Sono at Portside is one of the best places to visit in Brisbane to get your sashimi fix. My partner and I have been there quite a few times and tried lots of little meals with the gyoza, karaage, sushi and sashimi always being fabulous and never a let down.

One highlight from our recent visit was the Buta Kakuni which is the slow cooked pork belly. This morsel of pork in a divine sauce was amazing. The pork fell away at the fork and was truly very beautiful. The chefs at Sono Restaurant have been very lovely and provided me with the recipe, which has been slightly amended so you can try it to at home. I hope you enjoy.

Buta Kakuni

Ingredients (serves 2):

400g pork belly (cut into 3-4cm pieces)

 2 sprigs of shallots (extra sprig for garnish)

 30-40 grams whole fresh ginger

 20cm piece of white radish (cut into 3-4cm pieces)

 450ml water (plus extra water for second cooking stage)

 70ml dark Japanese soy sauce (Kikkoman sauce suitable for this dish)

 100ml cooking sake

 20ml mirin (sweet rice wine)

 3tblsp brown sugar

 1tblsp honey

Method:

Stage One: pan-fry and seal pork pieces in a hot frying pan

Stage Two: place sealed pork pieces in sauce pan with ginger, shallots and extra water – enough to cover pork by 2cm. Bring to boil, then turn heat back to a low setting and simmer for 1 hour. After 1 hour, drain off water mixture (you do not need to keep this). Clean out sauce pan.

Stage Three: place pork back in sauce pan with white radish pieces. Add the 450ml water, sake, sugar and mirin. Bring this up to the boil, then return to a low hear and simmer for approximately 30 mins. After 30 mins add soy sauce and honey, continue to simmer for an additional 30-40 mins (To check tenderness place a skewer through the pork and if the skewer goes through easily  pork is ready). Garnish with finely chopped shallots.

*Thank you to Sono Restaurant for providing this recipe to be shared.

Sono Restaurant

http://www.sonorestaurant.com.au/#/sono-portside/home

Portside Wharf

07 3268 6655

For those of you in Brisbane this blog on Cloudland is a little late as most of you have wandered through the doors and into the perfectly detailed club on many occasions. For those from out of town however, this post may be of service if you’re in town for the weekend and want a place where you can sit and drink in crazy decadence whilst grazing on a light meal that won’t make you feel greasy and gross or make you want to power chuck at the end of the night once you’ve had a few too many drinks and too many pizza slices.

 
Cloudland makes me happy as they serve Rockfords Alicante by the bottle – and they don’t even try to mark it up too much like some restaurants (even some audacious ones down South where everyone knows the real price)!

The Butterfly Garden tasting menu has a fabulous selection of starters ranging from Bruschetta, Oysters, pan seared Chorizo, Piri Piri Prawns, roasted Kiplfer potatoes, salads as well as Arancini balls and olives. The starters range from $8-$18.00 with oysters  being $36 for a dozen.

Cloudland also has a small mains menu that is quite reasonably priced. I had one sit down meal here about one year ago and was a little put off by two people at our table receiving two completely different sizes of fish for the same meal… we left wishing there was as much detail in the food side of the business as there was in the walls. That was a one off some time ago however, so for now all I will say is – go there for pre drinks and a small bite to eat, it is worth it. Cloudland isn’t over priced like you may assume it to be and you probably won’t have to wait in line to sit down and get a bite to eat before you get your drinking on.

Where?

Cloudland

http://www.cloudland.tv/

641 Ann Street  Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

I’ve lived in West End for some time now but have clearly been hiding under a rock or so blinded by my love for Lefkas on Hardgrave Road that I failed to realise that Cyprus House down the far, river end of Vulture St is just as exciting with its deck and the massive skewers of meat being cooked up out the front on the BBQ. From the front, the only clues that it is in fact a restaurant is the small chalk board sign plus the excessive blue painted on the blue and white house is a small giveaway also – but we are in West End so seeing a house decked out in all things Greek is not that surprising.

Inside, it felt like we had been invited into a Greek family home. Although large and very simply furnished the place was homely, with the TV on in the corner and Greek locals sitting at tables reading the paper. Our friendly host helped us pick our food – offering suggestions and making us feel at home.

To begin we had, my favourite, the Tarama (pink caviar) dip with pita. Tarama at Cyprus House was for me,  just as good as at Lefkas - possibly a bit more salty but still fantastic. Knowing we were about to have a good ‘ol meat fest we decided to order the Greek salad to balance out our meal. The salad was not surprising large and fresh.

The Haloumi Saganaki was some of the most melt in the mouth Haloumi I have tried. We were trying hard not to moan as we fell into a happy cheese haze.

Next we had the Sheftalies which are Cypriot pork sausages with onion and wrapped in pork belly. These were delicious little treats and nicely balanced with onion.

