Eating in Brisbane - Hot Rocks Steakhouse Burpengary

The best lunch deal in town!

One Sunday afternoon my cousin and I decided to visit our friend's restaurant in Burpengary. They own a Hot Rocks restaurant, previously known as 'Flintstones'. The restaurant is large, but pleasantly cosy with deep coloured walls and warm wooden tables and chairs. 

Hot Rocks Steakhouse Burpengary

Gayleen and Steve are a friendly couple who love to serve and make the atmosphere welcoming. 

Carolyn and Gayleen

Gayleen is a wonderful cook, so I was surprised to hear that Steve was the one behind the stove. 

Steve in the kitchen

Gayleen showed us their lunch specials menu - an impressive $10 for a hot rock lunch! We were not expecting such a good price. The $10 lunch includes a selection of chicken or fish with chips, sauce and garden salad. Although, when visiting a steakhouse you really need to try the steak, don't you agree? So we opted for the $13.50 hot rock rump steak meal. 

 $13.50 Hot Rock Rump Steak meal

We were not disappointed. The rocks are heated to 400 degrees, and the meat placed on top for the customer to cook as they please. Perfect! They provide quality salt and pepper grinders for you to season your steak before turning it. 

Unfortunately, I never took a photo of the cooked steak, which would have been more enticing, but  trust me when I say it was delicious! Poor old rump has been given a bad rap in recent years, with restaurants serving tough chewy rump steak for their cheap lunch deals. Hot Rocks Steakhouse is not guilty of that. They have renewed my faith in a good rump steak. Of course, they have many exquisite cuts on the menu for those wanting something a little more special and willing to pay the price. Dinner menu meals start at around $24, with a large choice of mains. 

One of the things I really like is that the chef can never stuff up your steak! I couldn't count the number of times I have had to return my steak because they haven't cooked it right. If you aren't sure how to cook a great steak yourself, you can always ask the staff to teach you, they have even turned meat for the real novice diner in the past. But it's not rocket science, a little instruction and you'll be sure to cook it perfectly. Don't be confused with other steakhouses who bring your cooked steak out on sizzling hot plates, these rocks are meant to cook your steak, not keep them warm. The rock stays hot for a long time, so even if you remove it too early you can always try again. Although, be careful with chicken and other dry meats as over-cooking it will ruin your meal. If you really are too scared to do it yourself, there are other choices on the menu that don't require you to cook it yourself, or ask someone at your table to help. It is just a matter of turning it at the right time. 

All the sauces are made in the restaurant. I tried the mushroom and aioli. Both were very nice. We had enough sauce to finish the steak generously by dipping it in. I took my steak off at the rare stage and just seared pieces one at a time then dipped them into the sauce for perfect sizzling steak with every bite. 

As for the chips, and here comes a real compliment, the master of chips herself (my cousin, Carolyn) declared that no extra salt was required (shock!) and they were cooked perfectly - "The best chips I've had in a long time. Perfect". So there you have it. I too was impressed by the well cooked chips by the way. 

Even the salad dressing is restaurant-made and many customers ask for bottles of it to take home (which is currently not possible, sorry). You'll just have to visit there more often. 

The grand finale is what a lot of you expect in your gastronomic pleasure-seeking and to be honest, I have had difficulty in finding restaurants that measure up in the dessert department. Even some high-end restaurants have left me with a, 'meh'. As soon as I heard the desserts were made by the establishment and not delivered on the 'seen-it-in-every-cafe' truck, I ordered one to share. 

Choices, choices.... Well, there was the sticky date pudding, self-saucing chocolate pudding, butterscotch pudding, chocolate mousse and chocolate caramel mousse. We went with the butterscotch pudding. 

Butterscotch Pudding $8.50

This was rather large, by the way. Plenty for two, but too delicious to share. Soft airy sponge with perfect butterscotch sauce. Not bad for $8.50. Next time we will have one each. Hands off!

If you feel like a drink with your meal, the only negative would be that it's not licensed. The positive? There's a liquor land two doors down and the restaurant is B.Y.O. Even better. Sunday lunch has never been cheaper. 

R.S.L, sorry, but this is our new favourite lunch venue. What a warm and toasty winter it will be.

Details:

Website: http://hotrockssteakhouse.com.au/

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/HotrocksteakhouseBurpengary

Visited May 2015

Eating in Brisbane - Redcliffe 'Kashikoi Sushi'

My cousin Robyn found this restaurant on Anzac Avenue and recommended it to me. Since arriving in Australia 6 years ago I had yet to find a Japanese restaurant to a standard that I was used to in Japan. Sono in Brisbane was the only one. There are some small restaurants in Brisbane that serve cheap Japanese food, but nothing of a slightly higher quality. Kashikoi sushi would have to be the first one. 

Don't be confused by the name. Sushi is a specialty here, but they also serve a different menu that is cooked to perfection. 

