Sassafras Of Paddington Café And Bar - Review

Sassafras always makes me think of my childhood, since I grew up not far from a teensy, tiny country town called just that.  I was very happy to check out this café in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington, when Chris the owner invited me (and a guest) to come visit.  Funny story: Mr P. and I headed there on a very recent Friday, only to be told there was no booking for me, and Chris was not in that day.  I was very befuddled, but soon realised that I had my Fridays completely confused and we were there a week early.  Sorry Chris!

We were made welcome by Laura the friendly server, and were led out to the courtyard.  Suddenly it started to spit rain, so we moved to the large bench under a sturdier awning than the tarp we had been sitting under.  Laura told us that Chris the owner (who took over in May last year) is planning to update the courtyard with some new umbrellas.  (And to be honest, a good going-over of the pavers with a high-pressure gerni would be a fab idea.)  It is a very leafy and pleasant space (and we saw a waterdragon), where dogs are welcome too.  They even have their own menu which includes doggy treats and puppuccinos.  And we met the cutest black pug dog who had to say hello :-)  (Check out the photo at the bottom of my post.) 

the entrance to the cute old building

Let's head inside, and check it out.  As you can see by the sign below, they are conscious of the environment - straws on their way out! - which is great.  The building is an old worker's cottage, so it's full of interesting features like the VJ walls.  There are lots of nooks and crannies, and spaces to sit, inside and out.

looking into the café

Like most eating places these days, you order at the counter but as they weren't too busy, Laura came out to help us move tables when the rain came, and took our order then.  Mr P. chose the pie of the day - butter chicken - with salad and fries.  He said he would never have thought of putting this filling in a pie, but he loved it.  He loved the crisp, shortcrust pastry which encased it too.  The fries were crunchy and tasty, but his faves were the salads of spiced cauli and sweet potato and snow peas.  He said over and over how delicious they were, and how fresh the dressing was!   

pie of the day with fries and salad $16.90 

freshly squeezed juice $7

Mr P. was already over-caffeinated so chose a freshly squeezed, cold-pressed juice of watermelon, pineapple, orange and passionfruit.  He really loved the addition of passionfruit as it gave the juice a big hit of tang.

eggs benedict $18.90 - with house-cured salmon gravlax

Excuse the wobbly photo; the eggs did a slip-slide across my plate before I could snap it.  I chose from the breakfast menu which goes till 2pm, as I wanted to try the house-cured salmon gravlax.  And yes, it was a triumph.  Not too salty, not too firm, not too thick, and with a delicious aftertaste.  You can choose bacon or avocado as an extra if you wish.  Laura told us the hollandaise is house-made also.  I am a huge hollandaise fan, and this was a delicious version, though there can never be too much lemon in it for me.  The Turkish bread was soft enough to cut and eat - the roof of my mouth has sometimes bled due to the incredibly glassy bread you can find at some cafés.  Not a problem here.  And the eggs were beautifully runny, just how I like them.

Sassaffogato $5.50

Yep, this was delicious.  Like a dessert really but I had it before my meal.  Just 'cos!  Espresso and ice cream and dark chocolate; refreshing and zippy.

I promised you a pug; this is Kelly

Kelly belonged to the people sharing the long bench with us.  She was adorable, and I had to take her photo.  And of the beautiful water dragon with the flaming-red belly.  

water dragon staring me out

peeking into the kitchen

We had a really delicious lunch in the very pleasant and calm courtyard.  I almost had to drag Mr P. away as he was starting to settle in for the afternoon.  He loved the Byron Bay feel (his words) of this café.  He also appreciated that the music was not too loud, as it can be in other eating places.  What else can I tell you?  They are licensed, they use Bear Bones coffee, they have a bar.  There is a kids' menu too.  They do private events; they are famous for their ricotta hotcakes with house-made honeycomb butter:-)  Mr P. is insisting we go back for the chilli corn fritters (him) and the French toast (moi).  I feel we may be heading back soon, and bringing friends.   

   

Mr P. and I were kindly invited as guests by Chris the owner, but opinions remain my (our) own.


Opening hours: 6:30am to 2:30pm, and to 3pm Fri/Sat/Sun.

88 Latrobe Tce., Paddington 4064

Ph: 07 3369 0600


 

At Sixes And Sevens - Public House Review

I managed to drag Mr P. away the other day to have lunch with a friend.  And believe me, that is not an easy task, as hubby is a workaholic to the max.  I had in mind this place - At Sixes and Sevens which is in increasingly trendy Fortitude Valley.  Once known for its prostitutes and the Coke factory, the Valley now harbours expensive boutiques, fancy restaurants and some cosy bars.


