Cowch, South Bank

Cowch is a new dessert cocktail bar located on Grey Street in South Bank. They offer a breakfast menu which includes yoghurt and muesli along with desserts such as churros, naked pops, pizzas and pastries and also cocktails which runs late into the night.

Decorated with quirky teats and milk bottle lights, the atmosphere at Cowch is warm and relaxed. There are plenty of couches, seats and even a fire pit, which is perfect for those coming cold winter nights. 

On one section near the counter, there is a wall of naked pops which is eye catching, unique and seemingly a popular item on the Cowch menu.

There are five naked pop flavours which includes chocolate, vanilla, coffee, mint and pomegranate. These naked pops are then dipped in either milk, dark or white chocolate and then topped with three toppings of your choice.

This was a chocolate naked pop doused in dark chocolate and topped with almonds, chocolate flakes and chocolate pearls. 

This pomegranate naked pop was dipped in milk chocolate and topped with pistachio, dried blueberries and chocolate pearls.

Cowch is the perfect bar for any sweet tooth, or those wanting a great place to have a sweet snack, drink and catch up with old and new friends. It is also extremely family friendly with sweet goodies for the kids and drinks for the grown ups.

In love and food,

Vivi

Mighty Mighty, Fortitude Valley

Southern American cuisine, which is more so American comfort food, is up there along with pizza as one of my most desired foods. I could eat it everyday of my life if I was fortunate enough to not have my waistline expand tremendously. Mighty Mighty, a relatively new restaurant that popped up near James Street in the Valley is a perfect example of good comfort food and brew.

Louisiana prawn & clam chowder

Having only been introduced to clam chowder after J's trip to America two years ago, I can say that it is possibly one of my most favourite starters. It is quite scarce to find in restaurants so when there is clam chowder on the menu, it is definitely going to be in my tummy.  The prawn and clam chowder at Mighty Mighty came out as quite a surprise as I was expecting a creamy based soup not a tomato one. However, the flavours in the chowder was distinct and really got the taste buds going. They did not skimp on the seafood as there was quite a few clams in there as well as a large prawn.

Mighty Mighty hot wings

The hot wings at Mighty Mighty were a bit disappointing. The skin was crispy and the meat was tender, however, it lacked the hotness and flavour a little. It was by all means still delicious but I wish it had a bit more of a tang to it.

Barbecue beef short rib

The smoked and glazed barbecue beef short rib with sweet potato chips, although quite small, was absolutely divine. The meat just fell right off the bones and the smokey flavours was just enchanting to the palate. The sweet potato chips were cooked to perfection, crispy on the outside whilst soft and creamy as you bite down on it. 

Mighty Mighty is the perfect place to hang out with friends, especially to grab a drink as they offer a large selection of brews. The atmosphere is quite energetic, with an upmarket but casual vibe. Although the meals at Mighty Mighty are quite small, it does offer the opportunity to go with a bunch of friends and order a bit of everything on the menu. That way you can have a taste of everything, and make room for more drinks.

In love and food,

Vivi

Bonsai Botanika, Brisbane CBD

Bonsai Botanika is a gorgeously decorated space that has recently opened in the Brisbane city. The wooden chic interior is extremely calming, creating a great and warm atmosphere. There are three levels, with Level 1 offering drinks, cakes and ice-cream, Level 2 offering food such as ramen (the restaurant level is Edamame, which is the same one located on Hawkin Drive in St Lucia) and Level 3 offering more dining space.

The drinks and food level are both counter service, and you are given a number after you order. The only issue with this is that they do not have separate menus aside from the board, and customers are congested at the doorway trying to figure out what to order.

Mocha Manchy

The Mocha Manchy is by far my most favourite drink at Bonsai Botanika, although the Single Origins Manchy comes to a close second if you are in need of a strong but delicious, caffeine hit.

CHEMEX Brew

CHEMEX Brew

The CHEMEX Brew is a coffee filtration process with the glass flask brewing over coffee beans. I would compare a sip of this coffee to taking a shot of tequila (or a big can of Red Bull), the caffeine hit was strong and fast. This was quite surprising as I have never ever had quite a strong caffeine hit before.

Cappuccino

The cappuccino was quite disappointing as it was extremely watery.

