Delicious scallops you must try at Brisbane newcomer

A broad, enticing menu, personable service and a riverfront location make this new CBD restaurant shine.

The hubbub of laughter and feasting echoes against zigzag breeze block walls, white bricks and sandstone-hued tiles. Fine curtains hanging from the ceiling and cushioned dusty pink banquettes do little to absorb the thrum. Adding to the cacophony, two teams of waitstaff begin singing happy birthday almost in unison to two diners within a fork toss of each other.

On a Saturday night, Babylon Brisbane is bustling. The Levantine-inspired restaurant opened just before Santa made his deliveries and is the work of Queensland-based hospitality force,

The open kitchen and arched booths at Babylon Brisbane in the CBD.

Mantle Group (Pig ‘N’ Whistle, Jimmy’s on the Mall, The Charming Squire). A copy of their successful Sydney venture of the same name, the 120-seater takes over the Brisbane riverfront site formerly home to Esquire and Esq, which closed in March 2018, leaving the tenancy empty for almost five years.

While the Eagle St space was once lauded for its spectacular water and Story Bridge views, most diners at Babylon would have no idea the space grips the edge of the river. Brisbane architects Hogg & Lamb have turned the once-open interior into a beautiful labyrinth of cosy individual rooms adorned with arched doorways and booths and limestone-look floors and walls reminiscent of the old city of Jerusalem and Istanbul’s electric Grand Bazaar.

The river view from one of the dining rooms in the labyrinth of spaces at Babylon Brisbane in the CBD.

It makes for an intimate experience – though perhaps a little too snug at times, depending on where you’re sitting and your build.

Just as personal is the service. Our endearing and knowledgeable waitress chats to guests like friends, sharing her personal recommendations from the drinks list which runs from Middle Eastern-inspired contemporary cocktails to largely familiar, mostly Australian wines with a spattering of options from Turkey, Lebanon, France and New Zealand. But what has seen the restaurant boom, according to our waitress, is the food – with guests returning many times to explore the broad menu designed around a charcoal and wood 3m Turkish grill. That means everything from wood-roasted broccolini with walnuts and pomegranate molasses to wood-grilled Fraser Coast squid or wood-fired angus beef with chilli butter and radish.

Laham meshwi, wood grilled lamb rump skewers, badinjan, ezme at Babylon Brisbane.

The best way for groups of four or more to explore the offering is either the “Taste” or “Premium Taste” banquet menus for $75pp or $95pp featuring between nine and 12 dishes.

On both menus is the lentil kofte ($15) – a traditional Turkish dish known as mercimek köftesi featuring red lentils and bulgur wheat mashed with fresh herbs, shaped into balls and served cold. Our quenelles arrive in baby cos leaves, adding crunch to the pulpy legume mix, while pomegranate molasses brings the sharpness of a quick-witted comedian.

Stunning with presentation are the half-shell scallops ($34), four of the sizeable, plump molluscs just cooked through, they burst in the mouth under a blanket of the lemony fish roe dip tarama, spheres of salmon caviar and a dusting of sumac. Delicious.

Half-shell scallops, tarama, sumac, salmon caviar at Babylon Brisbane

Just as good is the wood-fired pumpkin kebab ($18). The crescent moons of vegetable are tender, atop a smear of the smoky roasted capsicum dip muhammara, taming the sweetness of the butternut squash.

There are three different types of lamb, including rump skewers ($45) and ali nazek ($34). The latter is a Turkish dish in which lamb is served over a babaganoush-style eggplant dip. The meat is moulded into lengths, with the blackened mince kebabs like fallen soldiers in
a pit of smoky eggplant and yoghurt. It’s simple and satisfying.

Wood grilled Fraser Coast squid, muhammara, yoghurt, dill, lime at Babylon Brisbane.

Desserts run from Turkish delight to an elaborate chocolate tahini dish with caramel sponge, sesame and Turkish coffee ice cream.

Babylon is all about celebration, food and fun, and with two additional layers of outdoor bars and dining extending down to the Brisbane River set to open later this summer, no doubt its popularity will continue to grow.

BABYLON

145 Eagle St, Brisbane

3186 6655

babylonbrisbane.com.au

Open
Sun-Wed 11.30am-11pm; Thu-Sat 11.30am-midnight

Must try

Half-shell scallops

Verdict – Scores out of 5

Food 3.5

Service 3.5

Ambience 4

Value 4

Overall 3.5