I saw 2020 in from Brisbane this week. I flew in on Monday and flew out on Friday. It was a nice break from existing in Canberra.
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Feasting in Brisbane over the New Year week
We all know that when I visit Brisbane, especially when I’m with family, we focus on food.
Part of the plan for this week was to indulge in some seafood as well as try some new things too.
Monday, 30 December 2019
On the flight from Canberra to Brisbane (QF1544) I had a bottle of water plus this slice. I can’t say it was good. I had a nibble and didn’t touch the rest.
After some mucking around trying to rent a car, I got to my parent’s apartment and asked what they’d like to do for lunch. Mum suggested “the Chinese place at Aspley Hypermarket but not the yum cha place.”
Me: “Does this place have a name?”
Mum: “I don’t know, but I know where it is.”
So we drove to the Aspley Hypermarket and entered the Sunlit Asian Market. Next to the market is a restaurant that doesn’t appear to have a sign. Well at least I didn’t see a sign. Mind you I did only have a cursory look (also known as a man look)*. I’ve since been informed by friends on Facebook that the place is called Burlington BBQ.
Burlington BBQ (Aspley)
t81/59 Albany Creek Rd, Aspley QLD 4034
0430 126 088
Mum enjoyed a boneless duck and noodle soup and because Dad is a brittle diabetic, we went low carb, high protein, and high fat with crispy skin roast pork belly and half a boneless roast duck.
At $49 it was reasonable for the amount of food the three of us ate. It was a very filling meal and I felt very sated.
The pork was delicious and not too fatty. The crackling was thin and perfect in terms of crunch. The duck was possibly a little too fatty (if that is possible) and towards the end all I could do was eat the skin on the last few bits.
For tea, we went to Sichuan Papa. You can also read a review I did.
We started with salt and pepper soft shelled crab and some spicy wontons.
We then shared five main course plates including slow cooked pork belly, cumin lamb, traditional Sichuan poached fish, honey prawns, and wok-fried Sichuan intestines.
Sichuan Papa
Shop 24 Park Lane Everton Park Plaza, 791 Stafford Rd, Everton Park QLD 4053
Later that evening I visited Ms18 at Cold Rock and had a salted caramel ice cream with freckles mixed in.
Tuesday, 31 December 2019
Breakfast was spinach and an egg.
For lunch, I took Mum, Dad, and Ms18 to Tempest Seafood Restaurant and Teppanyaki Grill in Scarborough.
I’ve written a short review of my meal which was a steak with scallops.
Normally, at the Tempest I enjoy a seafood platter. This time though I went with a steak and some sea scallops (reef and beef).
After lunch, we wandered over to Morgans Seafood Market & Takeaway to buy some salmon, blue endeavour prawns, blue swimmer (sand) crabs, and Moreton Bay bugs.
For tea on Tuesday I made some old fashioned sandwiches with white sandwich bread, real butter, prawns and crab meat.
You can read more details on the Random Yummy.
Wednesday, 01 January 2020
Breakfast was an egg and spinach.
Lunch involved Ms24, her boyfriend, Ms18 and Mum and Dad.
The lunch also included homemade punch.
Earlier in the morning, Mum made a pavlova which she topped with dark brown sugar and vanilla whipped cream, cherries, and pieces of Kensington Pride mango.
For tea on New Year’s Day I cooked some salmon with a mango and avocado salad including pickled radish, red onion, and fennel. The salmon from Morgan’s Seafood Market & Takeaway was fabulous. Mum and I have the same toaster oven so the cooking conditions were identical to what I do in Canberra. Compared with the salmon I buy at Coles in Belconnen, the salmon from the market was amazing. Firm yet flakey.
The details for this meal are also at the Random Yummy.
I’m pleased that Mum and Dad didn’t mind my salad making efforts.
