Pavement Whispers: Volume 105 January 17
From whispers of iconic restaurant closures to on-demand Asian eats, The Weekend Edition is always on the search for the latest news in Brisbane, dedicated to ensuring its readers are in the know. When we put our ears to the pavement this week, this is what we found out …
Pawpaw Asian Kitchen
This year is starting with a bang for the Venzin Group (behind Pawpaw, Mons Ban Sabai, Picnic and Piggy Back), which is set to add to its collection of eateries at the end of March. Sticking to its roots in Asian cuisine, the group has announced the upcoming opening of Pawpaw Asian Kitchen in Tingalpa, which will plate up high-quality quick Thai, Indonesian and Vietnamese dishes. The eatery is planned to be the first of many and will offer a small dine-in section, with its focus predominantly on takeaway and delivery. To make takeaway and delivery easier, the group is also in the process of creating an app for Pawpaw, Mons Ban Sabai and Pawpaw Asian Kitchen that will allow users to select the restaurant closest to them to order. We’ll have more details for you soon!
Chit Chat Bite & Beer
The coming weeks will see South Brisbane welcome a new bar and eatery, with Chit Chat Bite & Beer due to open in early February. Located beneath the Arena apartments on Edmondstone Street, Chit Chat will serve up a simple all-day menu of food that pairs well with ice-cold brews. The likes of popcorn chicken, flaming prawns and chips will sit alongside steak sandwiches, burgers and schnitzels. On the beer front, Chit Chat will stick to old favourites, with the selection ranging from local Victoria Bitter and Carlton Draught stubbies to imported brews like Hoegaarden and Peroni.
35 Bar & Bistro
Also in South Brisbane, Peel Street’s The Capitol Apartments will welcome a new restaurant next month, casual eatery 35 Bar & Bistro. Sean Calliste, previously at Jellyfish, has come on board as head chef and created a contemporary Mediterranean-inspired menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Expect to find breakfast classics, easy lunches of pizzas, sandwiches and salads, and more refined dinner options such as roast lamb rump with petit ratatouille and chicken breast with parmesan herb gnocchi. The apartments’ current restaurant Peel St Grill and Cellar is still in operation, and February should see the seamless transition into 35 Bar & Bistro without a closure period.
Kookaburra Cafe
After 35 years of mammoth pizzas and good times, Paddington’s iconic Kookaburra Cafe has closed the doors of its green-and-gold Queenslander on Given Terrace. The pizza institution is relocating to 2 Latrobe Terrace, merging with board-game bar Club Sosay. But don’t fret – you’ll still see many of the same familiar faces and find all of your favourite pizzas and meals on the menu. Kookaburra Cafe farewelled its home with a party over the weekend and will reopen in the coming weeks at its new location. While the old building will be greatly missed, we’re glad we’re not saying goodbye to this Brisbane staple.
Gelato Messina Pop-up
The signs are up on Melbourne Street – Gelato Messina is almost here! But if you simply cannot wait to lick that ice-cold goodness then you’re in luck – just in time for another predicted heatwave of a weekend, Gelato Messina is popping up at GOMA’s Summer Festival! From this Wednesday January 18 to Sunday January 22, GOMA Cafe Bistro will host the pop-up gelateria, scooping four delectable flavours – Robert Brownie Junior (milk-chocolate gelato with chocolate brownie and chocolate fudge), Red Velvet (cream-cheese gelato with red velvet cake), Salted Caramel and White Chocolate, and Salted Coconut Mango Sorbet. We know where we’ll be when the temperatures soar!
If you’ve heard something that’s worth mentioning in The Weekend Edition’s Pavement Whispers, email [email protected]
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