[Brisbane] Era Bistro

Era Bistro
102 Melbourne Street
South Brisbane (Cnr Merivale Street)
phone: (07) 3255 2033

Before going out to a restaurant, I like to peruse their online menu (to death :^D) and always already know what I wanted before stepping into the door.

Recently Era Bistro's menu looks very inviting. I went to check it out and decided to try its pre-show dinner to get a little taste of what they can offer. The experience did not disappoint.




Pre-show dinner: $49 per person, in by 6pm and out by 7.15pm, choice of one main and one dessert from a seection of three respectively.

If I see duck or lamb on the menu, I look no further.

Roasted dusk breast and confit leg

The dish came out looking good and tastewise was good too. Breast meat was nicely pink and flavorful while the confit skin was crispy with tender meat. Sauce was savoury and smoky and it goes well with the duck.

Lamb loin with orecchiette pasta with jewel vegetables

The lamb was lightly marinated and then pan fried, delicious. Lamb was done medium, I breathe a sigh of relief when it came out sans the blood. Soup was tasty albeit a bit murky looking.

Dark Chocolate ‘Toblerone’ Parfait & Caramel Popcorn

Good parfait and ice-cream, smooth and creamy. Caramel popcorn flaccid and unnecessary. Something creative like a chocolate sand/snow or even praline would be more engaging.

Crème Brulee of Coffee, Milk & Cookies

This plate comes out boring but brulee was very well made with a crunchy sugar coating. Half the fun of eating brulee was the spoon hitting the coating and hearing that 'crack'. Milk ice cream like the chocolate version above was smooth and creamy and the 'sand' around it was a nice touch which lend another dimension to the otherwise plain ice-cream. Again cookies was unnecessary, they are quite hard and adds nothing to the otherwise perfect dessert but its great for the little one to graze on.

There is no children menu but the waitress said the kitchen can whip up some child friendly food. We ordered a ham and pineapple pizza for Princess and it came out big enough to feed two adults!! It was very nice of the restaurant willing to cater to customers need.

A good restaurant with good food and excellent service.

Oh, before I forget. A reader wanted to know where to get stroopwafels. You can get them from Pennisi Cuisine, 17 Balaclava Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 and certain Woolworths stores on the continental food section.

[Brisbane] Fishmonger's Wife

The Fishmonger's Wife
6/86 Lytton Road
East Brisbane QLD 4170
(07) 3891 6464
12pm to 8pm Sunday to Thursday
12pm to 8:30pm Friday and Saturday
Website: http://www.thefishmongerswife.com/




Crumbed seafood basket AUD17.90

You get 4 whiting, 3 calamari, 2 prawns, chips, lemon and tartare sauce. Add AUD0.50 for beer battered chips.

Battered king snapper (AUD13.95) with beer battered chips (AUD4.25)

If I see snapper or red emperor on the menu, I looked no further. The batter was deliciously crunchy but the fish inside was even better. Soft buttery smooth and melt in the mouth flesh, the cooking time was spot time, few seconds more, the fish will be overcooked and few seconds less the thicker part will not be cooked through.

Beer battered chips are equally good, none of the soggy chips you expect from regular fish & chips shop. Crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. They were still a little crunchy when cold, amazing.

Salt, pepper & garlic calamari AUD12.90

Cooked to perfection and nicely seasoned.

Kid's pack - 3 calamari and chips AUD5.95


Potato scallop @AUD0.95

Perhaps my favourite item from the shop. I have a soft spot for potato scallop.

******
The Fishmonger's Wife actually stopped by and asked me of my opinion on the food.

To be honest everything was soooo good, I refrained myself from saying too much (but has since updated with some comments, I do think people really want to know). If you read food directory sites or past reviews done, lots of angry voices from other states for the fact that The Fishmonger's Wife has won the coveted much-deserved Best fish & chips in Australia.

Now I haven't been to ALL fish & chips places in Australia so I don't want to form an opinion on that lest I start a war.

This place has become our family's regular fish & chip haunt and we don't even live in the vicinity. That says a lot when the other 2 members of my family are not even seafood eater.

You know, gotta try it to believe it.