New Brisbane

Ahmets Licensed Turkish Restaurant
Shop 10/164 Grey Street
South Bank
Brisbane

A lot of the time I choose to eat out because I’m looking for a new experience, I’m looking to be excited and taken beyond my expectations. Admittedly, every diner wants a good, dependable restaurant to incorporate into their eating roster. But I’m yet to find mine.

Judging by the nightly crowd filling the tables at Ahmets Turkish Restaurant in South Bank, I’d say the restaurant holds status among the slew of other venues competing on the strip. Having never been to Ahmets before, my interest was piqued. Typical of most Turkish restaurants (at least in Brisbane) the décor was colourful, decked in warm reds and yellows, sported long low tables, lots of cushions, wall hangings and belly-dance type music. I even spied a few fez hats sitting in neat red stacks, topped with requisite tassels.

The service was prompt, and had us seated and ‘watered’ in record time. The service I noticed in particular this night, because I was mouth-wateringly hungry and would have taken food intravenously if I’d been eating alone. The menu boasted a lengthy list of choices, which meant I was instantly indecisive. Did I want a meze dish? Or a pide dish? A salad, or a soup, or both? Or maybe a banquet ($37.50 - $40.90 per person)?

There seemed to be at least 10 variations for each category, which slowed the selection process considerably, but eventually I chose a meze: Pilic Alaking ($16.90) with pan-tossed marinated chicken, olives, corn and red capsicum. The Pilic Alaking had a very generous serving of rice, accompanied by a concoction of creamy-sauced chicken with, well, you read the description.

As a rule, I hate creamy sauces- usually I just eat them to be nice. But I was impressed by this- instead of a thick, flavour-drowning coating it turned out to be very light and flavoursome. A drizzle of fresh lemon further broke this up and gave the sauce a heady tang. The chicken pieces were oh so good, falling apart on the tongue, and with the addition of corn, olives and mushrooms it became a very filling, homey meal. I’d liken it to a casserole, but I think Ahmets may be outraged by this.

My companion ordered the Tavuk Gogusu, a marinated breast of chicken served with Ahmets’ ‘special sauce’ ($24.50). I perused this meal at length, with its portion of rice, portion of greens and two chicken breasts. The chicken, which turned out to be dry, looked as if it had been lathered in Dolmio pasta sauce- this did not eleviate it texture; the finely chopped lettuce had a dollop of salad cream and the rice - well in my opinion it was the best part. Suffice to say we cleaned my meal off the plate.

On this particular occasion we sat outside, so we weren’t enveloped in the warmth and cooking aromas inside. I would recommend a booking for this restaurant because I doubt there’s ever a quiet night at the place. The food is homey, as I said. It’s comfort food in a way, safe tastes, makes you sleepy after eating, puts you in a docile mood. And, although pricey (mains around $15 - $25), it’s quantity-driven.

I would compare this restaurant to Caravanserai on Dornoch Terrace, West End, and Harem on Latrobe Terrace in Paddington. Together they form a dining niche, providing a similar product. These types of restaurants are great for large groups – although Ahmets is licensed and not BYO. You can guarantee you won’t be served anything too weird and wonderful and you will be full to the brim by the time you leave. The atmosphere is buoyant (although I’d attribute that to the sitar music) and the waiters are deft when faced with a lot of people and a lot of food.

If I’m looking for a safe option I’d be choosing Ahmets and, it’s undeniable, the place is doing well with awards like 2002, ‘03 and ‘05 Best Themed Restaurant.

By Alice Blackwood

Cirque Café

618 Brunswick Street

New Farm

There’s nothing like a gorgeous, sunny Sunday to make you want to pack yourself into a small crowded room and fight for elbow space while you carve up your bacon and eggs on an unforgiving slice of thick-crusted bread.

Well, there’s nothing I’d rather do more!

Cirque Café, tucked in on Brunswick Street in New Farm, gives one the perfect excuse to wait in line for 10 minutes for a chair and a surface to eat on. And there seems to be many who share this fetish.

Cirque was being ‘slaughtered’ - as our waiter put it, when we arrived just before midday on Sunday. But we, like most of Cirque’s clientele, happily pulled up a sidewalk stool and balanced coffees on our knees while we waited for a free table.

True to word, the rooms were packed with a swarm of customers leisurely devouring large plates of fresh aromatic breakfasts and waiters frenziedly serving these out. The specials were crayoned onto mirrors, hanging on the wall, and the atmosphere exuded a vibe of anticipation and fun – despite the harried staff.