Tempura would have to be my favourite dish. Naughty, crispy, juicy, and PRAWNS...what more can I say?? 

I have been on a quest since arriving here to find a place that serves tempura correctly. I tried restaurants everywhere only to be disappointed by the mushy soft oily mess that was presented. To this day Sono had been the only one that was capable of understanding true tempura. Now I can add Kashikoi Sushi to my list. Perfect tempura. Absolutely perfect. A plate with two of everything: $11.90.

Another dish I love is Agedashi Tofu. Deep fried tofu in a refreshing soup. $?? I forgot... I think it was around $5.90. Usually the Tofu is coated in a crispy batter, but this was a little different. It was chewy and stretchy. Maybe a new variation?? Either way, it was still delicious. 

To accompany my meal I chose a side dish of Soba noodles. $2.50. Portions were generous! I could have chosen the Tempura Soba $12.90, but the tempura goes soggy in the soup and you get more tempura by ordering it separately. The soup was perfect. Not too salty with the right stock taste. I loved it. 

Wagyu steak is always a winner. This cut was tender but not trimmed, maybe a rump or possibly sirloin? Not the best steak I have had. For $18 I would rather have Hogs Breath. Nice flavours though. 

Oh la la! The sushi was fancy. Yum yum and more yum! I haven't tried the raw fish yet, but this place will be a regular stop for me so I will let you know! 

Tuna and Avocado 'Caterpillar". 

Thanks Robyn! 

Visited March 2015.

No website, but here is the Facebook link:

https://www.facebook.com/SushiKashikoi

  

The Smoke BBQ

Looking for some authentic smoked meat American style? This is the place for you! With a cosy pub feeling, you will feel welcome and at ease.

We were stuck for a place to go with visiting friends who love BBQ ribs. We looked online for something in the area and found their website. Trip Advisor had good reviews so we gave it a go. 

The Smoke BBQ is in a small shopping village in New Farm. The restaurant had a wonderful relaxed atmosphere, with people enjoying their meals and company. The staff were wonderful. On arrival they presented us with complimentary house-made corn bread, warm and delicious. 

http://thesmokebbq.com.au/

We ordered the Big Rib Combo $54 which consisted of Texas Beef Short Rib, Memphis Pork Belly & North Carolina Pulled Pork served with fries & coleslaw. There was more than enough to share between two. I loved the Texas Beef Short Rib the best. Next time I would like to try the Brisket and Pork ribs. 

Pork and Chicken Platter $54 (shared). Memphis Pork Belly with a side of Memphis Sauce, North Carolina Pulled Pork & a half Hickory Chicken with a side of Memphis BBQ served with fries & coleslaw. Not as many rave reviews of this dish, but the flavors were still awesome.

We also tried the Buffalo Chicken Wings 10 for $17. They were a nice starter, but a little spicy for me. 

The Nebraska Pale Ale $9 was a nice match for the meal.

For dessert we tried the Warm Fudge Nut Brownie served warm with vanilla ice cream – $12, Peanut Butter Pudding – $9, Pumpkin Pie served with vanilla ice cream $12. The Peanut Butter Pudding was my favorite. Not so fussed on the pumpkin pie, it was more like a bland cake. 

Will definitely be going back!!!

Eating in Brisbane - Club Tavern, Caboolture

Clubs, RSLs and Taverns typically serve 'pub food'. But what constitutes pub food has been redefined recently by places serving more sophisticated versions of traditional meals. The last time I visited this tavern 4 years ago they were serving expensive fancy meals that far out-glorified the venue. This time I was pleasantly presented with a reasonably priced menu and more appropriate food. 

http://www.clubtavern.com.au/dining

What impressed me the most was they didn't sacrifice quality for cost. The prices must be at least $10 cheaper per meal than four years ago, and the menu is a lot smaller and simpler. Although, the deal-breaker in most clubs and taverns is the specials menu. Tonight's special was a massive serving of Rump & Ribs with chips and salad for only $19.90. 

The rump was a beautiful large piece that was tender and trim. It had a beautiful flavor, like I remember meat tasting as a child. 

The ribs were falling off the bone with a BBQ flavor that wasn't too sweet. Everything was delicious. 

The club itself is well presented, but the lack of patrons made the atmosphere very stiff. If they turned up the music, things would be a little more comfortable. 

The staff were lovely. We rang and booked a birthday table, and they decorated it nicely with balloons and a table cloth. The staff seemed proud of working there and made the night special. 

There is even a closed-off room for kids to play and scream while parents have some peace during dinner. 

A little tip: the meals are very generous so if you want to take some home, make sure you sneak a container in your bag as the club has a no-take-out policy for insurance reasons. 

So if you are willing to venture out in Caboolture at night, the tavern is putting up some fierce competition to the RSL opposite. Although the tavern is small and doesn't offer as much as other nearby clubs, it is worth a visit to try their Rump and Ribs!