A visit to a Greek restaurant is never complete without filling up on a massive serve of lemon potatoes – these oven baked, golden wedges were delightful and nearly ruined our final serve of meat as they filled us up so much.

The finale was the Kontosouvli – marinated lamb and/or chicken pieces spit roasted on the coals. Per serve was two massive chunks of meat straight off the mega skewer and they were insane. There is nothing like meat cooked over coals and served up in big fat chunks. The meat didn’t need anything fancy -  a simple marinade and charcoal flavour and it was some of the best meat I’ve had off a BBQ.

Cyprus House is a must for Greek food lovers – it is up there with my beloved Lefkas as being one of the best Greek eateries  in West End. It is open 7 days for lunch and dinner and is dine in or take away.

Where?

Cyprus House

8 Vulture St

07 3844 5643

Harajuku Gyoza is quite literally crazy happy town! We visited on opening night and the place was rocking –  with people even lining up outside wanting to be a part of the action.  The crazy happy bandanna wearing waitresses were always on the run – yelling out a greeting for everyone that entered and then yelling even louder when an order of Sake was made. If you’re not up for a noisy, fun time then this place is not for you however, if you have had a rough day at work then Harajuku Gyoza will transform your day and make you walk away smiling - not just because of the infectious happiness but also because the meal was so damn cheap.

We tried all the grilled gyoza on the menu except the Veg one, shared perfect bite sized Chicken Karage and a few beers and we spent just over $60.

All serves of gyoza are $8.00 for 5 pieces and you can choose between poached or grilled.

Chicken Karage $8.00

Kirin $8.00

Harajuku Gyoza is a refreshing change from sushi bars or even dining with too many options! People who just want a casual meal of  gyoza and beer now have a awesome new hang out and it is such a simple but fabulous concept it’s almost surprising it has not been mastered until now.

Where?

394 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley

http://www.harajukugyoza.com/

Green Papaya restaurant at Woolloongabba is mix of Balinese and Thai cuisine with two clearly defined menu’s to choose from. The restaurant also seems to be a mix of fine dining and casual with a rather romantic atmosphere inside with candles and white table cloths yet it still manages to be casual and comfortable.

The slight confusion in who they are aside, Green Papaya is a pleasant place to dine and on my two visits in recent weeks have found the staff both times highly attentive and super friendly.

For entrees we tried the spring rolls (12.90). There’s not much more to say really – spring rolls are generally pretty good in my book if they have the right balance of ingredients and these were no different although I think a bit pricey.

Som Tum ($15.90), Green Papaya salad with chilli, lime & palm sugar sauce was a large serve and a very refreshing and light way to start the meal although again I think $15.90 is a little excessive for a salad entree.

The Mixed Thai Entree ($18.90) consisted of chicken skewers, spring rolls, curry puffs, and fish cakes and I think this is the best way to go if you’re getting an entree as you get more variety for your money with the chicken skewers being the stand out favourite.

The Island Curry ($28.90), roast duck curry with pineapple, lychee and tomato was simply delicious on my first visit. The presentation of the curry – coming out in half a pineapple was quite impressive although I think either the pineapple or the air conditioning made the duck go cold a little quick! The duck meat was in abundance and the meal was very fresh and summery. On the second visit, the duck meat was not as impressive and seemed to be a bit more chewy and less quality pieces  of meat, which was a bit disappointing after the first experience.

The Gaeng, (23.60/$26.90) is a choice of red, green or Penang style curry with a choice of chicken, lamb, beef, tofu, prawns or snapper. Friend had the Penang style with prawns and this serve was quite large with big juicy prawns.

On the Balinese side of the menu I tried the Rendang Sapi ($22.90) which is a beef curry with coconut and Sumatran spices. The beef came with a serve of roti which was perfect to dunk into the bowl and soak up all the sauce. The only issue with the deep bowl was the sauce sank down quite low and so there were a few dry pieces of beef however, when you got passed the top
part the beef fell away from the fork with exciting ease - it really was so tender and scrumptious.

Green Papaya is a pleasant place to go if you are on the South side and looking for somewhere a bit quieter and romantic to visit. The food and service were overall quite nice and I could easily return for another serve of the Rendang Sapi however, I can’t help but feel the pricing is a little confused especially for the entrees.

Where?

Green Papaya Restaurant

http://www.greenpapaya.com.au/index.php

Corner Potts & 898 Stanley St East, Woolloongabba

(07) 3891 5000

The Morrison Hotel at Woolloongabba is quite a lovely pub. Go inside and have a walk around in the middle of the day and it is a well maintained, dark wooded gem. The Morrison is one of those pubs that is known for having pretty good steaks. I have eaten steak at The Morrison a few times and yeah – they go OK but I wouldn’t say the best I have had.