While waiting for our table we perused the café’s front room, which is small and seats only a row of tables, but seems to be the heart of the action. Upstairs provides more seating and a quieter arena, along with a long bar where customers can watch the street below from behind warm, sun-spilled windows.

The menu offered up a yummy all-day breakfast selection- although I felt prepared to eat anything after our little sidewalk wait. The Vego Chowdown ($14.50) came highly recommended, featuring potato and parmesan rosti, and other tasty goodies like onion jam and sourdough toast. Creamy porridge also sounded pretty mouth-watering but my eyes were drawn to the crayoned mirrors.

“Free range poached eggs, wilted spinach, Persian fetta, pine nuts and zatar” ($12.50) sat upon that mirror, reflecting its way into my eyes and onto my tongue. My companion opted for a sweeter dish and ordered French toast with spiced pear and orange blossom mascarpone ($11.50).

We prepared for the lengthy breakfast wait, but were surprised to find the food came out fairly quickly. As did the coffee - an impressive feat for a ‘slaughtered’ restaurant.

Anyone as hungry as I was, was going to have eyes too big for their stomachs and so I was a little worried when I met my plate, with its single piece of sourdough stacked neatly with spinach and two eggs, liberally seasoned with other aforementioned goodies. I compared it very briefly to those generously decked out plates sprouting spinach leaves, heaped in bacon curls and lusciously round eggs – which we surmised were the chowdowns for those with really big eyes. My eyes were definitely too big for my stomach because I fit my mini-chowdown in – crust and all - without space to spare.  The food was fresh, flavoursome and not heavy - like a lot of eggs on toast breakfasts.

My companion’s meal was also distractingly good. Her’s had a whole different range of interesting taste textures to it with the warm thick French toast, cool clove/cardamom/vanilla-flavoured pears soothed by the delicately plain mascarpone flavours. Swirled in a little maple syrup, the dish was entirely absorbing.

Coffees were decent- as opposed to burnt and bilge-watery – and started at $3.00. Lunch ranges between $8.50 and $13.50; breakfast $4.00 to $14.50.

We spent a few hours in the place, finishing coffee, lazing around in the digestive aftermath and enjoying the swirl of café tracks oozing into our ears. When we had our fill of this we wandered up the street and into the Valley. Cirque has a younger clientele, is obviously well-loved by its regulars and, as my companion put it, it’s nice and New Farm, not so much the ‘Valley mall scene’.

By Alice Blackwood.

Ah yes, it was a fateful Friday night and not a sound murmured in the house, this was a perfect situation for me in sneak out of the house to get my boogie on down at little Stanley St. Yes it was time for me to embrace my John Travolta side and to slip into my tightest jeans and black t-shirt for some of the hottest Salsa dancing in Brisbane. Problem numero uno, I can dance like a goldfish flopping around on your kitchen table after it falls out of the fish bowl. Yes it’s true I admit it I can’t dance!
A little background, a few months ago my friendship with a certain latino mamacita blossomed and I had recently found my self down at Little Stanley Street with her doing my version of latin dancing, the goldfish flop. Now I’ve wanted to learn how to do Salsa since I was in high school but in one way or another I’ve always made the excuse that I had too much on my plate to go learn to dance. So since I love latin dancing and latin culture in general [the festivals, the vibrate nightlife] I decided to take advantage of seeing a latin girl. Not to mention of course that latin women are in my opinion the most beautiful women in the world. Now that I’ve got the male readers attention I can go on with the review.
Vodafone Salsa on Little Stanley Street

Come along to Little Stanley Street every Friday night and listen to the sizzling sounds of a Latin DJ whilst enjoying some of the fantastic restaurants. Get up and dance or just sit back, relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

