Northshore Riverside Cafe- review

It's not often that Mr Pickings can get away for a longer lunch than a quick sandwich so I jumped at the chance when he said he had a bit of spare time -"so how about going out to lunch?".   I just as quickly suggested we go to Northshore Riverside Cafe as I had already been here for a quick bite recently and wanted to try some other dishes on the menu.  It was a typical winter's day in Brisbane; sunny with blue skies but a bite to the breeze when out of the sun.  We grabbed jackets and scarves and set off.

Northshore is a bit of a hidden gem, being a fair way upriver from the CBD and ending -currently- in not much.  This will change over the next few years as apartment buildings are starting to go up rapidly.  The City Cat only stops here sporadically till there are more commuters living here, which won't take long.  It is a lovely spot with a small beach which kids and dogs love, and a fabulous view of the river and the fishing boats going up and down the river.  We enjoyed a brisk (as in cool breeze) lunch as Mr Pickings was keen to sit outside and take in the river sights, including a small flock of graceful pelicans following the tiny yellow fishing trawler.
I started my meal with a glass of Chandon, while Mr Pickings had his usual indulgence of a strawberry milkshake.  He liked the presentation in the jar, and said it was cold - essential to a good shake.  We were pleased to see sweet potato fries on the menu- clearly a 'thing' at the moment- with us and cafes in general.
A friend had recently been bemoaning the fact that he couldn't get these here, unlike in NZ.  I assured him that yes indeed they were also now an Aussie thing as well as a Kiwi thing.  These were delicious- thin with what seemed to be a crisp coating on the outside- perhaps polenta?  Mr Pickings was very happy as these are his fave sort of fries.

strawberry milkshake - $8

sweet potato fries with aioli and tomato sauce-$10.50

We also enjoyed our mains of confit duck salad for me (I love duck!) and wild mushroom risotto for him. The duck was in small shreds; tasty but it would have been nice to have some bigger pieces so you could really get a good mouthful of the duck, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.  Beetroots came out of a jar I would say; I don't mind this though some people may prefer/expect them house-made.  The overall flavours and textures with the hazelnuts, goat cheese etc made this a tasty dish.  Mr Pickings did not give much away about the risotto but cleaned up his plate quick-smart and told the lovely young waitress that he really enjoyed it.   He mentioned later that the rice was not gluggy and the flavour was great so clearly it was a hit with him.

wild mushroom risotto-$25.50

confit duck salad- $25.50

We ended our extended lunch with coffee and lemon curd tart for me, and hot chocolate for him.  The coffee was Di Manfredi, not a brand I had drunk before.  It was a really good coffee and I am quite fussy coffee-wise.  Mr Pickings said his hot choc was great, and he loved getting the marshmallows.  My tart was a tangy lemon curd in a short crust;  the crust was a good short one with plenty of crunch and texture and the curd was delicious.  We left feeling very satisfied and content, and completely unable to face the thought of any dinner.

lemon curd tart-$8

cappuccino-$4

hot chocolate -$4.50

I am sneaking in a photo of the drink I had last time-citrus crush- a deliciously icy and fruity drink.

citrus crush-$8

We found the service to be really good; the staff were very helpful, friendly and efficient.  Food was enjoyable though perhaps a bit expensive for a cafe.  Perhaps we pay for the views?  All in all, we enjoyed our little escape from weekday reality, and had a fine lunch.  I believe this place is very popular for weekend breakfasts too.

Concrete pavers have maritime facts about old Brisbane
etched into them giving you a chance
to increase your knowledge AND  feed the face.

The cafe is open 7 days a week from 7am to 3pm.

Ph: 3868 4264
297 MacArthur Avenue,
Hamilton QLD