If you are a steak eater who likes to eat vegetables once in a while or has a partner or friend that is vegetarian then The Morrison is a great place to visit. Their menu is extensive and they have a  nice range of food on there that is a wee bit nicer than your usual pub grub.

The caramelised onion, Blue Castello, oregano, pepper and olive oil pizza bread ($9.90) sounded way too good to bypass. Unfortunately, it was a little underwhelming and almost too cheesy – I would have liked to have a bit more onion and oregano coming through. It was however, quite large so be warned in case you have ordered a big meal.

I had the Spicy Prawn Salad ($21.50) which included, garlic prawns, capsicum, shallots, beans, cucumber, white radish, carrots, peanuts, mixed lettuce and a lemon chilli dressing. This was a big serve with lots of juicy prawns – and although spicy was quite the refreshing, filling salad and that is saying something from a notorious  hater of eating salad as a main meal eater.

The beer battered  barramundi ($22.50) was a huge serving with lots of chunky chips, garlic bread, salad and golden crispy fillets of barramundi – your standard pub meal really.

Verdict. Nicer than normal pub food with more variety and fresh ingredients.  Good place to drop in if you have been driving around in your car screaming out your window at South Brisbane because you can’t find a car park anywhere to stop and eat.

Where?

The Morrison Hotel

640 Stanley St, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102

http://www.morrisonhotel.com.au/index.html

Don’t get me wrong, I love West End, but trying to get a table for breakfast is so difficult sometimes it makes me want to scream! Being a bit of a agitated by crowds person – having to wait in a packed line or sit so close to another couple that I can hear them chew while their are enjoying their hash cakes is just too much to bear. Some days I can do it – others I just want to eat and be comfortable with a nice personal space barrier between me and the crowd lovers.

Instead of getting agitated, take a stroll up to Hardgrave Rd and hit Mondo Organics up for breakfast. Its quiet, airy and you don’t feel like you are in a rush – a much more relaxing way to spend your morning, especially, if you are feeling a little worse for wear! Mondo Organics source high quality free range, organic and sustainable produce with eggs and poultry being sourced from Sunshine Coast farms and fruit and vegetables from local growers in the South East where possible.

Mondo’s has a nice selection of freshly made juices that range from $6.50 to $8.50 as well as frappes, smoothies and breakfast cocktails. For starters we were given a complimentary mini serve of the spiced turmeric rice porridge with coconut, dates, almonds and honey – it was quite a nice little starter and a very nice touch.

I had the Char grilled chorizo, herb corn cake, mushrooms, poached egg and sweet tomato relish ($18.50). The Chorizo was superb and enough of it to soak up any residual alcohol that was making my stomach churn. The herb corn cake was a little delight also, more like a little muffin it was soft and fluffy and complimented the sausage well. This can also be served as a vegetarian option.

The Jamonde serrano with asparagus, goats cheese, grilled tomato, poached egg, wilted spinach with white pane toast ($18). This can be made dairy free or vegetarian. Great for those that like some cured ham early in the morning! 

Omelette of the day with toasted pane – vegetarian ($18.00).

The great thing about Mondo Organics is that they mark on the menu what can be made gluten free, dairy free or vegetarian making it easy for eaters to choose their meal and not have to questions “is this gluten free”.  The produce is high quality and fresh and you leave not having that shady -  I just ate a lot of oil and fat and I’m already seedy on a Sunday morning feeling.  It’s quality breakfast and oozes casual Brisbane style.

Where?

Mondo Organics

166 Hardgrave Rd, West End, Brisbane

http://www.mondo-organics.com.au/

Misho’s at Taringa is a Croatian restaurant with a strong seafood theme (no surprises there) but they also cover off some traditional meat dishes that are hearty and ‘just like Baba would make’.  Misho’s cover all things Croatia with a selection of Croatian wines plus the (lethal) Croatian pre-starter drink, Rakija which cleanses the palette and is quite the strong start to the evening!

Growing up, I was a fussy eater and much to my dismay now, I missed out on a lot of fabulous meals made by my Croatian grandmother (my Baba) and my mother who, no doubt, learnt new ways to cook from her mother in law. One day I was eating spaghetti like the rest of the world, the next I was asking for plain rice and bread and butter. What went wrong, I will never know, but whilst the rest of the family were at Baba’s house in Broken Hill  having lots of meaty dishes (including Ox tongue) plus the ever present starter – beef shin and strained vegetable soup with pasta shells, I was eating the large amount of bread available in the bread basket and only eating the soup when Baba would use vegetable stock instead of beef! These days, when I walk into a kitchen and can smell a strong beefy stock it instantly reminds me of walking into Baba’s kitchen in Broken Hill – it is a warm, homely memory – it’s just unfortunate I never enjoyed food much back then.