The free salsa dancing takes place every Friday night on little Stanley Street at Southbank directly opposite the cinema’s. There are always plenty of people there of all ages who are all there for a great time whether they are dancing or just drinking and socialising. Of course the main purpose of being there is to get down and dirty on the dance floor and of course to have a great time. There are dancers of all skill levels from full time instructors to completely beginners. Now guys in my opinion it’s a lot better to try to learn to dance and look like a tool for a while than to look like a tool permanently and just sit on the sideline. Just think about it this way if you go out and learn and get out of your comfort zone so you’ll be a decent dancer within no time and will no longer be going the goldfish like me. Whereas, if you sit on the sideline you’ll forever look like a goldfish and will have to watch all the other guys having all the fun.
Now if you’re like me you’re not looking to be on the next series of Dancing with the Stars. I’m just looking to be able to dance really well for three minutes before never having to make another step again for another year. Sorry ladies it’s the cold hard truth, I just like having something up my sleeve hence my little rendezvous with little Stanley Street without my latin mamacita. However, no matter you’re current dancing skill level, I’d serious recommend a night on Little Stanley Street. I went with a group of friends and those who weren’t dancing took in the atmosphere and enjoyed the bubbly energy of the place.
Whether you are a guy or a girl it’s a great place too meet people and a lot of people who are new to Brisbane seem to go there to meet new people but there are also a lot of Brisbaneites there as well. Meeting people is as simple as grabbing someone’s hand and leading them to the dance floor. This means the place is always vibrant and there is always a lot of colourful social interactions going on as well as some colourful dancing.
Ladies if you have never learnt to dance look no further than a night at Southbank as some kind young gentlemen will be able to get you dancing like a star in no time. I always feel slightly jealous at how naturally women pick this stuff up. But hey I even found my self teaching my friends roommate a trick or two before my friend who is a salsa guru came over and taught us this sweet five step move. Of course having the great memory that I possess I managed to remember all five steps, albeit in the wrong order which of course meant my partner ended up more tangled up than Spiderman. Apologises Leanne! But of course that’s all part of the fun and we all had a good laugh.
Now what all you guys have been wanting to know. The bar service is average, neither good nor bad and the bar stock is pretty much your standard type stuff. I wasn’t overly impressed with my drinks but since I frequent bars like Sunbar, Alhambra, Press Club, Bowery, Glass & Watt that’s not suprising.
So if you want a change of scene, want to get your boogie on after a long working week, or are looking for a sexy latino hearth throb or latin senorita then little Stanley Street on a Friday Night might be the place for you. It’s always good fun no matter you’re dancing level with heaps of socialising and meeting fun new people. So whether you’re Dancing with the Stars or just merely going a Night at the Roxbury styles like myself why not try little Stanley Street every Friday from 8-11pm.
Adios!

Last weekend was really big, I was at The Family Nightclub on Friday night, listening to the great sounds of DJ Tydi till around 2:30am. If you’ve ever been to The Family on a friday night, you would have most probably heard him play. As far as my opinion goes, I think he is one of Australia’s best DJs as he leaves the rest of them leaps and bounds behind. If you want more information, check out his website and listen to his song is it cold. It is fantastic. You can also do him a favour by voting him as the number 1 DJ in Australia! You can do that here.

Anyway, after that well deserved plug lets get on with it. So that was Friday night, I woke up on Saturday afternoon around 1pm thinking to myself, damn that was a good night, it really doesn’t get better than that. I have gone on and on about how The Family Nightclub is the only true nightclub in all of Brisbane. The Monastery nightclub has gone through a few phases so far, the owners also own Uber in West End and while I am not really a fan of Uber, the redecorations at Monastery were worth seeing. Recently the kind people at Monastery had invited us to go along to the grand opening of Monastery’s Sunday Night (gay night).

The Monastery Nightclub Fortitude Valley
621 Ann Street Fortitude Valley
Phone : 3257-7081

So I went along with a friend of mine and we had a great deal of fun, nevertheless, we are not gay (not that there is anything wrong with that), but having seen the new Monastery Nightclub, I was determined to go back and check out the venue on Saturday night when I wasn’t being checked out by gay guys (again, not that there is anything wrong with that…) And so, last Saturday we made our way to The Monastery nightclub. We got there around 11pm while the line wasn’t too bad, thankfully we had VIP passes to get in so that wasn’t much of an issue, however, I have to admit that the Sunday before when we went to Monastery, the bouncers were awfully unfriendly (even though we had VIP passes then too!). But bouncers are just bouncers.

If you haven’t gone to Monastery for a while you’ll be pleasantly surprised, although the redecorations don’t make the place look like its brand new, the Monastery now actually looks like a Monastery. They have also moved the DJ set and the dance floor to the far end of the nightclub giving you more room to dance and also clearing up the bar area for those who just want to get a drink. Smart.

So what I am really doing is avoiding the ultimate question, is the Monastery a real nightclub? Yes! I am happy to say it, despite perhaps going against what I have said in the past, Brisbanites, we have a real alternative to The Family Nightclub now. The Monastery might not be as big, it might not be as loud, and it might not have the likes of DJ Tydi playing (though they do have some awesome DJs) and yes they might not get big acts like Gods Kitchen, but heck, sometimes, there can really be too much of The Family.

