Beirne Lane
Fortitude Valley’s T.C. Beirne Building is continuing to unveil its new residents, the latest being Beirne Lane. The gastropub-style venue comes from Trent Meade and Matt Blyth of Celissa Group, the team behind Isles Lane, The Met and GPO Hotel. Beirne Lane not only nods to the building’s namesake T.C. Beirne in name, but also when it comes to food – the menu reflects the renowned businessman’s Irish heritage as well as his love for  and fascination with Japan. A selection of bar snacks, raw items, substantial Josper-grill dishes, sides and desserts will be on offer – think cheesy Japanese curry-covered chips, baked cob loaf with beer cheese, king prawns with black-garlic butter, chicken-fat popcorn and an entire section of the menu dedicated to katsu sandos. A extensive drink and cocktail list will also feature, including the venue’s signature cocktail (also inspired by Mr Beirne himself), called Oh Boys! We Must Have Another! Beirne Lane is due to open in early November and once those doors are open they will not close – the venue will be open 24/7, encouraging drinking, eating and dancing all day and all night.

Hikari
Teneriffe will soon welcome an intimate new dining spot, Japanese izakaya Hikari. The name hikari means gleam or light in Japanese, and the 50-seat eatery is set to start shining in early November. Hikari will focus on contemporary Japanese-style small bites and Japanese sips such as beer, whisky, shochu, sake and cocktails. Expect to find a selection of hot and cold options, including makimono (sushi rolls), yasaimono (Japanese salads), robata (Japanese charcoal grill items), sushi and sashimi. Across both the dining and drinking menus you’ll be in very good hands – co-owner Brian is an experienced sushi chef and sake sommelier, and partner and chef de cuisine Patrick boasts a training background at Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney. We’ll have more details for you soon!

The Duck Room
A couple of months ago we announced the impending arrival of King Street’s innovative food marketplace, Mercado. The launch date has since been announced for November 3, as well as an in-house restaurant, The Duck Room. The restaurant will offer a Far Eastern-style dining experience, taking inspiration from the vibrant flavours of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. As the name might imply, duck will take centre stage at the restaurant, with the signature roast duck being the highlight of the menu. The Duck Room will showcase the recipes and delicacies on offer at Mercado for lunch and dinner, giving diners the opportunity to sample the selection of ingredients before trying them at home. Look out on The Weekend Edition in the coming weeks for full details.

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