After Saturday's paint job, the reward. Jane found a new bar to check out over in Ashgrove. Honestly, not the sort of place I would go looking for a bar. Especially not in an old 1970s arcade on Waterworks Road. But that's where Arcade Wine is located. And it's pretty good.
Jane remembered the arcade from her childhood. There was a haberdashery store where kids would go for their school jumpers. Or, rather, not for their jumpers, but the wool and a pattern for knitting them. Because this was the Olden Days.
For a wonder, the haberdasher is still there. The arcade seems to have undergone some sort of street cred transfusion, however, because there’s a very groovy-looking restaurant at one end and an even groovier-looking social club at the other end. Or maybe it’s a barber? I honestly couldn’t tell. About halfway down, we found our favourite new bar.
It's very Italian, which is to say it's run by Italians and they take the business of serving food and wine, mostly Italian wine, very seriously. That’s not to say it’s all heavy and formal. But these guys are not fucking around.
They've got something like 57 different wine-by-the-glass options. The food is simple but on point, in the Italian way. We opted for the $80 special. Truffled butter and freshly baked baguettes. Vitello Tonnato Piedmontese. (More meat, basically). Lobster rolls. And matched wines.
The wines started with a pinot grigio which was light, crisp and bright with mineral content. I loved it. But then I blew my fixed-price deal by opting for some spendy Italian Chardonnay analogue which was insanely good.
Totally worth it.
I think I’ll be back after all my painting sessions.
I was up in that sort of direction this weekend doing oktoberfest with friends - great day out (we opted for the sunday arvo session which was more restrained) with the only downer being that the beer wasn't german. Atmosphere was good though. We were stuck at the rydges between the showgrounds and fortitude valley - man, living in the country i'd almost erased the smell of piss stained streets. Fortitude valley is obviously named for that smell! : )
Before we got there though we spent some time with the mother in law a bit further south and we got an amazing feed at a place called Athenias located in this weird precinct on the edge of a man made lake called Emerald Lakes. Its like a strange florence-esque type theme all through the place with a 1:1 statue of David in the middle of it all. The nephew and niece were a bit rowdy though and i was expecting a hand delivered note from the local body corporate in triplicate. But that greek food? Kisses fingers emoji
That's a fair reward for your efforts. Think of it as 'just desserts.'
I was up in that sort of direction this weekend doing oktoberfest with friends - great day out (we opted for the sunday arvo session which was more restrained) with the only downer being that the beer wasn't german. Atmosphere was good though. We were stuck at the rydges between the showgrounds and fortitude valley - man, living in the country i'd almost erased the smell of piss stained streets. Fortitude valley is obviously named for that smell! : )
Before we got there though we spent some time with the mother in law a bit further south and we got an amazing feed at a place called Athenias located in this weird precinct on the edge of a man made lake called Emerald Lakes. Its like a strange florence-esque type theme all through the place with a 1:1 statue of David in the middle of it all. The nephew and niece were a bit rowdy though and i was expecting a hand delivered note from the local body corporate in triplicate. But that greek food? Kisses fingers emoji