Spending some 4hrs at The Monastery on Saturday night, I realized one thing, a nightclub needs only some basic essentials to make me happy:

1. Excellent Music
2. Dance floor with some space
3. Quick bar service

And you know what, this Saturday coming up, if I was going out and I had a choice between Family and Monastery, I wouldn’t even hesitate to pick the Monastery. Why is that you ask? Well for a start Tydi is not playing at Family, so that alone leaves me with comparing the two clubs by themselves. The DJ that was playing on Saturday night at the Monastery was just fantastic. He played everything from Ministry of Sound Sessions 3 to a remix of sound of violence by cassius and much much more. The mixes were great, the timings were even better and he really worked the crowd.

The new Dance Floor inside the Monastery is no where as big as the one inside The Family (basement), nonetheless, there aren’t that many people who want to dance at Monastery and that leaves people like me with the opportunity to actually have some space to dance around. I’ll give the Monastery some credit for having a well laid out dance floor that doesn’t interfere with the bar and no one needs to walk through you to get somewhere. However I can anticipate a great deal of problems if the Monastery got really busy with people who want to dance as there just isn’t enough space. The service at Monastery was great, prices were below average ($7.5 for a Smirnoff black might sound expensive, but try $9 for most other places in the valley) and the bar staff were polite and quick. I had no issues there.

Okay so I couldn’t have gone to a place and not found any faults, that wouldn’t be me. So yes, I found one big, steaming, sweaty problem. It’s bloody hot in there! Saturday night was pretty cold around the Valley, but when you walked inside The Monastery you could seriously feel a 5-10 degree change in temperature. Now thats not too bad if your just sitting around having a few drinks but God help you if you want to dance! I guess that explains why not that many people are actually dancing because a mere 20 mins of dancing means you’ll be covered in sweat! But hey, you’re having a good time right?

I am not sure if the temperature on the night was due to an Air Con problem or if its just normal? If it is normal then yes, I can see the problem come summer as that place is going to be boiling. Now you might be thinking “hey thats not fair, that also happens at family” well, no.. it doesn’t, only on nights when big acts are playing and the family is filled with 2000 people that you get that sort of temperature, on a normal night the Family’s Air Con system does a great job of keeping the dance floor (and the rest of the club) at a very comfortable temperature.

But thats it! Thats all I could find wrong with the Monastery, I could be a grandma and say the music was too loud (I still have ringing in my ears) but that might have been because I was dancing next to the speaker and anyway it would get me lots of hate mail!

I tell you what, The Monastery are having their official re-opening night on the 4th of August, its going to be huge, and I am going to be there. Yes its a friday and yes that means I’ll miss Tydi playing at Family but thats how good the Monastery really is! Its actually worth spending $10 on! If only Uber would stop charging me $10 for an orange juice and play similar music, I might even like that too! Be at the Monastery on the 4th of August!

GodsKitchen are back for another tour of Australia, they will be making their stop in Brisbane on Friday the 29th of September at where else but The Family Nightclub in Fortitude Valley. I remember clearly the last time GodsKitchen played (the photo on the right was taken during Cosmic Gate’s set) and it was one of the best nights at The Family.

GodsKitchen includes

• Cosmic Gate (Germany)
• Eddie Halliwell (UK)
• Above & Beyond (UK)
• Matt Hardwick (UK)

Tickets are $35 plus booking fee (so around $38) from usual outlets including HMV, Central Station and rocking horse records. It will be an excellent night and one to remember! Don’t miss out, get your tickets now, prices will increase on the night.

Yes, Teneriffe, I know its scary isn’t it? So much for the traditional West End, Fortitude Valley or Brisbane City venues! This one is all the way out in Teneriffe. Picture my surprised face when we finally found Girder, on what appeared to be an upper-class version of Milton’s Park Road. Sure there was no red Ferrari parked outside, but the endless number of Mercedes and BMWs made up for that. So there it was, with a massive sign on the outside, you are sure not to miss Girder if you drove past.

Girder Bar
36 Vernon Terrace, Teneriffe.
Brisbane
Tel: (07) 3257 0402
Fax: (07) 3257 3667

I hate to admit it, but I am not the sort of person that likes change, and unlike our editor here, Teneriffe isn’t a regular hang out. So as we walked past the countless restaurants and bars, I was amazed, what’s going on!? When did the nightlife take of in Teneriffe? Why didn’t someone tell me! I already knew as I was walking towards the entrance to Girder that I would be coming here again; it was that feeling of “oh my, something new in Brisbane” that really pushed the right buttons.

Once we sat near the Bar inside Girder, I started looking around trying to get a feel for Girder which has only been open since December last year. I asked the owners what venue occupied the building previously, and to my amazement the answer was nothing! Talk about a gold mine! Teneriffe isn’t exactly the poorest suburb in Brisbane, and (as the owners pointed out) it has one of Brisbane’s highest disposal incomes (and lowest number of kids). Its really hard to explain Girder to be honest, the place prides it self on the wine menu and unfortunately, wine isn’t generally a choice of mine, but with 18 pages to pick from, there was almost no reason to get anything else. Wine was all that mattered! Nevertheless, the food menu also presented some interesting choices.

