Bacchus’s first trick was becoming a Brisbane hotel restaurant worth frequenting. Five years along, this multi-award winner has risen to far greater heights. While the luxurious design and chestnut colour palette from that late 2012 build might be showing the first signs of age, Bacchus is otherwise old-school in all the right ways. Service is exacting but friendly; staff will helpfully talk you through the produce-driven menu. Crisp-fried egg with spinach and sesame is perfectly rich, its aged parmesan sauce surprisingly mild. A-grade, line-caught tuna needs nothing more than sesame oil to shine, while tender New Zealand venison loin is cleverly lifted by a Valrhona chocolate jus – even if the accompanying slider on a separate plate feels OTT. To drink? Go by the glass to make the most of gun sommelier Andrew Giblin, who wields a hefty list. Ginger bavarois paired with caramelised pineapple jam provides a lovely denouement.
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
Food: ★
Wine: ★ ★ ★
Gourmet Traveller’s star-ratings, which range from zero to three stars, reflect reviewers’ first-hand experiences. The best-rated restaurants form our national Top 100. Our wine ratings, from zero to three stars, are made by wine editor Max Allen on the strength of the quality of the restaurant’s wine list. View our rating key here.
