Josue Lopez may have departed the city for his first solo project, but there’s nothing suburban about his menu – it displays the same artful flair that secured him much acclaim at GOMA. Native ingredients remain front and centre, not least in an emblematic match-up of seared kangaroo loin and hand-cut emu tartare in a wattle-evoking composition featuring wattleseed, purslane and pumpkin acacia. The cranberry-clove notes of lilly pilly add a sharp local edge to a veal tartare-like offering, with king brown mushroom purée alongside. Wattleseed reappears at dessert, this time in a cacao-dusted, lightly coffee-flavoured yoghurt studded with brittle chunks of chocolate, macadamia and rosella. Lopez’s wife Krystal oversees the friendly service (and painted the impressive canvasses adorning the VJ walls of this lovely Queenslander). If the painted cray dish is on, dressed up with scallop foam, tender octopus and glass-like potato shards, nab it. Drinks are in tune with the “local not parochial” motif, mainly Australian within the appealing by-the-glass selection, backed by a swag of Champagne.
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide
Our guide gives a yearly snapshot at the best restaurants to eat at right now. The best-rated restaurants, as judged by the reviewers’ first-hand experience, form our national Top 50.
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