We tried the Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre, the Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz and a few more as the night went on. Time after the time, the waiters came over to check how things were going, took our orders, brought us our food, our wine, and even water. How much more can you ask for? I have to give Girder a top rating for service. We were there on a Friday night when Girder was relatively busy and at no time during the night was there a queue to get a drink. The Bar staff were quick, polite and exceptionally well dressed (black isn’t in anymore). I don’t know how many times I have mentioned this but having good staff can be the difference between being a really good venue and being just another venue, and the staff at Girder were simply exceptional.

Girder was host to a wide age group of people, mostly the mid-late 20s early-mid 30s crowd filled the venue, while a few early 20s and over 40s lurked in the corners. What Girder did show was that no matter where you go, drunk people are still drunk people, rich or not. Perhaps the best comparison to make to Girder is The Sunbar in the valley, although the orange glow of Sunbar left Girders rather dark themed presence a little behind, everything else was in Girder’s favour.

Girder is an odd name for a bar, it is named after the steel girder that sits as the centre table of the bar, but regardless of the name, Girder is a big wake up call to other venues around Brisbane, there is no need to be in the valley or city anymore, if the service is good, the price is right and the atmosphere is even better than people will come! It is fantastic to see venues such as Girder providing such excellent choice around Brisbane. If Teneriffe is as alien to you as it was to me, then I can assure you that you will be surprised to see the venues crowded with what seems to be the right crowd in Brisbane, if you ever find yourself wandering around the Valley on a Friday night and asking yourself where have all the people gone? The answer is Teneriffe!

Girder is definitely one of Brisbane’s upcoming venues, with excellent staff, a massive wine menu and a great atmosphere, I am confident that Girder will become a common choice for Brisbanites looking for a venue with a focus on customer satisfaction and an extensive wine menu. If you are sick of Brisbane city and Brisbane valley, get yourself to Teneriffe and give Girder a go.

Its nice to have a routine sometimes. Something to look forward to every week. I used to always find my self at The Family Nightclub on Fridays and in The Sunbar on Saturdays. The Family never got boring, The Sunbar did. Times have changed, I am not at Family as much as I used to be and I am hardly ever in Sunbar since the novelty wore off. However one recent trend that has started in my life is my routine sunday breakfast in West End. I have been going to West End for breakfast for a good year now and having tasted what is on offer I thought it would be good to write a summary.

There is a great deal on offer in West End. One of the best places for breakfast in west end has always been The Gunshop cafe, not only breakfast, but the food in general is of fantastic quality at the Gunshop cafe. I’ve heard some rumours of the Gunshop cafe having some chef troubles, I didn’t believe it at first, but then the cafe stopped opening on weekends, however they are now opening on Saturdays.

The Gunshop cafe
53 mollison street west end
Phone : 38442241
fully licensed - byo wine only - $5.oo per bottle corkage
Tuesday to Saturday : 7am - 10pm

I would highly recommend breakfast at the Gunshop Cafe, however, if you have never been, you might not realize that booking is almost essential, the Gunshop cafe is one West End’s most popular restaurants and finding an empty seat on a Saturday morning is not an easy task.

The Three Monkeys is across the road from the Gunshop Cafe and also presents a less costly alternative to the Gunshop cafe, however the quality has never been the best when it comes to food and I wouldn’t recommend it as a venue for breakfast.

Spoon
220 Melbourne St
West End 4101 QLD
Phone: (07) 3255 2442

Across the road from Three Monkeys is Spoon. A venue that has broken the trend in West End, generally labeled the Coffee Club of west end, Spoon presents a clean, conservative approach to breakfast on a Sunday morning. The basic breakfast starts from $10 including coffee/tea and despite Spoon’s appearance as a more, upper class venue, the prices are hard pressed to reflect this. In fact Spoon is perhaps of the cheaper places in West End, and although perhaps not the best place to eat, I would recommend Spoon for a cheap and quick breakfast of respectable quality.

If you stand in front of spoon and look directly across the road to your right, you will notice Kafe Mez. Now here is a place where not only is the food expensive, but it ain’t really that great, so lets skip it. As we move forward, we come across Yallah, the middle eastern part of west end, want breakfasts? move on. Before we get to Cibo, lets cross the road, walk a bit further are we come across The Pavilion.