The food at Bonsai Botanika is quite overpriced compared to the other restaurants surrounding it. The drinks are however quite good, depending on what you order. They have a range of different flavours of drinks from salted caramel to dark chocolate & cinnamon pineapple (which sounds quite interesting).

I would recommend Bonsai Botanika if you were in need of a cosy coffee date destination, or even to have a look at their interior decoration.

In love and food,

Vivi

La Via, South Bank

With winter more than half way through, it is getting quite chilly in Brisbane. As with most people, the colder weather often equates to a growing appetite, which means indulging in some comfort food. La Via, located in South Bank, is the perfect Italian restaurant to settle with creamy pastas and aromatic pizzas without feeling like your waistline is increasing.

The pasta of the day, was a creamy pappardelle pasta with scallops, spanner crab and asparagus. The spanner crab was surprisingly bursting with flavours and the scallops were plump and meaty. Although infused in delicious creaminess, the pasta was so light and delectable. 

wagyu bresaola, roast garlic, truffle oil, parmesan

One of my most favourite dishes would have to be pizzas, from the fast food version to those that are a little bit more gourmet. La Via offers one of the best pizzas bursting with flavour but filled with simplicity. With only a few key toppings on each pizza, each element is a perfect accompaniment to one another. In the calabrese salami, green olives, basil and mozzarella pizza, the salami and olive give off distinct flavours whereas the basil and mozzarella are more subtle, making it extremely piquant (and tasting extremely light in the stomach). Although the pizzas at La Via are not wood fired, they are oven baked on a stone base which gives off a crispy crust. 

calabrese salami, green olives, buffalo mozzarella, basil

If you're wandering around South Bank during the day, La Via offers their pizza menu for nearly half the price of their dinner menu. Otherwise, La Via is the perfect place to drop by if you are looking for a casual but delectable Italian restaurant for dinner. 

In love and food,

Vivi

Moose and Gibson, Woolloongabba

Moose and Gibson, located down from the Gabba, is a small quirky cafe with an extremely chilled and relaxed atmosphere. It is the perfect place to slowly sip on your cup of coffee whilst browsing through the newspaper, or to go with a group of friends to catch up before the day begins. As I have mentioned in previous blogs, brunch is my favourite meal of the day and there is nothing more exciting than finding a place that does breakfast type lunch dishes with a twist. Moose and Gibson is definitely the perfect hotspot for this.

With no qualms about growing some winter fat, I ordered the Potato & 3 Cheese Croquettes which is crumbed and lightly fried, with tomato chutney and cucumber salad on the side. I tend to find croquettes quite bland after a few bites, but these potato and cheese croquettes were however, absolutely exquisite with the freshness of the cucumber salad. The portioning looks quite small but there is just enough to fill you up and long for more.

The highlight of Moose and Gibson has to be the Potted Eggs. Filled with chorizos, olives, spinach and baked eggs in a tomato like paste, this dish get the palate salivating. The baked eggs are gooey and are so delectable in the tomato like paste. As well as this, the chorizo and olives mix so splendidly together, adding a burst of flavour and texture. Add into the mix, the turkish bread smothered in garlic butter, and you've got yourself a swoon worthy dish.

Moose and Gibson offers an all day breakfast and lunch starting from 11:30pm. With their quirky decor, statement antler chandelier and vertical garden, it is definitely worth checking out. I would definitely recommend coming and trying their Potted Eggs as I can not get enough of it.

In love and food,

Vivi

Little Larder, New Farm

Brunch, on any given day of the week is probably the most exciting meal. Being able to linger between a late breakfast and an early lunch, it is the perfect opportunity to indulge in something that may be a little bit too cheeky for breakfast but does not constitute as a wholesome lunch. Little Larder, which has been relentlessly raved about, is the perfect hotspot to settle down with a coffee, meal and watch as the morning slowly passes by.

The crispy polenta with poached eggs, spinach, avocado and dill mayo is probably my favourite meal at Little Larder, opting for it whenever I feel like a less greasy start to the day. The polenta is crispy on the outside but starts to melt in your mouth with the first bite. It is perfect paired with a touch of avocado and a dab of jam.

