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POSTED: 27 APRIL 2011

Destination: Brisbane

Mike Smith attacks Brisbane with a knife and fork — and suggests the city should be looking for an alternative moniker to BrisVegas.

Not too many people know why Brisbane was branded “BrisVegas”.

One theory is that the name was unceremoniously coined by journalists in Sydney and Melbourne, sometime in the 1990s, as an iconic response to Brisbane’s attempts to present itself as an exciting city.

Another theory is that in the late 1980s students studying in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, gave Brisbane its name after listening to Elvis Presley’s Viva Las Vegas on the drive between centres, changing the lyrics in the process.

Others say the name was in response to Rockhampton’s description — RockVegas — after the city on the animated TV series, The Flintstones.

Then there was the 1995 opening of Brisbane’s first casino, The Treasury, in the heart of a growing city. Now, that sounds more like it.

Whatever the theory, the tag — and the connotations that accompanied it — has stuck, and Brisbane has grown to adopt it ... with open arms.

Look at the dramatic changes that have transformed the Queensland capital’s skyline in recent years — the new hotels, trendy restaurants, cosy cafes and upbeat nightclubs.

Sadly, the devastating floods earlier this year will be remembered for bringing Brisbane to its knees. For those old enough to be around in 1974, it was a case of déjà vu.

Thankfully, the floodwaters didn’t reach the same peak, although they were just as damaging, if not more in some neighbourhoods of what is now a more populated and more expansive metropolitan area.

“You can see from the markings on the side of wall just how high the waters rose,” points out Brisbane local Jane Hodges during a stroll along the waterfront near the former Brisbane Powerhouse, now a popular arts and restaurant complex at New Farm, a 10-to-15-minute drive from the CBD.

“It was quite frightening having to wait for the floodwaters to arrive, not knowing how high they would rise.”

It’s hard to imagine such devastation as we walk under the towering trees of New Farm Park, stopping to watch dog owners teach their pets a few tricks at the weekend outdoor obedience classes.

Unlike in January, when much of south-eastern Queensland was awash, we arrive to see and enjoy a far more relaxed city under sun-filled skies. What a contrast, we think to ourselves, to see locals picnicking in the parks seemingly without a care in the world. It is as if there hadn’t any floods at all.

A combined injection of $10 million from the Federal and Queensland Governments has provided the normally popular Queensland tourist spots the platform to say, “Hey, we are open for business.” And Brisbane is heading the charge in passing on the good word ... especially through its many exciting accommodation and dining options.

After checking into Fortitude Valley’s swish Emporium Hotel for a night’s stay, we head downstairs to the hotel’s chic bar where $17 cocktails with names such as Rose for Emily are on the menu. It’s an exquisite setting, decorated with a stained-glass wall which had a previous life in a Parisian shopfront more than a century ago, and a German chandelier, originally from a castle in Europe.

About an hour later, we move next door to the casual — and popular — Tartufo Ristorante and Bar, and a menu of tantalising Italian dishes with a Queensland twist, created by chef Tony Percuoco, the fresh figs as much sought-after as an entrée as the lamb as a main course.

The perfect start to a Brisbane experience is the consensus, as we map out a list of things to do and sample the following day — Saturday.

In the morning, after a scenic 30-minute drive inland, we catch up with Brisbane-born-and-educated artist Robert Brownhall who, with his family, shows us a few of his works from his mountain home/studio at Upper Brookfield. Over lunch on the veranda he chats about his love for recapturing the changing moods of south-eastern Queensland by putting brush to canvas. Robert’s latest exhibition — Somewhere in the City: Urban Narratives — is on show at the Museum of Brisbane.

The leisurely yet inspirational visit is followed by a drive to suburban Bowen Hills and a call at Phillip Di Bella’s eight-year-old boutique-style coffee factory, to meet resident specialist Anne Cooper and sample some of the company’s many blends, now the attention of many cafes around Australia. Near the factory is a former fast-food drive-through, now used during the working weeks by coffee-seeking motorists.

Finding a hot spot to dine isn’t a chore on a Saturday evening, the choice dependant on taste, budget and neighbourhood.

Take the short southerly drive from Fortitude Valley, across the famous Story Bridge, and suburban Woolloongabba has its share of eateries within a short walk of the famous Test cricket ground, the Gabba. Amongst the popular is a particularly boisterous The Crosstown Eating House, where dining is casual and groups are fond of sharing dishes inside a two-storey building which dates back to the 1920s, the decorative theme very much nautical.

Also popular, albeit more expensive and upmarket, is Sake Restaurant and Bar, a contemporary Japanese restaurant on Eagle Street Pier in the CBD. As the name suggests, sake (the drink that is) is in ample supply and varieties. And depending on the diner’s tastes, it can be matched with the food as a sake sommelier is on hand to offer suggestions and general advice.

Dining, a la Brisbane style, can easily spill over to Sundays, of particular note for a light or hearty breakfast at Café Au Cirque in Brunswick Street, New Farm. This small two-storey café is a hive of activity on weekends — poached eggs with green pea mash, grilled bacon and fried corizo is popular at $15.50. The restaurant is included in the seasonally altered and free The Good Guide, consisting of four pocket-sized books created by discerning locals Noelle Jones and Bodhi Mary Hunter, who are dedicated to offering advice on where to dine, drink and play in different neighbourhoods of Brisbane.

