Although we were saddened to hear that beloved West End restaurant Pasta Club was shutting its doors, our moods improved when we heard that a talented chef and sommelier combo were taking custodianship of the eatery’s Boundary Street space. Together they’ve opened Gum Bistro – a restaurant putting Queensland produce in the spotlight alongside a broad-reaching range of wines. Lachlan Matheson and Phil Poussart opened Gum Bistro in April of 2024, offering a seasonally shifting menu that will swing from snacks to substantials. The menu features produce and ingredients sourced from the likes of the likes of Suncoast Fresh, The Falls Farm, Urban Valley Mushrooms, Rocky Point Aquaculture, Brisbane Valley Quail and Margra Lamb, with stand-out selections including duck-liver parfait with native tamarind jelly, cabbage-wrapped cobia with zucchini and creme fraiche, Margra lamb rump with sweetbread, beans and radicchio, and sweetcorn agnolotti with crema di parmigiana. Phil’s wine list features approximately 60 drops, encompassing vino from Australia, France, Hungary, Austria, Germany and Slovenia. A second list of vintage drops housed in temperature-controlled storage is also available alongside a small list of signature cocktails.