Back to Misho’s, now that I’m a normal eater again I ordered the Baked Octopus ($18) for my entree. The large Octopus was so soft to cut through – so much better than the baby Octopus that can be rubbery and not that great to swallow. The sauce was rich with wine and strong sea flavours.

My father had had the Squid and Octopus Polpete ($15) which is minced squid and octopus with potato, capers and olives which has been crumbed and pan fried. The patties were served on a reduction of fish, wine, cream, saffron and stock. This dish was extremely intense in terms of strong seafood flavours. It didn’t look that attractive and I think it may be a bit of a acquired taste – I love seafood but if there was a seafood meter for fishiness with 10 being extremely fishy – then this was a 10.

My mother had the Cauliflower soup with bacon ($8) and this was very thick and warming – perfect for a chilly July night.

For the mains we managed to choose some of the few meat dishes on the menu as they do predominantly favour seafood. Growing up, when we visited Baba and Dida’s, I recall there being Bakalar (salted cod) that would stink out Baba and Dida’s cellar and freak me out plus lots of octopus but other than that I do not recall seafood being an massive tradition within the family. But what would I know! I was too busy buttering my bread or scanning my eyes over Baba’s biscuits (jam and almond filled biscuits) looking for the plain ones without the jam filling of course!).

For mains, my mother and I couldn’t go past the Gnocchi (handmade by Misho’s mum) with chunky beef sauce ($18). According to mum and dad, it was just like Baba used to make it. This sauce isn’t your typical bright red tomato sauce – the colour was dark brown, rich and robust. The homemade gnocchi was firm and in the plenty. With big smiles on our faces we scrapped up every last drop of the sauce – it was simple and rich but absolutely delicious.

Dad had the Beef Pasticada ($29) which is, beef with bacon plus garlic and carrots poached in red wine and port plus served with fried gnocchi. The beef fell away at the fork and again the sauce was rich, brown and robust.

We had an excellent night at Misho’s. It is a fairly small and low key establishment but it offers a friendly and vibrant  atmosphere. The customers there were clearly regulars and were having a great time. The hosts were excellent with attentive staff and I think I’ll be back often to get my dose of proper old school Gnocchi.

Coz Rating

Where?

Misho’s Restaurant

Shop 1/186 Moggill Rd, Taringa

http://www.mishos.com.au/

Libertine Restaurant at The Barracks, Paddington is a fusion of French and Vietnamese Cuisine. We checked it out one Saturday at lunch time and were a bit underwhelmed by the experience.

 The interior is impressive and definitely makes a statement and the service is friendly and prompt. There are a lot of tables and they seem to be able to cater well for a large group.

The menu is split into two – street food and shared dining so we picked a few items that would be appropriate for a late lunch.

To start we ordered off the “street food” menu so we had Wild Pepper Leaf  Roll Up with coconut-poached bay prawns & lime segments and trout pearls. These were $7.50 each. We had initially assumed there was at least two to the serve having not read the menu properly – $7.50 seemed a little steep for one. Anyhow, we went ahead and ordered the second. When they arrived they were completely different sizes – one being near impossible to “roll up”. The leaf was very crunchy – it felt like we were trying to munch on a strong tree leaf- which made it a bit unpleasant and the prawn meat was way too cold – the flavour combination was perfect but it just didn’t seem to present too well.

Still on the street food menu we tried the Basket of Steamed Mushroom Dumplings  ($14 for 4) these were nice enough with a strong mushroom flavour – there didn’t appear to be any other flavours going  on inside with the mushroom which might have made it a little more interesting.

On the shared dishes menu we ordered the Byron Bay Pork Belly with coconut caramel and sweet potato ($33). I’m a massive pork belly fan – I cook it often, friends cook it often plus I always order it when I see it on the menu. This time I wish I didn’t. Expecting morsels of fatty goodness the long strips were lacking in caramel and were quite dry with no crunchy top layer. It was hard to eat one slice. Pork Belly is fatty meat. If I’m going to eat it – I want it to be mouth watering and full of flavour and texture. I found this quite bland and I was too busy thinking -

1. I needed to do some sit ups and then a 5k run and

2. What a shame the rest was going to waste…but I couldn’t stomach eating more if I have to be honest.

Last we had the Oven Roasted Hanoi Chicken with spring onion & ginger puree ($26 for 4 portions per serve). This was probably the favourite – nicely flavoured skin, and beautifully soft flesh but by this time I was feeling ill thinking about the random piece of fat in my stomach and so I struggled to enjoy the chicken as much as I probably could have. The chicken was very street style and it was nice enough but it wasn’t ground breaking.

I would like to go back at dinner service and try the other meals on the menu – there have been some good reviews and there were some nice sounding items on the menu but what we experienced on that Saturday lunch time, in my opinion, was something quite dull and overpriced. 

Coz Rating out of 5

No. 5, The Barracks. 61 Petrie Terrace

Paddington, QLD 4064