The pesto scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and spinach is just as delectable. I tend to find scrambled eggs to taste quite bland and monotonous after a few bites but with the pesto infused in it, it is quite flavoursome, especially with the smoked salmon.

The larder plate is definitely a meal reserved for the morning after a big night out. With eggs, bacon, sausages, mushroom, onions, potato rosti, tomato and sourdough it is the quintessential meal to grease up the appetite and fill you up until the afternoon.

On top of their delectable menu, Little Larder offers delicious aromatic coffee. If you haven't already been to this breakfast haven, I would definitely recommend a visit. However, be warned that it can get quite busy on the weekend due to its popularity.

In love and food,

Vivi

MIA

There is really no proper reason as to my absences on the blogosphere for the last few months aside from laziness and lack of motivation. I however, decided to come on here tonight to release some stress and to my surprise, there has still been an abundance of views each day. So to those that come back to this site day after day for some food adventures, thank you!

I will include some pictures which will hopefully get your appetite salivating through the night.

In love and food,

Vivi

Ben & Jerry's, Surfers Paradise

After one too many tubs of Ben & Jerry's ice cream over the past few years, and stumbling across a Ben & Jerry's store in Manly, I've been quite ecstatic for Queensland to open up a store (not including the one secluded in Movie World). Finally, the epitome of all things deliciously happy has opened its doors in the heart of Surfers Paradise.

There is an array of ice cream flavours to choose from including sorbets, strawberry cheesecake, chocolate therapy and chocolate chip cookie dough (my favourite). As well as that, Ben & Jerry's also offer waffles, sundaes, smoothies and shakes.

As the store is quite new, the staff are still getting trained and are not quite as proficient. After ordering my tub of chocolate chip cookie dough and triple caramel chunk, I proceeded to the counter with my tub to pay for it. The staff that served me however, stayed where he was to continue serving other customers and did not come over to put my transaction through. After looking at him for awhile, he finally glanced back at me but still did not come over to charge me. My friends had all paid for their ice cream and had left to sit at the seating area, but I was still left standing there waiting to pay. No one came over to serve or help me so I somehow luckily scored a free tub of ice cream!

Ben & Jerry's also offer the scoops of ice cream in plain waffle cones as well as waffle cones with chocolate sprinkles, hundred & thousands, oreos and nuts.

                   

Ben & Jerry's in Manly

Ben & Jerry's in Manly

I would highly recommend coming by and getting yourself a delectable treat.

In love and food,

Vivi

New Shanghai, Queens Plaza

Having waited months for the opening of New Shanghai in Brisbane, the new restaurant in Queens Plaza has been hyped for delectable Shanghai cuisine. Being situated in the Brisbane CBD, I was curious to see whether the food at New Shanghai would be Westernised or whether they would stay true to their traditional taste. 

The dish that immediately caught my attention whilst browsing the menu was the xiao long baos (mini steamed pork buns). J and I have been avidly hunting down xiao long baos in Brisbane that could be comparable to those at Din Tai Fung for months now. After many failed attempts and cursing at Brisbane's lack of palatable xiao long baos, we were extremely excited to see what New Shanghai had to offer. 

My mounting excitement was pleasantly surprised as I took the first bite into the xiao long bao. It was absolutely mouthwateringly, delicious! The broth surrounding the tender meat was hot and flavoursome and the pastry was thin enough to still taste and to hold everything together. 

The pan fried dumplings and wontons were both very flavoursome. With all the dim sims made in store (you can watch the chefs create these dim sims at the restaurant's front window), they were both fresh and delicious. 

As an entree, J decided on the shredded jellyfish and raddish tossed in soy sauce. This dish felt very light and fresh, a perfect accompaniment to the dim sims and drunken chicken. 

The drunken chicken was perfect for snacking on, with the alcoholic taste not too overwhelming.

The deep fried crispy skinned chicken was very tender which balanced perfectly with the crispy skin and chilli garlic dipping sauce.

New Shanghai is a reasonably priced restaurant with an enjoyable variety of dishes. It is the perfect place to meet in the city with friends to share a few entrees and main dishes, which gives you an opportunity to have a taste of everything. I would highly recommend trying their xiao long baos and the other dim sims that they have on offer.

In love and food,

Vivi