5 Boroughs Ascot - Review

Mr P. and I eat regularly at a local sushi place, but this night we decided to ring in the changes by stopping off at a nearby eatery serving New York street food.  Okay I will get the rant over first thing: when the heck are we going to get some decent cafés that serve real food, not endless burgers and fries?  No time soon, I fear. I know, I know, now you are thinking so why did she eat here? Well, no one ever said I was consistent, people.  Me, least of all.

exterior of the café

Service, often a bugbear these days, was fabulous.  Attentive staff quick to take our order and give advice made this dinner a pleasure from the get-go.  I started with an espresso martini which are all the rage lately.  This one was excellent if a little sweet for me.  Very cold, creamy and lots of coffee flavour.

espresso martini $12

Mr P.'s drink of choice $4.90 

And then I chose crab salad.  Well, who wouldn't?  I enjoyed this fresh and zingy dish. Thankfully the green leaves as per the menu were lettuce (cos or butter?) rather than the ghastly weeds you mostly get these days.  (Join my sister and me in the anti-rocket and other bitter weeds movement.)  This salad had radish and fennel, sandcrab and avocado.  Delightfully fresh, with some actual crab in it, not just a shred or two.  I felt very virtuous eating this rather than a stodgy burger.

crab salad $29

And speaking of burgers, Mr P. had the 5B vegan version, filled with a housemade black bean, quinoa and corn patty.  Hubby said it needed a sauce (a common refrain of his), and that the patty was a bit bland and needed some spice.  Other than that, he enjoyed it.    

5B vegan burger $13

  

look inside the burger- lots of salsa but sadly no sauce or dressing  

ale battered onion rings with chipotle mayo $8  

Thank heavens these onion rings did not have sweet batter.  It was  a thin and non-sweet coating on the onion rings with a spicy chipotle sauce.  Mr P. and I wolfed these down.  The rustic fries were thin and crispy with a choice of mustard or ketchup.  You pay $7 for the large size, but regular ($5) did us fine.

rustic fries $5 regular size

I had a glass of Bridgewater Mill sparkling wine $10 during the meal.  Yep I was getting tiddly by then.  There is lots to recommend this place: lively atmosphere, friendly staff, quick service. You can dine in or take away; you have a choice of burgers, tacos and salads as well as slightly unusual items like American BBQ - pork back ribs, beef brisket and short ribs. There is beer on tap, plus cocktails, cider and bottled beers.

interior with New York-style decor   

You can choose sirloin or snapper; a Reuben or a Cuban sandwich; and for something different try bourbon buttered corn on the cob. Don't forget the desserts like key lime pie and choc brownie icecream stack.  There is interior and exterior eating areas plus a side courtyard.  All in all, a pleasant evening with the usual suspects (food and company), with some interesting, quirky items to get you excited.  And yes, it is named after the 5 Boroughs of New York - hubby and I knew 4. We had no idea that Staten Island was one of them.:=) 



120 Racecourse Rd., Ascot QLD 4007
Ph: 07 3268 7400
Open 7 days a week