Vino’s – Upper Level, Eagle Street Pier, Brisbane, Qld

Name: Vino’s Restaurant

Location: Upper Level, Eagle Street Pier, Brisbane, Qld

Website: http://www.vinos.com.au

Date visited: 23 Feb 08

Cost: Worth it!

Our Rating: 4 cracked peppers

Ms OE says:

We were looking for a nice restaurant to celebrate our anniversary and in Vino’s we found it – fine dining, good prompt service, great views and excellent food. We sampled an entree each followed by a shared pizza. I had the scallops – interesting bursts of flavour. OE enjoyed a toffee coated walnut salad. The Wagyu steak pizza was very good. We left pleasantly surprised by the price. Another one to go back to.

Mr OE says:

While this place is not the cheapest eat, its fine dining, and thats what you get. The surrounds are inviting – Eagle Street is somewhat concrete, but inside Vinos its quite human. It really does have a wine bar atmosphere too, which nicely complements the dining, and I’d like to come here sometime just for that. The view, ah yes, that is spectacular, and Brisbane is a pretty city as the sun sets and the lights come out. The wine list is extensive, expensive, and good, and the food is exotic, beautifully presented, and prepared just so. Probably the first time I have had a pizza that WAS a fine dining experience, the wagu beef just melted. And I was impressed by the caramalised walnut, goat cheese and rocket salad, so much that I’m going to steal it for my own kitchen. Popular – people were being turned away at peak time (7.30pm), and justly so. Thumbs up I say.

Jeremy’s Espresso Bistro – 93 Albert St, Brisbane, Qld

Name: Jeremy’s Espresso Bistro

Location:93 Albert St, Brisbane, Qld

Website: http://www.jeremys.com.au

Date visited: 24 Feb 08

Cost: High-ish – but not much more than most

Our Rating: 4 cracked peppers

Ms OE says:

We had stumbled upon Jeremy’s one hot afternoon after a walk in the Botanic Gardens. We popped in for a coffee and a very nice piece of cake (NOT dry – unlike some cafe offerings) and liked the ambiance and prompt, friendly service. So on Sunday morning when we were looking for somewhere to breakfast in the City we decided to give it ago. I took a little longer to arrive thanks to the upset stomach of the relative joining us, but when I arrived I found Mr OE ensconced on a cosy window seat in the corner. The waitress promptly arrived with water and a menu and asked if we would like them to hold the meal Mr OE had just ordered – obviously pleased that Mr OE’s claims to have ‘friend’s coming’ were in fact true. I selected the hollandaise sausage and Mr OE had the pancakes – all very tasty. Meanwhile the background music changed tone and became deeper in quality – a live musician was playing! The cafe was busy but the ambiance was friendly and slightly bohemian – people were studying, meeting with friends, chatting or like us, reading the paper. Great food, not too expensive and excellent ambiance. A place to go back to.

Mr OE says:

I’ve been here twice now – both for a simple coffee and cake, which were both well done, and also for breakfast. What I like best was the snappy and attentive service, and the atmosphere, it really does feel like somewhere where people just chill, as well as eat. Plus – live cellist on Sunday, and live jazz at other times (not yet sampled). Its not the cheapest, $42 for (cooked) breakfast for two + 3 drinks, but the food and drinks were tasty, not too slow, and well presented. No AC – but thats part of the ’street’ experience.