Embers at The Charming Squire
If you smell a whiff of smoke coming from within South Bank gastropub The Charming Squire this week, don’t panic – that’s just the scent emanating from the custom-made woodfired grill and rotisserie at Embers, the brand-new restaurant from Mantle Group. The Charming Squire’s new 177-seat flame-powered sibling is opening to the public tomorrow, Wednesday September 15, and will show off a scintillating menu of eats conceived and executed by Venezuelan-born head chef German Gonzalez. Embers’ refined offering will foreground produce sourced from local suppliers, with provenance of the fare’s ocean and paddock origins respected and celebrated across a range of dishes that have been wood roasted, smoked, grilled or finished over ironbark coals. Highlights from the Embers menu include premium aged grain-fed rib fillet slow-roasted for 24 hours, flame-seared South Australian Hiramasa kingfish, roasted Fraser Coast jumbo prawns, charcoal chicken with pickles, lemon, fattoush salad and cabernet jus, and coffee-cured and smoked duck breast with celeriac remoulade. The menu will be balanced by a beverage offering comprising of a 100-bottle wine list (filled with bold, full-bodied Australian reds and a host of new-world wines), fire-and-smoke-inspired cocktails, and a stellar selection of thirst-quenching James Squire beers. Stay tuned for a closer look at Embers later this week!

Mekhong
Calling all fans of the fare at New Farm restaurant Mekhong – the crew behind the beloved eatery is taking its menu of Northeastern Thai cuisine to Brisbane’s bayside, with a second location set to open in Wynnum on Sunday September 26. Owners Joe and Deon Adams have been seeking a suitable site to expand for the past year, scoping out areas that would be most receptive to a new community-oriented eatery of Mekhong’s calibre. The ideal spot was discovered in the most unlikely of places, with post on Gumtree advertising the sale of Thai Cuisine – a purple-hued eatery perched on the corner of Bay Terrace and Berrima Street that is heralded as Wynnum’s first Thai restaurant. Joe and Deon jumped at the chance to take over the site and continue its legacy as a local go-to for contemporary Thai eats, and will soon undertake a swift sprucing of the cosy 25-seat locale, which is roughly half the size of its Brunswick Street sibling. Once open, guests can expect a warm aesthetic of green hues and warm timber textures, charming service and Mekhong’s lauded menu, including favourites such as roasted duck curry, caramelised spiced pork belly stir-fry, Thai-style fried rice with chicken, king prawns and pineapple, and deep-fried barramundi fillets served on sliced betel leaf with peanut, lime and Thai herbs. Mekhong Wynnum will also be BYO-friendly – check in soon for a close-up look at this newcomer when it opens.

Gemelli Italian and Bar Tano
If you’ve been keeping a watchful eye on Gemelli Italian’s socials, you’ll already know that the restaurant is opening its James Street location tomorrow, Wednesday September 15. If you haven’t, well, now you know! The anticipated addition to the Gemelli portfolio, which has taken over and converted the old Bucci and Lululemon spaces, actually boasts two distinct halves that, while linked, also operate as two standalone venues. On one side you’ll have Gemelli Italian itself – a slick three-level Hogg & Lamb-designed space boasting large open windows, a bespoke pizza oven imported from Naples, a salumi display fridge and huge back bar with more than 100 wines on offer. Here diners will be able to savour signature dishes such as Gemelli’s gnocchi zucca, polpo alla griglia with grilled West Australian octopus and Roman pizza topped with creamy burrata. Bar Tano, the restaurant’s drinks-oriented neighbour, will be noticeably moodier, with a sensual aesthetic of green marble, polished concrete and mirrors creating a striking interplay of textures. The concept, which is the Gemelli group’s first bar concept, is inspired by Milanese aperitivo bars. With this in mind, the bar team has curated a stellar list of Italian wines, classic Italian-inspired cocktails and a bunch of ‘cocktails della casa’ – house beverages concocted by head bartender Fabrizio Del Re like the Drive Me Nuts, a blend of the negroni and old fashioned, and the Martini Express, which features Bar Tano’s house-made aged coffee liqueur. Keep your eyes on The Weekend Edition later this week for a glimpse inside both venues!

Melt Brothers
The gooey gourmet cheese toasties from inner-city sandwich slinger Melt Brothers are a go-to fun-lunch option in The Weekend Edition office – and we know we aren’t the only ones. Melt Brothers has just opened a second Brisbane City store, this time snagging a stellar spot on Level E of the Myer Centre’s food court. To celebrate the occasion, Melt Brothers is selling $2 coffees until this Friday September 17, and will also be offering its signature Mousetrap toastie (boasting mozzarella, aged cheddar, thyme and Dijon mustard) for half price on Saturday September 25. Non-city workers will be pleased to know that Melt Brothers Myer Centre is operating seven days a week, so now you can get your fix on weekends, too! Check out the Stumble Guide for operating hours.

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