Brissy dinner?

[turtlemichael]

Any recommendations of a very good but not too formal Brisbane restaurant for a Saturday night? Specifically looking in the CBD, not the inner or outer suburbs . Food style not an issue. Cha Cha Char? ecco? pier 2?

Many thanks

 

[Hawkeye]

My picks for inner city dining would be Ecco (great food and bistro feel) and Gianni's (Spanish influence, great wine list, outdoor area available). Neither would be considered too formal.

Additionally, Era at Southbank (a stroll across the river) would be another good choice.

If you like wine, Anise on Brunswick St, New Farm is a wine bar with great wines by the glass, and a very good tasting menu. Very small though, with two sittings each night. A well-known cricketer with an interest in wine has been seen there before.

 

[littl_flier]

Char Char Char is always a good choice if you're into steak but there's also a really nice Roasted duck dish. Prices for mains are around $40 and the desert is pretty good too.

Pier 9 is popular if you're after seafood. (or so I'm told but I would come out with my face double the size so I tend to steer clear)

For a more casual dining experience, there is the Boardwalk Bar & Bistro which is located right under the Riparian centre and it would be hard to get any closer to the river.

My personal favourite is probably Kabuki attached to the Stamford Plaza. It's a Japanese meal in a traditional Japanese setting. After you've finished eating, you don a big apron/cover and have to catch and throw uncooked eggs without them breaking. I find it's always good for a first date and great for breaking the ice.

I've also eaten at F!X a couple of times and they served quite a good steak as well and has a cool atmosphere.

For a big restaurant, the first two are probably the best and located right on the Eagle Street Pier and have all the awards but the other two have a great atmosphere IMO. I would choose the latter two before the others but neither of them has a view of the Brisbane River like the other three.

 

[littl_flier]

Here's a good article of Kabuki which pretty much sums up the atmosphere.

River city flooded with excitement - Travel - BrisbaneTimes

 

[simongr]

Char Char Char is always a good choice if you're into steak but there's also a really nice Roasted duck dish. Prices for mains are around $40 and the desert is pretty good too.

Pier 9 is popular for if you're after seafood. (or so I'm told but I think I'd come out with my face double the size if I tried it so I tend to steer clear)

Went to both of these - pretty reasonable each. I had my first experience of Balmain/Moreton Bay Bugs.

Char Char had a great variety of steak styles and guide to how the steak is cooked.

 

[markis10]

Bretts Wharf at Hamilton is nice, not in the city but at the same time the ferry ride there and back adds to the experience IMHO, or a less scenic 10 min cab ride!

 

[superchris]

Il Centro at the Eagle St Pier is my all time favourite when in Brisbane for Italian dining.

IL CENTRO RESTAURANT & BAR

 

[Platy]

If you want to avoid the over busy, touristy type places....

If you prepared for a 5 minute cabe ride, try Salon in Teneriffe, sort of "french tapas" run by a young french lad of superlative pedigree in french cooking circles (trained with top Michelin award winning chef in France)

If you can manage a 10 minute cab ride try Mondo Organics in Hardgrave Rd, West End - relaxed yet classy, excellent food and very reasonable wines (small mark up eg. pay $50 per bottle for a $40 bottle in a bottle shop).

Much depends on personal taste given the various excellent places suggested in the posts to this thead

 

[turtlemichael]

If you want to avoid the over busy, touristy type places....

Oh :shock: I may be going for one of the over busy touristy type places!!!!

Have decided to try e'cco. I think I ate there ages ago. Some great suggestions here and future places to try so many thanks to everyone. I would have gone for Anise - website looks inspiring - if I could have got a booking.

 

[Platy]

good choice

also close enough to the riverside areas to enjoy a drink or two before dinner with a view of the river...

 

[turtlemichael]

also close enough to the riverside areas to enjoy a drink or two before dinner with a view of the river...

and you'd recommend?...

 

[Flashback]

I went to Cafe San Marco last night, v. nice meal and was a good size, and the price was right too!

In Southbank (Stanley St Plaza) on the water, with a nice CBD view too.

Don't ask me about the rest of the night though... I can't really recall