Flamingo is to the casual Brisbane dining scene like your offbeat smiling friend to your soul is; refreshing and pleasing!
This quirky cafe tucked away in Winn Lane wins on every level. A whimsical yet totally awesome and practical shop design- inside dining, outside dining, astro turf, bakerlite sugar containers is made perfect by equally fabulous food.

To some flamingo may appear to be all design and no substance, this certainly is not the case. The menu is full of temptations that makes deciding on your meal tricky- a perfect quandary.

I was at flamingo for breakfast, so i was deciding between avocado and labne on toast, a sausage roll (homemade, they look so very very good,i decided it was a bit too early) and was also tempted by the tasty array of home-baked muffins.

I settled on the avocado, tomato and labne on toast and a long black, although i also noted that the fresh juices and smoothies looked very appealing.

The verdict: I made a cracking decision, the fresh avocado on toast ticked all the boxes, a great serving size, the tartness of the labne cutting through the creaminess of the avocado makes this a well balanced and super tasty breakky item. Good coffee too.





Flamingo offers something unique to the needy valley casual dining scene, a bit of home-made loving feeling, honest inexpensive food and it goes far to remind us what the valley should be about- something a little bit different, surprising and thoughtful.

Love it

The fact that the Brisbane dining is on the up is vindicated by the very exciting results of GT 2011 Restaurant awards. Congratulations to Simon Hill and the team at Ortiga for winning the coveted gong of New Restaurant of the Year for their Iberian dream themed restaurant and bar. Also taking out top place in the awards, Woolloongabba's 1889 ENOTECA, which won the apt award of wine list of the year. Exciting indeed. EAT ME has not had the privilege of dining at the enoteca however had a very pleasing time at Ortiga, whose wine list is also totally divine.

For me Ortiga's upstairs bar is a quintessential Brisbane Friday night experience, take your favourite person, add a delicious glass(es) of wine and graze the bar menu at your leisure as you get cosy for the night. I totally recommend snacking on Char-grilled chistorra – whole artisan Basque country pork sausage while quaffing the divine ‘Orobio’ by Artadi Tempranillo. Also a trip to Ortiga is made worthwhile by sampling the lovely cured meats and Jamon.

Enjoy
Ortiga @ urbanspoon

1889 Enoteca @ urbanspoon

Why pay between $8-25 for Naan (yes Naan!), exorbitant amounts for Asian inspired Tapas (ie Yum Cha items), when one can happily feast at a proper yum cha establishment for the price of one dish at Siana? I mean come on 4 pork buns for $25, are they kidding?

Sure the food is executed well at both establishments and the concept is great- inspired fresh eating to compliment your tasty drinks. However, I despise being ripped off.

If you don't mind getting ripped off, go here. Any tastiness of the food for me is well and truly neutralised by the outrageous pricing. Get a grip Brisbane, you deserve better. Or at least a free genie with purchase!

It’s another well-known fact that cooler weather makes you (or is it just me?) so very very hungry!

Mr EatMe Brisbane and I set out to warm up and pig out. After being very cheerfully greeted by the wait staff at Dragon Inn we were given our choice of tables. We sat outside to enjoy the newly refurbished china town mall. I ordered jasmine tea to start off. It arrived promptly, however it did have a dishwater flavour to it. Bummer.

After a short wait, our starter, steamed dim sims, arrived. They are served in a cute metal steamer and are accompanied by a perfectly sweet and salty sesame oil and soy dressing. YUUUM. These are seriously good and seriously cheap. As you would expect of a dumpling they have an amazingly flavourful pork and herb filling.

The main course- we ordered the chicken, mushroom and black bean hot pot and mussels in XO sauce. The mussels arrived first and were perfectly cooked and seasoned. They were NZ green-lipped mussels that were scrubbed clean and stir-fried through XO sauce. They were succulent and flavoursome and the seafoody, garlicky, chilli quality of the XO is the perfect accompaniment.

Next up what we came for- the hot pot. In a word it is fabulous. Braised chicken with giant gloriously dark brown shitake mushrooms and button mushrooms glistening with spring onion and black beans. The slightly thick braised sauce with it has a delightfully delicate flavor that work oh so well together. This dish epitomizes savoury comfort food for me. YUM.

Before leaving we are given the ubiquitous orange as a refreshment. We leave full and happy. Every time we have been to Dragon Inn we are never disappointed. Great service , good food and cheap. The feast cost only about 40 dollars (honestly it’s enough to serve at least 3 ppl).

Dragon Inn Chinese Restaurant

Chinatown Mall

Fortitude Valley

(07) 3252 4770

Best Mexican in Brisbane!

Tuckeria is a much needed addition to the casual food scene in Brisbane. Located on Brunswick Street in the Fortitude Valley, their catch-cry is fresh Mexican! They certainly do not disappoint. Hands down this is the best Mexican i have had. We headed to Tuckeria on a Wednesday night. I ordered a steak burrito with sour cream and black beans, Mr Eat me Brisbane opted for tacos. After a short wait, the burrito and tacos arrived. My burrito was perfect and huge!

The steak was so tender and juicy and the smoky flavours contrasted with lime and coriander worked a treat. The tortilla was so fresh and soft, heaps better then some of the tired dry ones I've had elsewhere. Tacos here are a thing of fresh zingy beauty. Mr Eat me Brisbane, chose the plate of 3 tacos, 2 with steak, 1 with chicken filling. The meat was marinated perfectly and imparted a gentle smoky flavour which complemented the tangy tomato, onion, coriander lime salsa on the tacos.

This was our first visit to Tuckeria, and it certainly won't be our last. Great value for money and friendly service. Tuckeria is a must eat!

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/337/1486164/restaurant/Brisbane/Tuckeria-Fresh-Mexican-Fortitude-Valley