The Pavilion
123 Boundary St,
West End, Queensland
Australia 4101
ph : 07 3844 6272

I would have never ever gone to breakfast at the pavilion if I knew I wasn’t going to write this review, but so I had to, I couldn’t leave one of Brisbane’s largest bars and venues in general out of this review, that would have been a little bias. So one fateful Sunday morning not too long ago, my girlfriend and I decided to try the Pavilion, despite her attempts to change my mind and head to our usual place at Espresso Head.

What did I think? It was the absolute worst experience I have ever had at a restaurant for any meal, any time of day. I have had better service, better food, better hospitality at McDonalds. I do seriously mean that without any hesitation what so ever. We sat outside under the heater (the only bonus) given that it was a cold day this made us feel slightly more comfortable. Having ordered our “Breakfast on Boundary” we started what turned out to be the longest waiting period I have ever had to wait in my life, I kid you not, we had the food on our table 1hr and 13 mins later. What was the reason? 2 of the chefs had called in sick that morning and the head chef had to come in. That would be understandable if they had told us BEFORE they took our order and BEFORE we had waited for an hour. Offcourse they didn’t because its the Pavilion, and thats how things work.

At around the hour mark, I was about to get up and leave, my girlfriend was more keen than I was, I approached the manager and explained to him that we have been waiting for literally an hour and that not only had the coffee that we requested to be brought out with our meals already came and gone some 30 mins ago, but that I was seriously, seriously about to get up and leave. As the manager was apologizing and giving me the same story as the waiter about the chefs, breakfast arrived.

Thank God! We were starving, anything would or should have been good by then! No, not the breakfast at the Pavilion, for the $14 or so dollars that we each paid for breakfast, I can honestly say that it was possibly worse than a continental breakfast at a cheap motel. The eggs were not even cooked, the bread was burnt, it was just horrible. So we ate as quick as we could and left. The only saving grace was the manager not charging us for the coffee, its okay though, I was glad I went to The Pavilion, I learnt one important lesson. Never go back!

So lets put The Pavilion aside for a second and focus on the good things, down the road from the Pavilion, the road is full of restaurants and restaurants offering breakfast. Amongst the crowd, the likes of Zomba, Tempo and Espresso head are worth mentioning. Click for a review of Zomba Bar West End.

ESPRESSOHEAD
169 Boundary St West End 4101
Phone (07) 3844 8324

Espresso Head is West End’s best choice for breakfast. There I said it, its done, if you have never gone to breakfast in west end, start with Espresso Head. The place can be best described as a little alternative. With posters of upcoming events plastering the walls, with the waiters and waitresses dressed better suited to a freak convention, Espresso Head wouldn’t appear as a viable option for breakfast to most people, but as you walk past it on Sunday the whole place is packed. Seats are hard to find, but not impossible if you want to wait a few minutes. You can sit inside, outside, it doesn’t matter, because at Espresso Head, it isn’t about the venue, its about the breakfast, and my god can they make breakfast.

There is so much to pick from at Espresso head, usually when a place has a massive menu like that, its not the best sign in the world, so initially when I first started going to Espresso head, I was a little conservative with my orders, sticking with the Aussie or Canadian breakfast was usually the way togo, but lately, I have have been keen to try all the other options on the menu, and I have to say the Eggs Benedict is simply divine. I would absolutely and utterly recommend Espresso Head to anyone for breakfast.

I have been meaning to go and try Breakfast at Uber and I might get the chance to do just that this Sunday, so I shall update this then. There is so much choice in West End for a lazy all day breakfast on the weekend, if you are not used to breakfast in west end, or simply having breakfast made for you, do give it a go, there is nothing like having a good breakfast on a laid back lazy Sunday, it really makes your day. Just remember, don’t go to the Pavilion. If you know any good places around West End for breakfast, please contact us, or add your comment.

The Shadow Lounge
1 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier,
Brisbane Queensland, 4002

For a long time now, the City’s nightlife has been a dead end for me. For years I haunted The Victory Hotel and the Exchange…even City Rowers. Now they just haunt me! So for two years now I’ve been spending my Saturday nights skulking in the Valley and West End, studiously avoiding the GPO and its counterparts. I hate the City mentality; I hate the club ethic (ie. blatant meat market); I hate McDonalds and “Happy Jacks” at 2am. I dislike the way people dress, like buffed-up bogans and I hate the music! Ok, enough negativity.

Finally there is a saving grace! And I’m not talking about Jorge on George. The Shadow Lounge (sometimes mistaken for the Jade Buddha) has been around since 2005, providing some polished metal among the dust. Thankfully it came in and broomed City Rowers under the proverbial carpet!

