueness and Archive could certainly give Melbourne a run for their money.  Archive is becoming very popular from Wednesday through to Sunday night and I have seen Archive petty crowded with people. Service is 1st class and for now I can't find a bad thing to say about Archive. 


D.

Thai Essence Cafe

2/130 Bennett's Road Brisbane - 3398 1399 Open Daily 9am-5pm

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thai-Essence-Day-Spa-Cafe/146896455320774

When I first came across Thai Essence I was driving on Bennetts road and noticed a sign announcing 'duck wraps available here' and couldn't resist checking it out. After taking a closer look I found the appeal of the place was very alluring. Formally a house, Thai Essence has a very comfortable feel. There are two seating areas, one located in the front of the shop, in a lounge setting and the other an outside courtyard. Surrounded in greenery and traditional Thai statues, the courtyard is a perfect place to escape. Without fail I always order the duck wrap, and it never lets me down. Thai Essence also offers a variety of food, including asian salads, they also do breakfast. Segafreda is the brand of coffee they use (which is one of my favourites) and the Thai essence staff certainly make a good cappucino. Their service is faultless,  quick and quiet. Thai Essence also has a day spa for massages and beauty treatment. A big plus for me is that there is FREE parking, located at the rear of the building. Overall Thai essence is a great experience and ideal for wanting an escape from the house or work. Check It Out!

D.

Oishii Sushi Bar - 10 out of 10!

Oishii Sushi Bar 2/70 Pinelands Road Sunnybank Hills PH: (07) 3423 7774


Oishii sushi is not only the best sushi I've had in Brisbane but possibly the best sushi I've tasted anywhere. I look forward to the day my opinion is changed but until that day the crown stays with Oishii. Located on the southside in Sunnybank Hills you'll find Oishii tucked away in a tiny little shopping centre on Pinelands road. If you are a lover of sushi than you have to make the journey out to Sunnybank Hills and give Oishii a go. These days Im a little over sushi trains, I find them too hot n cold and are always inconsistent with their freshness of the sushi. Oishii is a sushi bar made fresh as you order. Never once have i been disappointed with service and more importantly the food. When I go to Oishii I usually order the Himawari and spider roll. The Spider roll is particularly yummy its contains a soft shell crab filling rolled in japanese fishcake and egg. Today I ordered the Unagi Maki ( eel ) at first I was a little hesitant to try eel but I was glad i did, wrapped in a egg omelette the Maki is a new favourite. I also find the ginger and wasabi served with it quite tasty, i usually hate the taste of wasabi but at Oishii I can nibble on it without dry reaching. My other recommendations would be the Avaocado Fantasy, Red Bull and the Snake roll. If whoever you are dining with dosent like sushi, Oishii offers plenty of curry and rice dishes as well as another favourite of mine the Omu yakisoba which is fired noodle again wrapped in omelette deliciousssssss. Parking is a complete nightmare, I find it almost impossible to get a park so if you cant get a park in the allocated spaces, park at the pinelands shopping centre and simply walk down. Oishii is open for lunch and dinner but closing in between the two sittings, they are also closed Mondays. Everybody go to Oishii where your money will be well spent 10 out of 10.  


D.

Browndog Cafe @ The Gabba

http://www.browndogcafe.com.au/


Browndog Cafe 54 Logan Rd Wolloongabba Ph: 3891 7355


I might have said this before but the Browndog Cafe would have to be one my favourite cafes in Brisbane. If i cannot think of somewhere new to go i will always go to the Browndog, Why? because I know Im going to get great coffee, food and defiantly great service. When eating at cafes i always try to reframe from ordering sandwiches because i think i can make them better myself, but at the Browndog i am proven wrong. Made from freshly delivered bread in the mornings all of Browndog's sandwiches are beautiful and offer something different. They are generous with the fillings and are neatly presented and  you get your value for money which is what we are all after. I have also eaten breakfast which passed in flying colours, i opted for the ever present eggs benedict which again is making me hungry whilst typing. I also love the layout and the design of the Browndog, in-particular the seating on the right hand side of the building facing the street. I could sit there for hours and drink my coffee and read a book especially in the wonderful autumn weather Brisbane is currently having. There is street parking but unfortunately you have to pay but if your quick you can get away with it. I wish i worked or lived around the Gabba so i could be more of a Browndog Cafe regular. 


D.

                                                                       

Chat Thai !!!!

Shop 8 Market Square Cnr Mains Rd And McCullough St, Sunnybank  Ph: 3345 1123

I, like most Aussies love Thai food, I have to have it once a week if the budget allows me. Having a good Thai Restaurant within 5 minutes drive from home is sublime but also dangerous for the waistline. Chat Thai of Sunnybank in Brisbane's south is so delicious my mouth is watering as I type.  In case you were unaware Sunnybank is the Asian capital of Brisbane and if you're after authentic Asian food come to Sunnybank, in particular, Market Square Shopping Center.  Located next to 7 eleven Chat Thai is the best Thai I have eaten in a long time. All Thai food is rich in flavor and Chat Thai certainly does not disappoint. What I really like is that the menu offers a little more variety than most Thai Restaurants but I still cannot go past the red duck curry. The duck is cooked to perfection and the creamy coconut sauce is to die for, lychees also add sweetness to the dish and it keeps me going back countless times.  I have also tried various other dishes on the menu and they all deserve two thumbs up. It's a very brave and confident sign when a restaurant installs see-through glass between the kitchen and the patrons. I'm not a fan of the cheesy Asian pop videos on playback on the Restaurant's TV's but at least they're on mute.  So all you north, west and east of the river come down to Sunnybank for some seriously good Thai, it will be worth the trip.

D.

The Bunker - Brisbane's Coolest Concept

http://www.bunkercoffee.com.au/


The Bunker 21 Railway terrace Milton

Located adjacent to the Milton train station on Railway Tce, the Bunker is Brisbane's hidden gem. Situated in the garage of an old Queenslander the bunker is actually an old air raid shelter smothered by intertwining vine inside and outside the walls. The Bunker offers something a little different in coffee with pure melted chocolate stirred through the coffee and different blends used on different days. The concept is so simple but so brilliantly done, trading on word of mouth you will find people waiting for an order or lounging about on the few wooden stools enjoying a coffee. Mornings are busy with early morning commuters passing on their way to work to pick up a takeaway or locals stopping by on their morning walk or run. My skinny cappuccino was strong and tasty with no need for sugar, the topping of chocolate sprinkles are fresh and not pre packed which adds tons of flavor. The service is good but not overly friendly but you can afford to be when what your serving is brilliant. If you are in the area and craving a coffee get away from the commercialised Park Road and head down to the Bunker - just look for vine encrusted walls.

D.

The Ground Floor - quick and tasty

The Ground Floor is a little coffee cart you will find at the bottom of the Qsuper building on the corner of Charlotte and Eagle Streets in the city. On my way to an appointment I was in desperate need of a quick coffee. I wanted a quick, quality coffee without the B.S and that's exactly what I got.  In the middle of Brisbane's hustle and bustle the Ground Floor offers a 5 minute escape from the noise whilst enjoying your favourite brew.  The Ground Floor is not really a sit down place however caters for a few patrons to "drink in".  The go is  you order, pay, get your coffee and continue about your daily business which is exactly the sort of clientele of the Ground Floor.  My coffee was perfect and gave me the pick-me-up I was after so, if you work around the Riverside end of town and want a quick quality coffee, duck into the Ground Floor and pick up an early morning "heart starter"  on your way to work.

D.