From news of a new Wes Anderson-inspired cocktail bar and kitchen to a new gastropub in Chelmer, The Weekend Edition is always on the search for the latest food news in Brisbane, dedicated to ensuring its readers are in the know. When we put our ears to the pavement this week, this is what we found out …
Henley’s
Later this week, Teneriffe will celebrate the arrival of a brand-new cocktail bar and kitchen – one boasting an Asia-spanning menu of eats as well as an eye-catching Wes Anderson-inspired aesthetic. Henley’s will open on Thursday November 7 at the base of the Nova 106.9 building on Commercial Road. A blank canvas space has been converted into a colour-filled venue – part bar, part casual bistro and part neighbourhood takeaway joint – that has been fashioned almost like a set from a Wes Anderson film. Inspired by the travels of its fictional inspiration Arthur Henley, Henley’s charts the intrepid gastronome’s travels across Asia via a menu filled with unique street-food items from Korea, Japan, China, the Philippines and Thailand. We’re talking local specialties and trending dishes that are hard to find in Australia, including the likes of Filipino pork tocino and Coca-Cola fried rice, as well as a clutch of classic dishes like Korean bulgogi and bibimbap. Framed more as a cocktail bar with its own kitchen, Henley’s is delivering on the drinks front. The bar’s cocktails (named after characters from Wes Anderson films) are infused with a broad range of Asian ingredients, with the likes of the Royal (sesame-washed Johnnie Walker Black with acid-adjusted honey, Chinese five-spice bitters and applewood smoke) and the Rhett (Tarsier calamansi citrus gin, Kikuyasaka yuzu liqueur, jackfruit and passionfruit) leading a beverage program that also includes share-style cocktails, a killer range of wines, and draught and packaged beers. Henley’s will open at 11:00 am on Thursday – bookings are now live and can be made via the Henley’s website.
Fair Play Kitchen
The team behind some of Brisbane’s most creative cafes is expanding its interests into the realm of gastropub dining, with Iconic I – the group responsible for Kenmore’s Shakespearean-themed cafe Method to the Madness – opening Fair Play Kitchen at Sherwood Magpies Australian Football Club this week. Fair Play Kitchen will see Iconic I owners Reagan Nongkhlaw and Urvik Bhalani transform the club’s open dining area into a relaxed pub-style venue serving breakfast, dinner and everything in between. The morning menu will include tantalising options like pancakes and breakfast tacos, while pizzas, whipped cod roe, steak frites, chicken parmigiana and pappardelle with mushroom ragu feature on the lunch and dinner menus. Fair Play Kitchen will also be running the club’s canteen, serving the likes of wagyu beef sliders, fried cauliflower baos, Reuben sandwiches and grazing boards. Over at the bar, guests can expect to find a range of craft beers on tap and a wine list filled with drops from Australian makers. Fair Play Kitchen is officially opening to the public on Thursday November 7.
Tamborine Cheese at Portside Wharf
In good news for curd nerds of Brisbane, an award-winning cheesemaker is opening an artisanal deli at Portside Wharf early next year. Tamborine Cheese will be opening a bricks-and-mortar presence at the riverside hub, with founder Cristian Salvati – a Naples-born milk technologist – eager to give locals an easy access shop to source more than 40 varieties of locally crafted cheese (handcrafted in collaboration with over 150 local Queensland farmers) and a curated selection of cured meats. That’s not all – Tamborine Cheese will have seating for approximately 30-50 people, with a menu of house-made yoghurt, fruit, muesli and barista coffee available during the day, and wine, cocktails and customisable tasting boards on offer in the afternoons and evenings. Tamborine Cheese will join an expanding list of retailers at Portside Wharf, including DUMBO, The Ballpark and Mademoiselle.
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Goros Brisbane
Last week, the Solotel group – the hospitality giant behind venues like ARIA, Chiswick, Opera Bar and Brisbane’s own Riverbar + Kitchen – announced it was expanding its presence in Brisbane, with plans to bring its neon-lit izakaya-style venue Goros to Fortitude Valley early next year. Work is underway to transform the former home of Little Valley in Warner Street into a multi-level venue big enough to fit 500 guests, with lanterns, arcade games and Japanese kitsch set to feature heavily across the interior aesthetic. Much like its Surry Hills sibling, Goros Brisbane will serve a range of Japanese-inspired eats, including robata-grilled skewers, takoyaki, pork-and-chive gyoza and bento boxes, as well as a stacked beverage menu headlined by signature cocktails (including its famous sake bombs) and a trove of Japanese whiskies. Goros is set to open in early 2025 – be sure to follow along on social media for updates.
Detour
In another blow to Brisbane’s high-end dining scene, long-running Woolloongabba restaurant Detour has announced it will be closing its doors on Saturday December 21 after eight years of trade. The restaurant, which was founded by hatted chef Damon Amos in 2017, is highly regarded for its culinary ethos, which is predicated on inclusivity, innovation and indulgence. Detour’s menu of contemporary cuisine championed sustainably produced ingredients and catered to both omnivorous and herbivorous clientele, helping pioneer plant-based and gluten-free dining in a restaurant setting. Long-time fans and those who have never dined at Detour are encouraged to make a booking ASAP before the restaurant closes the weekend before Christmas.
If you’ve heard something that’s worth mentioning in The Weekend Edition’s Pavement Whispers, email [email protected].