Red Bean Espresso

Red Bean Espresso in Playfield Street Chermside has pretty take-away cups. What it doesn't have is scrumptious or even decent coffee. There's no atmosphere or culture or individuality either. Not even in it's selection of cakes. They are the same shaped, same generic assortment of cakes and friads that are available in thousands of other coffee shops. I have to admit it was fast and friendly service, but this positive attribute isn't enough to ever take me back there. In a town where there's not a great distance between available caffeine hits, I'll skip Red Bean Espresso.

Brisbane Architecture and Art

C Word

I’m not sure what word they had in mind when they named C Word in Nundah Village, Nundah.  If it was Coffee, then the product lives up to the name. The creamy Campos Coffee served there is delicious. However, it’s not the coffee that takes me there. It’s the Bagels!

The C Word has a large range of Bagels, all starting with C.  My favourite is the Crave Beggel ($8.40).  I would never normally eat anything with Smoked Salmon on it, but this was ordered for me and I was so pleasantly surprised on tasting it. The Crave Beggel; made up of a fresh warm bagel, sandwiching flavoursome smoked salmon, peppery rocket, creamy egglette and a zesty mayo. My partner’s favourite is the Combo Beggel ($8.40). It combines bacon and sizzling sausage, egglette, cheese and tomato with freshly cracked pepper, on a layer of char-grilled vegetable relish. I’m dying to try the Canadia Beggel which is a French toast bagel with bacon and maple syrup. There is an all-day menu too, which includes Philly cheese bagels and a roasted chicken and greens one, fresh ham, tomato and cheese with mustard and salads and a Mexican one, to name a few. There are several vegetarian options as well with something for everyone. They also offer catering and prices are on website www.cword.com.au.

The C Word is a comfy, casual, cafe with a large range of patrons including business men and women to bikers (the lycra type).  Cool beats play in the background and there’s local artists’ works on the walls along with gig posters and random other things which combined, creates a contemporary cosmosphere and a culinary experienced to be craved for!

Carousels Cupcakes and Coffee

Rather oddly (in my opinion) located on busy Gympie Road in Chermside in Carousels Cupcakes & Coffee. A 1950's rock-a-billy styled coffee shop/diner cafe, offering Di Bella coffee and delicious Cupcakes to match the era.

I had an "I love Lucy" Red Velvet cupcake with cream cheese icing. It was a perfect size and on biting in to the well presented treat, I enjoyed a moist, fluffy red cake, with a Delicious icing.  My work colleagues equally took pleasure in devouring their cupcakes, "The Pink Poodle" and a carrot cake one.

I recommend this place, mostly for the ladies, if you're wanting morning tea with a difference. It would also be the PERFECT place to take little girls for a little treat or birthday party.

Check out www.carouselscupcakes.com.au to peruse their cupcake menu or perhaps to select one of the pre-order cupcakes for a special event or party.

K

No Bow Deserved at the Bowery

Inside The Bowery, reveals a really charming venue with high ceilings and low lights, exposed brick walls and timber tables and chairs lining one wall packed with vibrant patrons enjoying their night. The bar staff were all male and were smartly dressed in white shirts and black pants with black braces which added to the charm and gave the impression of style and that good cocktails were coming our way!


We read the list and I chose a Southsider which was served in a martini glass and was fresh and tasty. My friend's cocktail was so strong and alcoholic it was harsh to drink initially (which I realise was the purpose) but left a sweet orange after taste. She tried to finish it but she found it unenjoyable and left it on the bar. We started to notice the lame music that was being spun on decks in the corner. The DJ had played the same song twice in a period of twenty minutes. Plus, Michael Jackson? Man, yeah he's cool, I'm not denying it, but it's so old and predictable from a DJ. Then more cheesy 80's and 90's music churning out. Argh...it was starting to hurt my ears and wasn't giving the place the atmosphere that a beautiful room like that deserved. I would have preferred some low funky beats or maybe some random Edith Piaf or bluesy jazz. My partner is a French Martini connoisseur and he ordered a round for us all to try. I have had the pleasure of enjoying a glass of the pinky goodness once before in the funky bar at Garuvers and it was delicious!  I tasted the French Martini that was handed to me and found there was too much Pineapple Juice and it overpowered the rest of the cocktail. It was too sweet and I left me feeling disappointed. I believe if you are paying a premium price ($13 - $17 per drink) you expect premium service and product.

While I do love the interior design of The Bowery and believe it has wonderful potential to be the bar that I so hoped it would be, the cocktails were expensive, not great (although perhaps we didn't try enough) and the music was tragic. 

That's it, I am now setting myself a little mission, mmm an expensive one I might add, to find the best cocktail lounge in Brisbane.

The Vietnamese Restaurant

Recently my partner and I ventured into the Valley with another couple intending to enjoy some cheap Asian food and finish with a quality cocktail somewhere.


We found ourselves at The Vietnamese BYO Restaurant on Wickham Street. On entering, it was really busy but were lucky enough to get a table for 4 immediately, without having made reservations. My partner frequents a well renowned Asian Restaurant in West End, where he believes they serve the best Steamed Dim Sims in Brisbane. So, The Vietnamese Restaurant had a lot to live up to.

Unfortunately it fell below the bar on the Dimmies and our friend's coconut prawns and plum sauce were very average as well. I chose the combination Flat Noodle dish and my partner chose the Chicken Clay Pot with some Special Fried Rice to share. My dish was unflavoursome and bland. The massive mound in front of me was enough to feed the 4 of us which is disappointing because while I am and advocate for value for money, I believe there is already a gross amount of waste in this world and over half of my meal remained on my plate and would have ended up in the bin. Knowing that now, it would be a cheap night out if 4 people liked the same dish! The Chicken Clay Pot was rich and tasty and included tofu and chicken in a flavoursome soup of greens.  The rice was enjoyable but and again, fell short of the mark.


While The Vietnamese BYO Restaurant is very social, affordable with fast and friendly service, in a central location, the food is ordinary.