Phuc Deli Viet

Phuc Deli Viet is located on the bus stop side of Indooroopilly Shopping Mall and sits adjacent to Pig 'N' Whistle. I cannot believe I have walked past this restaurant for so many years and never stopped to try the food. Forget your cheap local Vietnamese cafe that drowns their stock with MSG - Chef Johnny Tran has a palate of a seasoned chef and doesn't need to cut corners to make a strong, standout stock. 

I was recently invited to try Chef Johnny's signature pho. The more I found out about his history, the more I understood why his food was so good. Chef Johnny came to Australia as a refugee and cooked in restaurants to support himself through school. He has worked at a number of noteworthy restaurants in Brisbane before being approached to open a Vietnamese restaurant next to Pig 'N' Whistle at Indooroopilly. This was way back in 1999.

Over 13 years later, he is still the head chef here, leading the kitchen everyday. There weren't many Vietnamese restuarants around back then and I'm impressed that Phuc Deli Viet stood so strongly when Vietnamese food was not as popular. Speaking to some of my colleagues at work, they recall only seeing asian herbs like coriander for the first time about 5-10 years ago in when they were in their late 20s. Chef Johnny has come very far and it certainly shows in his food. 

Hainan Chicken Rice with Chilli Garlic Sauce, Ginger Sauce and Chicken Broth

Burger Urge - Brisbane's Best Burgers. Stop 5

Continuing on with my burger search in Brisbane, I decided to try Burger Urge. It wasn't on my go-to list however BYOB was closed over the Christmas/New Years period and this place was just around the corner. I've heard mixed reviews about Burger Urge but tried not to let that affect my judgement. I find prior expectations of a place can really affect your dining experience.

Burger Urge is a chain restaurant with numerous branches in Brisbane including St Lucia, Kelvin Grove, West End and Fortitude Valley, which is where I ate. The decor had a grunge feel to it and the seating area was small. It was Saturday lunch time but we found the place rather quiet.

I thought the staff was friendly and was a bit suprised when they came to ask how our meal was. It's not something you would expect from a chain store burger joint but it was a nice gesture. 

Zorba the Greek -  Lamb patty, onion jam, haloumi cheese, mayo, pesto, cos lettuce, tomato

Thai Wi-Rat

Thai Wi-Rat is a Thai/Laos restaurant in Chinatown which serves authentic food true to it's culture. You don't need to ask for Thai Hot here, just ask for normal hot and it will bring tears to your eyes. The spiciness slowly increases in intensity and doesn't hit you until about halfway through the meal. The medium is probably best if eating in large groups. Try hot if you're not too concerned about your appearance after dinner.

What I didn't like about Thai Wi-Rat was that the ordering was done individually at the front counter. We wanted to order extra dishes halfway through our meal but when we looked up at the counter, there was a long line of people so we decided against it.

Yum Nuea - Grilled Rump Steak with Thai Salad Sauce  

COYO - Coconut Milk Yoghurt

When I came across Coyo from a colleague, it opened up a new healthy breakfast option for me. Finally I can enjoy yoghurt for breakfast. Not only is it naturally sweet, it is dairy free which keeps my stomach at bay in the morning. I know that most health fanatics are reaching for Greek yoghurt as it carries hardly any calories and keeps you full. But I find its sour taste makes it harder to enjoy as a regular yoghurt. I tend to only use Greek yoghurt in smoothies or cooking. I am also weary of 'greek style' yoghurt which uses gelatine as a thickener, rather than the traditional strained method. So Coyo is a great alternative for people like me.

Ole Restaurant

Tapas is fast becoming the new dining preference in Brisbane and why not I say? It's a great way to try more items on the menu and this sort of dining sets a very relaxed and extended meal for your company. I find in big groups, even if a restaurant's menu isn't set in a tapas style, it's easier and more fun to get multiple dishes to share.

Ole Restaurant is in Southbank towards the Piazza end. Like all Southbank restaurants, it has great outside seating where you can enjoy a leisurely lunch or dinner (and I hear they serve breakfast too?). The menu has a great selection of tapas and raciones (more substantial plates to share) and wine and cocktail menus as well.

Red Sangria - Red wine punch

You can't have Spanish tapas without a jug of sangria. I was surprised that they offered white and red wine sangria. I've never tried white sangria but I'm not a fan of white wine so Cora and I opted for red. The amount of wine was only slight, so I definitely recommend this for those non red drinkers as well. It was fruity, refreshing and ice cold. Best one I've had to date. The jug works out to be about 4-5 glasses so for us two it was a bit of a struggle to finish.

(Tapas) Pulpo Con Chorizo - Grilled octopus, chorizo, fresh lime, parsley and tomato