Pavement Whispers: Volume 491 January 21
From news of a lively new honky tonk for The Valley to the closure of a seafood-slinging favourite, 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 …
Chattahoochee Joe’s Honky Tonk
Is it just us, or is country music having a moment right now? Artists of all stripes seem to be dipping their toes into the genre – from Cowboy Carter to Wiggle Up, Giddy Up! – and not even Brisbane’s bar scene is immune. On Saturday February 1, the team behind Fortitude Valley nightlife staples such as Ric’s Bar and The Royal George Hotel will unveil the newest addition to its portfolio, Chattahoochee Joe’s Honky Tonk – a rootin’, tootin’ new bar located in the old Marquee Bar space at 336 Brunswick Street. The team are in the midst of a substantial renovation of the venue, which will boast three bars over two levels (soon to be four bars over three levels). Once open, Chattahoochee Joe’s will offer plenty of entertainment, from live country music from local and touring artists on Friday and Saturday nights on the ground level, to shuffle boards, dart boards, a pool table and arcade games in its basement level. On Thursday evenings, the venue will also host line dancing and ‘Cowboy Karaoke’. Chattahoochee Joe’s kitchen will open from 5:00 pm until late each night, offering a menu of Southern-style share plates. Keep your eyes peeled for an up-close look at Chattahoochee Joe’s Honky Tonk when it opens next month!
One Fish Two Fish
In sad news for seafood-loving citizens of Brisbane, the team behind dearly beloved Kangaroo Point restaurant One Fish Two Fish announced late last week that the venue would officially close its doors to the public at the end of April. In a statement posted to social media, owners Daniel and Amelia Miletic revealed they had elected not to renew the lease on One Fish Two Fish’s Main Street abode, preferring to go out on their own terms after a killer six years of trade – a period of time that saw the venue host everything from baby showers, birthdays, first dates, engagement parties, product launches and countless seafood-centric pop-ups. Guests are encouraged to visit over the coming months to get their final fix of One Fish Two Fish hospitality (including its current Oyster Frenzy celebrations as well as its upcoming Love Bug and Crab & Cray Cray events) before its final days of trade over the Easter weekend. We also suggest paying a visit to Daniel and Amelia’s South Brisbane bar, Midtown, where many of One Fish Two Fish’s crowd-favourite events are expected to be re-homed.
And, in case you missed the news …
You might like
Idle and Golden Avenue
Last week, heavyweight hospitality group Anyday (the team behind superstar restaurants Agnes, sAme sAme and Biànca) revealing details on not one, but two – well, actually five – new concepts set to open this year. The first will be Agnes Bakery, which will soon relocate from James Street to fresh digs in New Farm, where it will evolve into Idle. This bakery and cafe hybrid will not only sell the group’s highly coveted range of pastries, breads and cakes, but will also serve a menu of cooked-to-order seasonal dishes and salads, alongside take-home fridge and pantry fillers like house-churned butter, handcrafted sauces and marinades. Once Idle is up and running, Anyday will turn its full attention towards Brisbane City, where it will open Golden Avenue on Edward Street in the second half of the year. This Middle Eastern-inspired eatery will see Anyday co-owner and chef Ben Williamson and group head chef Adam Wolfers put their combined wealth of skill cooking Levantine-inspired cuisine towards a menu featuring hot and cold mezze, flatbreads, charcoal-grilled meats, seafood and more. After Golden Avenue opens, the crew will then start chipping away at its most ambitious project to date – opening two restaurants and a cocktail bar inside the heritage-listed Coal Board Building at 169 Mary Street. Information on these concepts are still being kept under wraps, but rest assured we’ll have more for you once details are revealed.
Gigi’s Osteria
This year is set to be a big one for Newstead, with the Julius Pizzeria and Beccofino team inching closer to adding a new venue to its portfolio. Gigi’s Osteria is set to open later this year at Long Island (the home of Baker D. Chirico and Evra Marketplace) and will see the team taking a more refined approach to its Italian inspirations. Here, a woodfired oven will take centre stage – but it won’t be used for pizza. Instead, expect melt-in-your-mouth grilled fish and meat dishes kissed with the smoke and flame, served alongside a number of handmade pastas. Gigi’s will also boast a considered wine list, featuring an impressive selection of Italian and Australian drops. Stay tuned for more!
Cartel Del Taco New Farm
Next month, New Farm locals will celebrate the awaited opening of Cartel Del Taco’s second location, which is set to open in the coming weeks on the corner of Brunswick Street and Merthyr Road. Co-owners Marco Ramirez and Erick Martinez are in the final stretch of fit-out works, with the new site shaping up to be one looker of a venue. Boasting the brand’s eye-catching 1980s Mexican taqueria aesthetic, with the duo once again importing all kinds of decor (everything from furniture to servingware) from Mexico. While Cartel Del Taco New Farm will offer a similar menu to its Hawthorne sibling, guests can expect a bunch of new items to enjoy, including wood-fired meats and seafood, and a new breakfast offering blending Australian and Mexican dishes. The bar offering will also score a rejig, with a refreshed cocktail menu infused with a greater range of artisanal mezcals expected to star. Click here to read more.
If you’ve heard something that’s worth mentioning in The Weekend Edition’s Pavement Whispers, email [email protected].