      

the side view of this historical building

This is a gorgeous 1878 cottage, now made into a bar and kitchen with a courtyard and several comfy spaces to relax in.  I felt at home straightaway upon entering.  The bartender greeted us, told us to take any table and said that as it was early and not yet busy, we could just give a holler and he would come take our order, even though it is usually counter service only.

espresso martini $18

Yep a perfect way to start an early lunch.  I had this one!  Very delicious though surprisingly not that alcoholic in effect.  I felt just fine after drinking it.  Perhaps there was more espresso than the vodka, kahlua and cognac.

ginger beer $3.50

Well folks, you can guess what Mr P. had, can't you?  He loves his ginger beer.  Our mate Mr L. stuck to plain water.  (He watches his diet due to health issues.)

local Tiger chilli prawns $18.50 

I'm a big fan of prawns but this was not my fave dish.  There were 5 sweet and spicy prawns, but sadly I could mostly taste fish sauce, with a bit of zippy chilli heat.  The prawns themselves were large and firm but tender.  But even as we left, I still had the fishy taste in my mouth.  Let's just say that I would have preferred way less fish sauce, and less sweetness.  I wondered about the cos lettuce too.  It seemed out of place with an Asian style dish.       

fish tacos $14

I love a fish taco made on a soft tortilla.  I liked these, but I didn't love them. It was a bit difficult to actually find the fish amongst the coleslaw.  I had had fish tacos at another eating place recently which contained large pieces of battered fish - very delicious; these I am sorry to say paled in comparison.  They weren't bad, just not as tasty as I had expected.  Look, I liked the coleslaw and I love me some jalapeños, but I would have loved to see a bit more fish.  Oh, and I had to add a bit of salt, which is something I just never normally do. 

haloumi burger $20

and here's the view without Mr P.'s finger 

Mr P. loves halloumi, so this was an obvious choice for him.  He said the actual burger bun was not too sweet (a common problem these days); the filling was generous; he loved the grilled zucchini and the contrast of the creamy avocado sauce.  There were lots of fries which were...yes, fries.  I snuck a few for taste-testing purposes naturally. 

chicken schnitzel $26.50

Mr L. chose chicken (breast) schnitzel.  This was a very generous serving of panko crumbed chicken, accompanied by a bit of salad.  He declined the fries which normally come with this dish.  He enjoyed his lunch, which he said was spicy, with tender meat, and the batter not too thick.  He certainly scoffed it down very happily.  

fish and chips $20+?

I did the food blogger thing and asked the 2 lovely ladies next to me if I could take a photo of their lunches.  They graciously said yes.  I think this was one of the specials of the day; maybe $20+?  

Asian BBQ pork salad $20 

The other lovely lady had the pork salad.  She said it was a bit hard to find the pork!  So that's all I know about this one.


Mr L. being of somewhat conservative taste was disgruntled due to the fact that the cottage had been modernised, but I found it charming.  And I am just so happy that one of the very few old buildings in Brisbane still remains standing, and useful.  

Pickings' Verdict: a thumbs up, though the food could be tweaked a bit.  Then again, it is bar food, as the menu tells you, and tasty enough to soak up the drinks. 

inside the bar area

The kitchen is open from 11am to 10pm every day, and the Public House is open till midnight.  


67 James St., Fortitude Valley 
Ph: 07 3358 6067



 

Coast Hervey Bay - Restaurant Review

On our recent trip up north, we decided to take a couple of nights R&R at Hervey Bay, on the Fraser Coast.  Sadly we were a little early for the whale migration, and the dolphins were staying out of sight too.  But there was plenty to see, and plenty to eat.  We went for a pre-dinner drink at Coast, but then couldn't drag ourselves away so stayed for dinner too. 

looking in, 'cos we were sitting outside 

I started off with a rhubarb and rose Bellini, which was fabulous. Fruity and pretty and refreshing.  In fact, it was so good I had 2. Made up of rhubarb and rose petal purée, topped up with prosecco.

Bellini $13

cider $10

Mr P. had a cider, one of his faves.  I find it very sweet, but yes delicious. Since we were walking back to our hotel, he could indulge for once in something alcoholic.

house-baked bread $8

For our pre-dinner nibbles, we had house-baked bread with cultured butter and smoked salt.  This was so good.  I am a huge fan of smoked salt, so this was a winner for me.  Mr P. loved it too. But I wanted way more butter! :=)  It was a very teeny bowl with only a wee bit of butter.  I bet I could have asked for more.  The staff were very obliging in every way.

triple cooked fat chips $10

Mm, yes okay, we had chips too.  Triple cooked with rosemary aioli. Yep, nice and thick-cut and tasty.  They were very big; firm and tender if you get what I mean.  (I hate soggy chips).  These were just right.  

pear and rocket salad $11

So here's the healthy side dish: pear, rocket, candied walnuts and parmesan salad.  Also delicious.  Such a fab combination at any time. The walnuts were really fresh and crunchy; we both loved them.  And even my nemesis - rocket - was okay.  I just have this thing about weeds:=)  Sorry folks.  

zucchini textures $20

The zucchini was interesting.  Some of it was battered and stuffed as you can see.  There were also grilled chunks of it, and lots of dill scattered over.  I think it was stuffed with lemon and ricotta; also a great combo.

beef cheek $32

We had ordered beef cheek, but they mistakenly brought out beef short ribs instead.  They very kindly gave us a complimentary side order of cauliflower with almond cream while we waited for the beef cheek to arrive.  (Normally $12).  