No longer do I walk into this venue and have bad flashbacks of two-for-one vodkas slipping down like ice cubes on a hot day; or male strippers flaunting their flesh in front of a ravenous group of females on their ‘girl’s-night-out’. In place of this is a cocktail/wine list, served to you by staff dressed in dainty Japanese-style black shirts embroidered with green oriental designs, and where the ‘emasculated’ male once postured is a distinctly non-sexual, but very sublime, statue of Buddha. (Actually now that I think of it- the only difference between the stripper and his replacement is obesity and harmonious presence!)

The venue is decked in candle light giving the place a warm gloom. Neat wooden coffee tables are parked across the deck and the interior accompanied by modern, cubic chairs and deeply reclining sofa chairs. These noticeable improvements are just the start. It’s the view that really had me hooked. I’ve never thought of myself as a romantic, but that view from the deck is just divine. Picture a cold night, heaters warming your back, sitting in a cushy sofa chair, wine in hand, good company, Story Bridge crested in golden lights, inky river swirling below, and the City starts to look incredibly good! What was City Rowers doing?? Either I never made it further than my two-for-one vodkas or they had us all locked in to preserve the cigarette smoke. Well, now it’s all opened out, allowing you to sit further in for the more intimate club-like atmosphere, or on the deck for a taste of the highlife, cocktails in hand, river lights in your eyes.

However, it isn’t just the setting that drew me back again. It’s the fact that we sat down and the wait staff served us our drinks, and we didn’t have to leave our coveted seats. It’s the fact that not one inebriated male, eyes glazed over by one too many beers, lips wet from slurred and sprayed speech, belt unbuckled from his urinal expedition, tried to communicate with us. Nor were many women with scantily-clad breasts and thighs falling off their heels and vomiting into pot plants for that matter. Now I can’t deny it, the City crowd was there- and a fair few peacocks were strutting their stuff while the black-clad babes adjusted their cleavage and nonchalantly perused them from beneath lowered lashes and over the rims of their champagne glasses. Probably they all just hold it together a little more, and save the messy end for the messier venues.

The place exudes a very Japanese theme, which is kind of surprising because it exists in conjunction with the Buddha Bar downstairs. My point being that Buddha is not really about bamboo sticks and Freedom Furniture table lanterns- well to me anyway who has only really encountered Buddha surrounded by dragon flies, colourful offerings and lots of golds and reds. Both venues seem to be more about Ministry of Sound chill-out and mood lighting but, well, it sells so who’s going to question it!

The Buddha Bar downstairs is more a restaurant venue, while upstairs the Shadow Lounge is all about cocktails and champagne. The Shadow Lounge drinks list has enough exotic cocktails and wine to keep the average boozer at bay. If you’re looking for a particularly fine drop don’t expect to find it here, it’s more lounge/club than wine bar. Beer on tap is the norm, prices very similar to the rest of the city.

Now I have been there on nights where the sheer volume of people stretch the place to its seams, but it was still a lot of fun. People seem to act more like humans than Neanderthals here. So, on that note, when you’re fed up with The Vic and its mates down the street and want to feel a little classy, try the Shadow Lounge on for size. It may just fit the occasion.

By Alice Blackwood.

Riding the lazy Sunday afternoon wave, looking for a watering hole and a line to nibble, we found ourselves reeled in and washed up at the Spark Bar in the Brisbane Powerhouse in New Farm.

LIVEWIRE @ THE SPARK BAR
Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm.
Every Sunday evening, 6.30pm til late.
Admission: Free!!

Only recently have I discovered the charms of this venue. I’ve made many an excursion to the Powerhouse, once for a great Lano and Woodley (sadly no longer together!) performance and mostly to see the exhibitions (they have a fantastic space for photography showings). Somehow I never noticed the bar, lying wide open to all who enter- and yet totally lost on those as obtuse as I!

This particular Sunday we had by chance glanced through the Powerhouse brochure, picked up from some cafe and lying forgotten on our coffee table. Idly flicking through it we noted that we’d missed Eddie Perfect, and even the dark-eyed Tim Minchin. However, there was some compensation, because if one were to arrive at the Spark Bar at 6.30pm on a Sunday, every Sunday, one might catch some live comedy for free!

Now the Spark Bar, in line with the rest of the Powerhouse, is all concrete walls and unfinished paintwork. However, the lighting’s low, the tables and sofas strategically placed and comfortable, the wine list plump and the cost per glass verging on expensive (must be good wine, right?). The venue is very open, and relaxed with it space; you can wander outside and gaze at the river, submerge yourself in passive smoke and cool those rosy wine-warmed cheeks! If you so wish, I’m sure you can even accompany your beverage to the gallery, toilet and riverside unhindered.

