Big shake-up at high-end riverside restaurant

The head chef at this popular Brisbane restaurant has just been replaced by one whose resume includes stints at Michelin-starred eateries. So how has the food changed? FIND OUT HERE

Pandemic? What pandemic? Amid the catastrophic onslaught of Covid-19 on many businesses, enterprising new restaurants, cafes and bars have continued to fling open their doors.

The Ghanem Group, which owns outlets including Chinese hotspot Donna Chang in Brisbane’s inner-city George St, opened French brasserie Bisou Bisou and Iris Rooftop in Fortitude Valley’s Hotel X this year.

This led to a shake-up at Blackbird Bar & Grill – Ghanem’s CBD pleasure palace overlooking the river – with head chef Anthony Donaldson moving to Bisou Bisou after seven years and being replaced by Tim Young.

Young had most recently been head chef at Melbourne’s cooking-over-fire restaurant Matilda 159 Domain at South Yarra, a suitable preparation you might think for working at an establishment which has done some of its best work over a large wood-fired grill. Prior to Melbourne, Young had spent four years in The Netherlands working at Michelin-starred restaurants including a stint as sous chef at one-star Restaurant Rijks.

Swish decor: Blackbird in Eagle Street, Brisbane City. Photograph: David Kelly

Brisbane’s CBD has been hard hit by a vast reduction in workers commuting in. Accordingly Blackbird has reduced its opening hours from seven to five days a week, and tweaked its menu, but sails on.

Blackbird opened in early 2014 and its large river-view bar, private rooms and dining room with softly upholstered chairs, plush booths, statement lights and vistas up to the Story Bridge made it an instant hit with the city crowd. Now, on a midweek night, it’s doing a reasonable trade, although the private rooms are devoid of the work groups in full flight as they were on my last visit pre-pandemic. Prices are also reasonable for what they are doing here.

At first glance, the menu reads as straightforward grill fare, with a selection of oysters and steaks the centrepiece. But behind the rather workmanlike descriptions is an unexpected level of creativity. Buttermilk-fried quail ($22) sounds like a quick visit to the American Deep South but while the meat is moist and the batter appealingly crunchy, it’s the addition of a bouquet of pickled celeriac on the side with walnut and mustard fruit dressing that elevates it to something special.

Crunch: Buttermilk fried quail at Blackbird in the Brisbane CBD. Photograph: David Kelly

Alternatively, a cold starter option is the honey bug ($10), a species of slipper lobster more commonly known as a Balmain bug, perched on a bed of ice with a blob of oscietra caviar on top and a blackened lemon on the side. It’s a small briny treat to kick off proceedings.

From a choice of six steaks, the Thousand Guineas Australian Shorthorn 300g sirloin ($45) is outstanding, the char and aroma of the open wood-fired grill a visceral presence in the very tender meat served sliced to reveal its blushing glory. Sauces are $3 extra, with confit onion and piquillo pepper the only accompaniments on the plate. A selection of house-made mustards is left on the table, with carbs coming from a hefty bowl of shoestring fries ($11) with lemon myrtle aioli and truffle salt.

Delightful: Shultz Farm suckling pig. Photograph David Kelly

Beyond steak and share plates including free range barbecue chicken and Cone Bay barramundi, options run to dry-aged Burrawong duck, lamb loin or the rather special pressed suckling pig ($38), from premium Schultz Farm stock, which is an unusual dish. The soft, pulled meat is pressed into logs and lies beneath a thin beetroot blanket with pear compote and munthari berries and a large cloud of crackle hovering over the top.

Desserts sound predictable with options of something chocolate, pavlova and banoffee pie, however the pie ($15), despite a slightly too hard pastry case, is an appealing not-too-sweet finale beneath its chocolate lid.

This is confident, solid, well-cooked food, which, with the addition of a substantial wine list and attentive service, has made Blackbird a venue that has become a stayer for good reason.

BLACKBIRDRATING
Food: 4 stars

Ambience: 4 stars
Service: 3.5 Stars
Value: 3.5 stars

Overall: 4 stars

MUST TRY DISH

-Suckling pig

DETAILS

Riverside Centre, 123 Eagle St, Brisbane. Open Wed-Sun for lunch and dinner. blackbirdbrisbane.com.au