Lunch at Riverbar and Kitchen

Riverbar and Kitchen
http://riverbarandkitchen.com.au/

Whilst I am notorious for having a huge and ever-growing list of restaurants, cafes and bars that I want to visit, it's rare for Marc to bring up somewhere he wants to try. I mentioned Riverbar when it first opened many months ago and he said "Oh yeh! Where Broadwalk used to be" and sounded very keen to check it out. We tried to go on several occasions but fate intervened. Once we were literally on our way there and got pulled into Hanaichi Sushi Train instead.

Over these past few months, Riverbar and Kitchen has received very average online ratings and reviews so the urgency of trying it waned. Last Friday, we were looking for a suitable lunch spot and I was thinking about Taro Ramen but the weather was so stunning that it seemed like a waste not to be by the river.

Banquet at ROUJ Restaurant

ROUJ Modern Lebanese Restaurant
http://www.rouj.com.au/ 

It was Marc's birthday last Friday and being the bad girlfriend that I am, I had nothing planned. As a last minute whim, I offered dinner out to any place of his choice on Thursday night. Being put on the spot, Marc got majorly confused about what he was in the mood for and nothing that I suggested seemed 'right'. With mounting desperation, I tossed up my last ideas of Turkish or Lebanese and they struck home. He decided that he definitely wanted something ethnic.

A quick search on Urbanspoon brought up Rouj Modern Lebanese as a likely candidate. It was located just a short drive away from us in Rosalie. We parked a fair distance away from the main strip of restaurants and walked over. Rouj is located in the same complex as Tomato Brothers, opposite Cold Rock.

Breakfast at Bitter Suite

Bitter Suite
http://www.bittersuite.com.au/

It was time for my last catch up with Nina before she relocates far, far away. For this special occasion, we selected Bitter Suite, a venue we had both been hearing great things about. Bitter Suite is a casual beer lounge at night and a cafe by day. We went for breakfast on Saturday morning.

Dinner and Drinks at Helm Bar

Helm Bar and Bistro at Surfers Paradise
http://www.helmbar.com.au/

Last Saturday, I was invited to try the dinner menu at the brand new Helm Bar and Bistro. Drawing influences from its sister bar in Darling Harbour, Helm replaced the old Titanium Bar with a more modern fitout and stronger gourmet focus.

We took the opportunity to stay a night at the Gold Coast and for once, the weather gods were smiling down. The days were beautiful, albeit just a wee bit frisky. Winter is drawing near. It was a short stroll from our hotel to Helm Bar and Bistro. As we headed inland, Marc started assuming that the venue couldn't possibly be that good because we were walking away from the ocean. Contrary to his expectations, Helm was perched right over Nerang River, which provides lovely water views without the heavy beach crowds.

Coolum - Breakfast at Sorrento's By The Beach

Sorrento's By The Beach
1786 David Low Way, Coolum Beach

On our last moring in Coolum, something strange happened. This may surprise some; in fact, Marc simply classes me as 'alien' because of it, but I don't really like bacon that much. Apparently regular humans refer to it amongst the tastiest of food items ever but I find myself almost shunning the thought of it. This morning, however, a strong impulse for bacon took over me and I insisted that we must get some for breakfast.

Coolum - Lunch at Raw Energy

Raw Energy Coolum
http://www.rawenergy.com.au/ 

Our first night in Coolum involved pigging out on self-made burritos, entire bottles of wine and corn chips. Feeling understandably under the weather the following day, Marc and I took a stroll along the beach before settling down to some much needed rest and sunshine. Come lunch time, we were resolved to find something healthy, fresh and light.

Walking past the restaurants and cafes that lined the main road, we came across Raw Energy. It boasted freshly made sandwiches and freshly squeezed juice so it was exactly what we were hoping for. We lined up to order before taking up a seat at one of the many outdoor tables.

Cooking Class at Spirit House Cooking School, Yadina

Spirit House Cooking School
http://www.spirithouse.com.au/school 

What to buy a girl who buys everything? I'm sure this is the question Marc faced when it was my birthday a couple of months back. As my present, he organised something I wouldn't have thought of doing myself: a trip to Coolum with a cooking class at none other than Spirit House!!! I'd heard only great things about Spirit House so I was shrill with excitement and just couldn't wait.

We were staying at Coolum Beach and although I wouldn't say it was a huge journey to get there, the road did get progressively less 'developed' and windy. Spirit House was tucked away to one side of the road and we nearly missed the turn off. On the plus side, there was ample parking outside.

The buildings were very tranquil and tastefully shrouded in greenery. I had never been to the Spirit House restaurant before but I saw the restaurant building from a distance. The cooking school was in a separate area.

Hancook for Dinner

Hancook Korean Restaurant
http://www.hancookrestaurant.com.au/ 

Every now and again things just work out perfectly. It's rare but even the smallest happy coincidences create a fist-pump moment in my heart. One night, I was craving Korean food and it just so happened that we had a booking/coupon for a Korean restaurant that night! Woohoo! Stars aligned.

I saw a Travelzoo deal for Hancook in my inbox and it looked pretty good so I clicked to buy. We had a minor hiccup getting to the restaurant because we walked past the shopping centre it's located in (Marc pointed and said "is it in there?" to which I incorrectly responded "no"). The restaurant is on the second floor of Princess Plaza, on Annerley Road, next to Ben's Vietnamese and Chinese Restaurant.

Lunch at Super Whatnot

Super Whatnot
http://www.superwhatnot.com/ 

I wanted to go to Super Whatnot since it first opened shop goodness knows how long ago. One minute it didn't exist and the next, it was being featured in every Brisbane food culture publication imaginable. Not only is the name quirky and intriguing, the photos I saw of the small bar looked awesome and the menu descriptions I read were right up my alley.

It took me a while to find the opportunity to go there. Because the venue is so cosy, I figured it'd be very busy on weekend nights and as Marc and I aren't rich in patience, a quiet weekday would be more suitable.

Coffee stop at Paladar Fumior Salon

Paladar Fumior Salon Espresso
http://www.paladarfumiorsalon.com/

Living part-time in South Brisbane for the past year, I've grown very familiar with the area. Nevertheless, a certain building on Merivale Street remained a mystery to me. Every time I walked past, it seemed closed. Was it a bar? Was it a coffee shop? Or a hair salon. The eye-catching red walls and rooftop terrace made it very appealing to me yet I couldn't figure out what it was or how to get in.

One morning, I was on my way to the city when I noticed the door to the red building open. I discovered the name of the place to be Paladar Fumior Salon (hence why I thought it was a hair salon at one stage) and that it was a coffee shop. It was very busy at that time of the day with a queue almost leaking out the door. I altered my routine for the morning and decided I would be having breakfast there before continuing to the shops.