Monday, October 11, 2010

What Gives, Brisbane?

If you're living in Brisbane at the moment, you will understand how many of us could be feeling that a little bit of "cabin fever" is going around.  Well, it had truly struck here by Sunday lunchtime, so I was quite excited to be escaping quarantine to brave the wild and wet weather and catch up with a friend for lunch who'd flown in from Singapore.

Apparently this is what you look like if you're a Muppet & suffering from cabin fever.

I'd been raving to my friend about this fabulous restaurant I'd recently had dinner at (and written myself off with another friend and 2 bottles of champagne, but that's another story) and thought the upstairs bar would be a great place to catch up on their move to Singapore, talk some business and eat a whole bowl of school prawns with citrus salt & aioli to myself.  So here I was driving up Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley, just after 1pm on a Sunday, already picturing myself eating said prawns and enjoying the break from the cabin fever back at home, when I had to do a big double take ... the hip & happening, restaurant of the year, place to be, can't get a booking even if you're related to the owner, was CLOSED!



Ok.  Ah ... Plan B.  I told my friend I knew of another place, just down the road where I'd eaten before and was ok for a light lunch.  Again though I had to do a double take.  It too was CLOSED!  What gives, Brisbane?  It was the weekend.  It was lunch time.  I wasn't in the outer 'burbs.  I was in an area that's meant to be a "young, urban and vibrant environment".  Surely I could expect some restaurants and bars to be open?

New Farm ... urban and edgy.  But are you open???

Oh Brisbane, how can I defend you to my Melburnian friends and say you're not a big country town anymore?  That you're all grown up and sophisticated, just like the hoi poloi down south?  That there's just as many good places to eat in Brissie as there are in the Food Capital of Australia?  After this little experience I'm afraid I'll have to admit defeat, put on my cowboy hat and head back to the cabin.

Guy Grossi

Shannon Bennett

Tobie Puttock

George Colombaris

You'd all be open for me on a Sunday, wouldn't you fellas?



8 comments:

  1. I think they're all from Melbourne aren't they?

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  2. Should have said i've dropped in from weekend rewind at Life in a Pink :)

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  3. Yes they are, Loz and I bet their restaurants would all be open for Sunday lunch. I'm loving the Rewind @ the Fibro. I've found so many fabulous new blogs that way. Thanks for stopping by.

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  4. ha, i used to live in perth so kind of understand the whole "big country town" thing...How annoying that both places were closed?

    Gill xo

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  5. Oh, that's funny. Poor old Brisneyland. I do like it up your way, though, so never fear. It's kinda nice that things still close on the weekends. Makes you focus on more important things. x

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  6. Oh dear, welcome to Brisbane! It's not uncommon for most restaurants to be closed on both Sunday and Monday.

    I'm dying to try Ortiga's. I did check out Guy Grossi's work at Grossi Florentino earlier in the year- simply a gorgeous experience. Good food is so much easier to find in Melbourne.

    Popping over from Weekend Rewind at the Fibro! :)

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  7. I can't believe you couldn't find anything open! Too sad. Could understand if it was Fibrotown but... Better luck next time!

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  8. Maxabella ... yes, agree on some businesses not opening on a Sunday ... but I want to eat ;-)))

    Marielle ... I cannot begin to explain how amazing Ortiga's is. My hubby has travelled to Spain a lot for work & he would rave about the Jamon Iberico. How good can ham be, I would say. Well wait until you try the fully acorn fed Jamon Iberico. You will channeling Meg Ryan in Harry Met Sally when you eat that stuff!

    Pink Fibro ... there were places open, just not the ones I wanted to go to ... demanding little thing, aren't I? ;-)

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