Siffredi’s Spaghetti Bar
The August shuttering of culinary institution Stokehouse Q was a severe blow to Brisbane’s fine-dining scene, but a silver lining has emerged in the closure’s aftermath. Three former Stokehouse employees are striking out on their own, pooling their expertise (and redundancy cheques) to open Siffredi’s – a cheap, cheerful and cheeky spaghetti bar opening at the base of the London Woolstore on Vernon Terrace in Teneriffe. Long-time friends and coworkers Ollie Hansford (Stokehouse Q’s executive chef), Aleks Balodis (sommelier) and Stephen Overty (drinks slinger) had previously discussed teaming up for a venue long before COVID-19 hit our shores, but with these unusual circumstances came an opportunity to bring the timeline forward. Although Siffredi’s (named after adult-film star Rocco Siffredi – don’t look him up at work) is conceptually framed as a spaghetti bar, the trio are keen to take an irreverent approach to the venue’s culinary offering by imbuing the menu with quirks that aren’t traditionally Italian. The crew are working on a menu that will include four kinds of snacks, five kinds of spaghetti-based mains and boozy soft serve for dessert. The spaghetti menu will feature one traditional pasta-dough variety and a selection of experimental choices made from seasonal ingredients (think carrot juice, mushroom, squid ink and more, with the menu changing weekly). Once a liquor licence is approved, the team will add a tight selection of wines to the mix. The space itself will boast a vibrant and clean colour palette of emerald green, pink and white, with a cosy interior space housing 16 high-top seats spilling out onto the outdoor terrace, which will be able to hold a further 40 patrons. Siffredi’s is aiming for a mid-November opening – we’ll have an up-close look once it opens!

GOMA Restaurant
After seven long months, GOMA Restaurant is finally reopening its doors next month on Wednesday November 4. It will have been absolutely worth the wait, though – the acclaimed restaurant is reopening with an entirely reimagined food and wine menu. Not ones to sit idle, QAGOMA’s executive chef Doug Innes-Will and GOMA Restaurant chef Matthew Blackwell used the temporary closure to explore new ideas for the restaurant, while still upholding its deep-rooted ethos of creating innovative cuisine and presentation with sustainable ingredients. GOMA Restaurant’s new menu will take a more relaxed approach, allowing flexibility in dining to encourage both special-occasion bookings or impromptu walk-ins – think everything from long leisurely lunches to a light meal of share plates and a glass of wine. Sustainable local produce will still be the driving force behind each dish, with highlights including the likes of Fraser Island spanner crab with crispy potato, horseradish and cured egg yolk, Schultz family pork with a sticky-date hoisin glaze and whipped tofu, and hay-smoked celeriac, Pedro Ximénez prune and aged comté with preserved winter truffle. We’ll have the full details for you in the coming weeks.

Darvella Patisserie
If a visit to Pawpaw’s pop-up bakery has become a regular part of your weekend routine, then you’ll be stoked to know that the crew is currently putting the finishing touches in place for standalone cake, pastry, bread and coffee concept in Bulimba. The Venzin Group is bringing Darvella Patisserie to Oxford Street in late November, establishing a large bakery and shopfront in a redeveloped mixed-use building nestled near the street’s Brisbane River end. Darvella (named after the town in Switzerland where owner Giorgina Venzin’s dad grew up) will have an upmarket European feel, with classic neutral tones helping create a sophisticated vibe that draws attention to the assorted treats. A large glass window will give guests a chance to peer into the brand-new baking kitchen, where the Darvella team will craft the Swiss-inspired offering. In addition to traditional croissants, doughnuts, breads and cakes, expect Swiss cheeses, deli sandwiches and Swiss-chocolate-infused treats. Darvella will also supply to Pawpaw and Monocle Coffee, crafting the breads, buns and sweets that are key fixtures of the cafes menus.

Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers James Street
When Brisbane’s first dedicated gnoccheria Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers was still in its infancy, it operated a grab-and-go outlet on James Street that was designed to help alleviate the load on its Paddington-based HQ. As the years progressed and the GGB portfolio grew, the pop-up closed, leaving a sizeable inner-city catchment deprived of the concept’s heart-warming and pillowy product range. Well, thanks to an outpouring of demand from inner-north locals, Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers is making its return to James Street, with a new full-service venue in the works directly across the road from Sage Hotel and Tippler’s Tap. The space – formerly home to Fogata Latin Fusion – has been divided in two, with GGB occupying one half. Guests can expect the same menu as GGB’s South Bank locale (think cloud-like gnocchi doused in wild mushroom and truffle, traditional bolognese and creamy lobster and barramundi sauce, plus Italian sweets and sides, beers, wines, and spritzes), as well relaxed ambience across the venue’s internal and al fresco spaces, the latter of which will be illuminated by festoon lighting. The Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers team is aiming to open in early November – mark it in your calendars!

Lost Palms Brewing Co.
In case you missed the news last week, Miami-born craft-beer brewery Lost Palms Brewing Co. is bringing a slice of its coastal cool to Brisbane, opening a brand-new taphouse in the heart of Sherwood later this month. The brew crew has snagged a 100-sqm building – formerly home to Asian-inspired restaurant Sweet n Spice – for the outpost, which will boast Lost Palms’ vivid aesthetic of pink and neon. Fans of the coastal brewery’s core range will be able to get their fix at Sherwood, with taps pouring a sessionable lager, a crisp XPA, a mid-strength beer and a refreshing sour, a well as a series of limited-edition spirit-infused beery beverages that will resemble cocktail-like sips. Lost Palms’ own seltzer will be available alongside a tight wine list, too, while the kitchen will offer a range of burgers and bar snacks, the menu will eventually expand to include beer-infused recipes and pairings. Stay tuned for a detailed feature on this one on The Weekend Edition soon!

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

Image credit: AACo wagyu, Fino sherry, malted onion. GOMA Restaurant Photograph: Joe Ruckli, QAGOMA.