Brisbane wine bar: Maeve Wine restaurant review

This South Brisbane newcomer has caused a few ripples among the Brisbane wine and dine fraternity. Reviewer Tony Harper says it’s obvious why: service spot-on, wine list amazing, food a notch above good.

In her nearly 15 years my daughter has never tasted an oyster.

She began as Australia’s fussiest eater (“Dad, I can’t eat this, it has green in it!” with a fleck of parsley in a mountain of pasta; a 50th of a rosemary frond on a slice of lamb) but has kind of mellowed.

And now she asks for an oyster.

It’s like she’s either been replaced by a robot, or age has inexplicably expanded her repertoire.

We are at Maeve Wine — so talked about, so hard to get into, so sizzling before we even walk in the door — and Amelie is stepping outside her comfort zone.

We get an oyster each and she loves it.

Maeve Wine in South Brisbane is the talk of the town. Picture: Sarah Marshall

Maeve gives us all of the add-ons — vinaigrette, caviar, Tabasco — and I load mine with a bit of everything; Amelie takes it neat. Both work, they are briny, fresh, juicy, good.

We follow up with Ortiz anchovies — I’ve sensed a gap in her culinary defence and I’m going for broke.

They come five to a plate ($16), laid like fallen soldiers in a big puddle of vinaigrette with pickled chillies on top, wafer-like croutons on an old-school toast-rack to the side.

Ortiz anchovies in fermented garlic honey and sherry vinegar with crisp bread. Picture: Sarah Marshall

It’s beer-friendly and not even close to wine-friendly, yet its salty, acid-laden intensity is kind of wonderful.

If there is a wine to drink with the anchovies, it would be found here (it’s the most wildly reeling wine list I’ve ever seen; Captain Jack Sparrow in print).

But anchovy catalyses a wine combination that will never work.

Sorrenberg Semillon, sauvignon blanc (barrel fermented, sublime, $21 a glass under Coravin) goes to the side; it’s a stellar wine but even it cannot handle the acidic, salty assault.

Even if it doesn’t marry completely with the menu, it’s a fascinating list.

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There’s a wine from the Canary Islands — grubby, quirky, but made brilliant by its weird origin; a few from Jura, France; Georgia; Hungary — some skinsy, some conventional.

My Sorrenberg is followed by a cracking glass of (slightly soft) Langhe Nebbiolo from Roche Costamagna ($18).

I can’t quite follow the line of thought that has put the list together, but I love it.

The wines are the best part of the Maeve triangle.

Creme caramel at Maeve Wine. Picture: Sarah Marshall

Everything else — food included — is kind of Euro-bistro: bentwood chairs, waitstaff in black and white, bistro-bustle, slick service, clever.

Duck lasagne ($27) promises to be the killer dish, but ends up being the least good — too much bechamel and not enough solid.

It’s more thick, white soup with bits than it is lasagne.

But hanger steak with cafe de paris butter and fries is excellent, and a dessert of rum baba ($15) is wildly good.

Better, Amelie reckons (go figure), than the anchovies.

Maeve has caused a few ripples among the Brisbane wine and dine fraternity and I can see why: it’s a sideways take on your everyday Euro-bistro — service spot-on, wine list amazing, food a notch above good.

It looks French but it isn’t really, yet it does its thing brilliantly. Wine first.

SCORES OUT OF 10

Food: 7

Drinks: 9

Vibe: 8

Service: 8.5

MAEVE WINE

39 Melbourne St, South Brisbane

Chef: Jesse Stevens

Dinner daily

Vegetarian options