Lunch can take guests to fashionable Paddington, not far from the Broncos’ Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park) and the popular Paddington Antiques Market (inside a 1929-built former theatre), where two exciting restaurants of a different kind sit side-by-side inside The Barracks, a former police barracks.

One, popular for its outdoor and indoor dining on tapas and anything else Spanish, is Peasant. Next door is Libertine, with its heritage-listed dining room, chandeliers and decadent wallpaper, and delicious French-Vietnamese and Asian cuisine.

Back in Fortitude Valley, local foodie Sally Lynch is taking guests on a walk through the Garboro Asian Market to seek and buy ingredients for a street-food cooking class. Sally’s Taste Trekker tours are growing in popularity and can make for a memorable Sunday outing, particularly when the “kitchen” is in a private home on the banks of the meandering Brisbane River and guests have the chance to make their own crispy Vietnamese pancake.

Brisbane may love being the labelled BrisVegas, but there must surely be a more appropriate gastronomic tag to befit the many dining pleasures.

Perhaps “Brisbane on a Plate”. Now that sounds tantalisingly suitable.

Disclosure: Mike Smith was a guest of Tourism Australia, Tourism Queensland and Brisbane Marketing.

Paddington Antique Markets.

View from Spicers Balfour of Story Bridge.

Ferris wheel on South Bank.

DINING

Tartufo, 1000 Ann St, Fortitude Valley — Italian fare with a Queensland twist, casual, cheerful atmosphere. Phone 07 3852 1500 or visit www.tartufo.com.au.

Crosstown Eating House, 23 Logan Rd, Woolloongabba — popular bar and restaurant housed in a 1920s two-storey building along a street famous for its antiques. Share plates recommended. Phone 07 3162 3839.

Sake Restaurant and Bar, Level 1/45 Eagle St, Brisbane — chic, contemporary Japanese cuisine with vast choice of sake. Phone 07 3339 0999 or visit www.sakerestaurant.com.au/brisbane.

Peasant, The Barracks, Petrie Terrace, Paddington — indoor/outdoor dining, tapas and sangria with choice of Spanish and Portuguese wines. Phone 07 3367 8066 or visit www.peasant.com.au.

Libertine, The Barracks, Petrie Terrace, Paddington — under the same owners as Peasant, specialises in French-Vietnamese cuisine decorated in recycled timber furniture and chandeliers. Phone 07 3367 3353 or visit www.libertine.net.au.

Café Au Cirque, 618 Brunswick St, New Farm — one of the hottest spots for weekend breakfast, light or hearty. Phone 07 3254 0479.

Alfresco dining in Brsibane.

Cocktail in the Emporium Hotel’s chic bar.

Foyer to Spicers Balfour hotel.

Breakfast at Café Au Cirque.

Paddington Antique Market.

Sally  Lynch of Taste Trekker Tours.

STAY

Emporium Hotel, 1000 Ann St, Fortitude Valley, has 102 luxury studio suites and a popular cocktail bar decorated in contemporary and antique fixtures collected from around the world. Phone 07 3253 6999 or visit www.emporiumhotel.com.au.

Spicers Balfour Hotel, 37 Balfour St, New Farm, is a small boutique-style hotel housed in an old Queenslander home with views of the Story Bridge from the upstairs bar. Phone 07 1300 764 854 or visit www.spicersgroup.com.au/balfour).

The Limes Hotel, 142 Constance St, Fortitude Valley, is a small hotel in the heart of the nightlife area of Brisbane and popular for its rooftop bar. Phone 07 3852 9000 or visit www.limeshotel.com.au.

Oaks Festival Towers, 108 Albert St, Brisbane, offers spacious apartment-style accommodation in the heart of the CBD. Phone 07 3027 8800 or visit www.oakshotelsresorts.com.

FOODIES' TOUR

Taste Trekkers Tours — guide and passionate foodie Sally Lynch takes guests on a tour of the markets in Chinatown, to gather ingredients for a street food, hands-on cooking class, washed down with afternoon cocktail. Phone 07 3852 1946 or visit www.tastetrekkers.com.au.

WORTH HAVING

The Good Guide — four pocket-sized booklets (split into different neighbourhoods) focusing on where to dine, drink and play. Visit www.goodguide.net.au.

WORTH A VISIT

The Museum of Brisbane presents Somewhere in the City: Urban Narratives, by local artist Robert Brownhall, until 31 July. Visit www.museumofbrisbane.com.au.

Brisbane Powerhouse — music, comedy, theatre, dance and dining. Visit www.brisbanepowerhouse.org.

Di Bedlla Coffee factory, 82 Abbotsford Rd, Bowen Hills, for coffee tastings and purchases. Phone 1800 332163 or visit www.dibellacoffee.com.au.

Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, Stanley Place, South Brisbane — 200 works featuring 140 artists and groups focusing on the 2000-2010 decade. Phone 07 38407303 or visit www.qag.gov.au.

INFORMATION

Tourism Queensland — www.queenslandholidays.com.au.

Brisbane Marketing — www.brisbanemarketing.com.au.