However, there was no wandering for us this particular time. We arrived at 6.30pm sharp and ordered our drinks (me a $9 glass of Verse 1 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, my partner English Breakfast Tea, you can imagine who was driving). By this time mostly all seating space was covered by other people’s derrieres and so we went in search of floor place and a comfortable wall to lean upon.

One wine later and the MC jumped enthusiastically onto the stage and commanded our attention. Similar to the Sit Down Comedy Club we got mostly local talent (in fact probably the very same talent as the Sit Down)- of which some was very good, some not so good- but we tittered anyway.

From the downfall of every comedian’s mother and girlfriend, to trios with recorder and guitar, to beat-boxing scenes from CSI Miami; we heard it all- and for a few regulars- all again! Following a particularly head-cradling performance in which I’m sure the performers could see their failure reflected in the eyes of the audience, we were informed that very soon we would be treated to a surprise performance by a very talented comedian. The audience perked up in anticipation.

Finally, finally, who should materialise on stage, jumping on from seemingly nowhere as comedians do, but JUDITH LUCY!! Having just finished her show in the Powerhouse performance theatre she nicked in to do a last-minute wrap-up for us.

Firstly she reminded us that we were getting her for free, while all the other poor saps who’d paid for her show were driving home feeling slightly cheated. We all luxuriated in self-satisfied smiles at this. Then she had us rolling over each other with her sexual antics, or antics about sexuality, her savvy handling of the audience and that Judith Lucy drawl that sarcastically slices through the butteriest of subjects.

We were definitely in the right place at the right time that Sunday night, and while I can’t promise that will happen every week I can definitely recommend the show.

I also quite like the Spark Bar as a performance space; it makes the evening seem a little more impromptu than the Sit Down Club. The whole affair is a little more casual, the MC being slightly younger and less experienced than most comedy MCs, but none-the-less humorous in a cute, cajoling way!

Definitely worth the effort if you’re keen to savour the last hours of your weekend in a bar, being highly entertained!

By Alice Blackwood.

Seems like Festivals are never ending. With the highly disappointing Italian Festival leaving a sour taste in everyone’s mouth, I started wondering why I even bother with festivals. I have been reading about the Brisbane Festival for some time, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t find anything in their program list that makes me want to even think about going to the festival. I don’t give up so easily though,the amount of organization (and money) that has gone into the festival would suggest that SOMETHING should be good and worth seeing.

The Brisbane Festival
14th - 30th July 2006
http://www.brisbanefestival.com.au
Location : Everywhere from the Powerhouse to Southbank and the City.

I appreciate all the cultural aspects of the festival line up but I don’t understand how the organizers can completely and utterly forget the 20-25 year old bracket who don’t generally go and see plays, don’t enjoy listening to Mikhail Gorbachev and Peter Beatie talk about ethical and sustainable management of natural resources and its potential for enhancing world peace. Not that I am discouraging plays or listening to a former USSR leader, but lets be serious here, this is a Nightlife guide website - I don’t think the majority of you spend your Sundays at the powerhouse. Nevertheless, the organizers are keen to tell you that you will love it!:

Brisbane Festival 2006 launched its exciting program on Friday 28 April 2006 and promising something for everyone who lives in and loves our great city!

Apart from the odd grammar, they are promising a lot. I have gone through their entire program list and not one single event or program even raised an eyebrow. Okay so I would be keen to see the Spiegel Tent which is going to be at King George square and the centre of the festival itself.

This magnificent Spiegeltent is adorned with more than one thousand mirrors, lead glass and velvet while the parquet floor, intimate booths and wonderful atmosphere add to this memorable experience.

But really? The Festival runs for more than 2 weeks! What’s going on? Where is my “Showcase of Brisbane’s nightlife” tent ha? Seems like its more a “family only” festival to me. God knows how much Tax Payer money has gone into this festival. Anyway, since I worked myself up about how annoying it is to be ignored as an age group, I was really keen to find out if the festival actually has anything worthwhile for young people. How keen? Keen enough to send an email to the organizers trying to get an answer.

I waited, and waited, and waited some more, but no one wrote back? Maybe my question was too hard. What did I ask? I wrote and firstly explained who we are, what we do etc etc and then asked Gabe, the PR contact for the festival to answer the following question:

What is on offer for young people during the festival (highlights)?

Not so hard I thought? Surely, there is something worthwhile that they can tell me about? Doesn’t seem like it! Thanks Gabe! I’ll await your reply and update this post accordingly. However from what I can gather, the Brisbane Festival is going to suck.