And look at that gorgeous plate on which the cheek is reclining.  So delightful.  The beef cheek was very tender, and so full of flavour. It came with gremolata and smoked cauliflower.  Oh, and don't forget the onion ring on top.  I think it looked a tad odd up there, but it tasted like a battered onion ring, which can only be a good thing.

cauliflower with almond cream $12

This dish was very rich and creamy.  We were sooo full after all our starters, sides and tasting plates.  This just about did us in, but in a good way.
  

The staff were fabulous, efficient and friendly.  As we were sitting outside, and the sun was going down, they asked if we wanted to come in to the warmth.  We are tough old coots so stuck it out in the great outdoors.  Who could resist that sunset?  What a wonderful, flavoursome, enjoyable dinner we had.  If only we lived closer!

glorious sunset over Hervey Bay 

469 Esplanade, Hervey Bay QLD 4655
Ph: 07 4125 5454



 

Brick Bistro - Review

Mr P. and I like to go on Sunday (or any day) drives now and then. And when we do, we often like to hit the seaside.  There's nothing more relaxing than listening to the waves hit the shore, and see the whitecaps dancing in the sun.  I dream of faraway places as I see the small yachts heading out in the distance...

So what's that got to do with a bistro you ask?  We sometimes drive out to Redcliffe which is about 45 minutes from home.  There are lots of fish and chip shops, and cafés, and restaurants along the length of the esplanade, including Brick Bistro.  (Oddly enough, when we were in Hervey Bay last week, we only found one chippy on their esplanade - weird eh?)

looking back from the jetty to the Esplanade  

It was after 2pm, lunch was calling, so we stopped in at Brick for a drink and a bite to eat.  It was nippy outside but we sat on the footpath seats so we could watch the water.  Our waitress was a friendly lass, who served us efficiently and pleasantly.  We started with a drink - Zing Prosecco for me, and you guessed it - ginger beer for Mr P.

$10 and $5 (Mr P. is a cheap date- hee hee)

So Mr P. and I shared a few tapas, including: onion rings, rice balls, tempura veg., and chicken karaage.  No fancy Italian names for these ricey babies on the bill, though the menu calls them arancini:=)   

arancini balls $14

We had 5 rice balls and 2 of us; not sure who sneaked the last one. Very crispy on the outside as you can see, nice, soft pumpkin and parmesan on the inside.  Mr P. loved the tangy chive and yoghurt sauce that came with it.  Not sure about the plating; not a fan of big white plates myself.  

crispy onion rings $7

Both of us love onion rings.  Who doesn't, my friends?  These were great.  Beer-battered, crisp outside, soft inside.  House-made chilli jam went down well.

tempura veg $12

       
I wasn't such a fan of the tempura veg.  I found the batter floury and therefore a bit unpleasant.  It needed a few seconds more in the deep fryer.  Mr P. didn't mind!  He thought it was grand as is.  

  

chicken karaage $16

These crispy, tender little morsels of chicken were delicious.  The mayo was eaten with gusto by Mr P.  The karaage was like popcorn chicken, just small morsels, which added to the charm.    


I know; you're seeing a theme here - fried food covered in batter.   My excuse for all that delicious fried food is - Winter, sea breezes, sitting in the shade, folks!  It was all done well; crispy and tender where it should be.  Tangy accompaniments were a nice addition.  


  

looking out from the jetty nearby

A couple of weeks later, we took our mate Princess Pia here for dinner. It was a cold Thursday night, and a bit of a hike out there on a school night.  The restaurant was empty apart from the owner and a couple of his mates. It looked like his young son was the only waiter.  He was a friendly lad but he seemed a bit overwhelmed. Sadly dinner didn't come up to the heights of our late lunch on the Sunday. 

"classic" coq au vin $32

Maybe the lack of ambience due to no customers?  Also the food simply was not as good.  I chose coq au vin, which according to the menu was "classic".  For me, classic coq au vin never has tomato in it, especially not tomato paste or purée.  I am not a tomato fan, so this was doubly troubling to me.  I expected a chicken dish, full of the flavours of red wine and mushrooms.  I was sadly disappointed by this very "unclassic", and not very interesting dish.  I fear the purée was from a bottle; oh dear.  Red cabbage and potato chunks didn't add much to it.  I left a fair whack of this dish on the plate. 


We had started the meal with chicken karaage and arancini this time too; sadly knobbly little chicken bits. Just not as good as first time round. Princess Pia and Mr P. chose burgers for mains. Hubby loved his burger, and said there was nothing not to love.  He enjoyed his meal thoroughly. Wagyu beef, caramelised onion, chilli jam, aioli, beer battered fries - what's not to love?

Brick burger $23

Princess Pia enjoyed her burger too.  Sweet potato crisps were delicious (I snuck some).  Cajun crumbed chicken breast with lettuce and tomato was a safe choice.  Nothing to offend here.

Cajun burger $21

So, to conclude, our meals were okay; great if you were Mr P.  A couple of glasses of Prosecco each helped me and the Princess cope with the cold, while hubby scoffed down his usual ginger beer.  You can book online which is handy; they do functions and events; and have live music on weekends.  Head down on a Sunday arvo for a drink and tapas is my recommendation.

take a walk down Bee Gees Way next door as you go

Barry Gibb's head on Bee Gees Way