Thursday, 02 January 2020
Breakfast was the breakfast of champions. I enjoyed leftover pavlova from New Year’s day. The nice thing about refrigerated leftover pavlova is the whipped cream stiffens a little and the texture is delightful on the tongue. If you’ve never tried this, I urge you to give it a go, unless of course have have diabetes mellitus. If that’s the case, I suggest living vicariously through others while eating a bit of cheese.
There’s bit of a story on the Random Yummy.
I took Mum, Dad, and Ms18 to lunch at Cafe Diversity at Redcliffe
I enjoyed the fish tacos 🌮 and pineapple 🍍 juice.
There are more details at the Random Yummy.
Cafe Diversity
75 Redcliffe Parade, Redcliffe QLD 4020
(07) 3284 6956
Thursday tea was going to be a night out but I offered to cook a steak for Mum and Dad and they agreed. Mum and Dad said they wanted to shout me dinner, but I said I’d be happier if I could cook for them.
I added some prawns for a surf and turf meal. The details of how I prepared the meal are over at the Random Yummy.
Friday, 03 January 2020
No one was free to have breakfast with me so I went to Cafe 63 at Westfield Chermside and enjoyed the Shearer’s classic. This arrived as a large bowl of toast, liver, bacon, onion rings, poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce, gravy, and a potato rosti on the bottom which after I cracked the yolk of the eggs became a soggy bottom of rosti soaked with egg yolk, gravy, and Hollandaise sauce 😋🤤
My only complaint is that this meal was served in a bowl. It makes using a knife and fork to cut the liver and bacon a little awkward. It also makes toast management difficult as well. I suggest places try to avoid being trendy and hipster and stick with being practical. I’ll be happier that way.
Cafe 63 Chermside
Shop 2612 Gympie Rd, Chermside QLD 4032
1300 636 300
Random Yummy
I’ve mentioned nearly all the Random Yummy posts in the food descriptions earlier in this post. I didn’t record any audio clips to accompany the posts. I didn’t want to bring my podcasting headset with me.
Last night I cooked a really nice rib eye bone in steak. Please check out the photographs.
Final thoughts
Do you like cooking for family and friends? How was your New Year’s eve and day? Have you tried pig intestines?
*In this day and age, is it acceptable to use the term “man look”? I’m a bit inept when it comes to being politically correct.
Happy New Year Gary! So much glorious seafood there. My dream come true. I love your sandwich idea. That’s always my favourite way to eat a lot of seafood 🙂
It’s so simple, but so tasty. Such a great way to enjoy seafood with family.
You certainly did eat well!!
I was very happy 😃
Happy 2020! What a magnificent week of feasting you had… I’ve never eaten pig’s intestines before and probably won’t rush to do so, though I applaud the theory of nose to tail eating. The first place you visited with your mum and dad sounded brilliant – yummy and cheap. ‘Man look’ is fine, as long as you don’t try mansplaining anything… !!! 🙂
Hehe I will endeavour to avoid mansplaining 😃
Happy 2020 Emma
We had a quiet family New Year as usual. We enjoyed watching Dracula on BBC 1 over three nights. I haven’t eaten chiterlings but my husband and Steven have and they were terrible. The food you had looks marvellous.
Thanks, I really enjoyed myself. I hope 2020 is a good one for you and your family.
Loved the comment your mum made. I do the same thing! 😂😂
Your old fashioned sandwiches were nothing like any I’ve ever had. Mmmmmm! I am glad your parents let you cook for them. I’m always glad to have someone else do meals, although I admit it’s usually by bringing in burger take outs or taking me to a fast food joint of some sort. I love cooking and do it a great deal. My creations don’t look near as delicious as yours, though!
Thanks, Kris. While I do not cook for anyone else, I do like cooking for my immediate family.
When we were kids, Dad would go and buy fresh prawns and we’d have prawn sandwiches on white bread with some salt and pepper. Sometimes we’d also sprinkle a little vinegar on the prawns too.
Clever!