Sendok Garpu
Indonesian cuisine’s profile has risen across Brisbane in recent years, and a good portion of the credit can be laid at the feet of Alicia Martino – the owner of long-running Indonesian eatery Sendok Garpu. Her concept has grown from humble beginnings, starting in 2010 with a tiny takeaway joint in the heart of a Coopers Plains industrial complex before evolving into a fully fledged restaurant (located in Indooroopilly) in 2014. Now, Alica and her team are gearing up to commence a fresh chapter with a relocation to the inner city. On Friday June 17, Sendok Garpu will softly open its new 200-sqm home in the heart of Elizabeth Street’s Asian street-food laneway FudoDori, luring in curious chow hunters with two weeks of teaser tastes ahead of its official opening (and full menu unveiling) in early July. From Friday until the end of June, Sendok Garpu’s kitchen will be slinging serves of nasi padang, a dish originating from West Sumatra that features steamed rice ringed by various sides like cabbage and green bean curry, corn fritters, beef rendang, chilli eggplant and more. Come July, the 100-seater’s offering will grow to include pempek (Palembangnese fish cakes), batagor (deep-fried chicken and fish dim sum), gado-gado (steamed mixed vegetables with tempeh, tofu and boiled egg), gulai domba aceh (Acehnese-style lamb curry), rendang sapi (spicy beef curry), a variety of Indonesian sate and a menu of plant-based options. Sendok Garpu will also boast a small grocery section featuring the likes of homemade rendang paste and packs of Indonesian coffee.

JuJu Bar & Dining
Come August, Sunnybank Hills will boast an upscale eatery promising locals a slick alternative to the bustling restaurants of Brisbane’s inner suburbs. JuJu Bar & Dining is the brainchild of Jacky Cao – a first-time restaurateur looking to cater to an increasing demand for quality dining options in the city’s fringe neighbourhoods. To do this, Jacky has recruited the help of hatted chef Andrew Birse, who will draw upon his experience working in venues such as The Long Apron in Montville, ARC Dining and e’cco Bistro to create a menu of fine-casual fare, with a sharp focus on East Asian flavours. The team is currently in the midst of a fit-out stage, collaborating with design studio pdmg and ENP Fitouts to convert the site previously home to Haoke Seafood Chinese Restaurant into a venue boasting a 70-seat dining area and 25-seat bar and lounge space. JuJu’s bar will dispense beverages from a 40-strong wine list, choice whiskies from across the globe, a selection of gins and a cocktail menu boasting 12 unique signatures that will change seasonally alongside the food. Click here to learn more about what’s planned.

Nikau Espresso
A taste of New Zealand is what Bowen Hills locals can expect from soon-to-open coffee spot and cafe Nikau Espresso, which is currently taking shape at the base of newly constructed office tower Jubilee Place. The venue is spearheaded by New Zealand ex-pat Mae Huy, who will looking to position Nikau Espresso (named after New Zealand’s iconic native palm, the nīkau) as a little reminder of home. The cosy corner space, which is being assembled by the crew at Lowry Group, will boast a minimal palette favouring warm and neutral tones, with greenery providing vibrant aesthetic accents. As for the offering, expect to enjoy cups of coffee from Allpress Espresso and a nourishing range of eats suitable for grab-and-go and dine-in custom – we’re talking salads, sandwiches and sweets, as well as smoothies and cold-press juices. Nikau Espresso is looking to open in late-July or early-August – stay tuned for more details as they emerge!

Jocelyn’s Provisions
If you haven’t got plans for this Thursday morning, then consider making yourself unavailable for an hour or two. Why, you ask? Well, because on Thursday June 16 all four Jocelyn’s Provisions locations will reopen to the public. The Jocelyn’s team is ramping up operations ahead of its anticipated reopening, months after flood waters inundated its commercial kitchen headquarters in Albion. The rebuild process has given the crew time to tinker with its menu of baked goods, which means long-time fans will spy a host of new additions to the offering when doors open in a couple of days time. Customers can expect to nab Jocelyn’s Provision’s widely praised butter cakes, cupcakes and chocolate sour cream cakes, as well as bruleed bomboloni filled with house-made creams, choc-dipped cannolis, new banoffee and tiramisu layer cakes, Paris-Brest, dipped Madeleines, chocolate-caramel tarts, tea cakes and traditional babka. Savoury seekers can also snag gourmet pies, sausage rolls and sandwiches as before, in addition to soups paired with sourdough toasties and seasonal meals. Sounds pretty good to us – will we see you there?

If you’ve heard something that’s worth mentioning in The Weekend Edition’s Pavement Whispers, email [email protected].