NUG Fortitude Valley: Brisbane’s best-kept secret that has foodies raving, booked out weeks in advance

It’s the tiny Italian-leaning restaurant hidden down the back of a laneway, blink and you’ll miss it. But Brisbane foodies are raving about this Fortitude Valley restaurant, here’s why.

Restaurant review of NUG, the tiny Italian-leaning restaurant from chef Ben Veldhuijzen and his wife and front-of-house manager Ruxi Petrisor.

It has just 30 seats, is hidden down the back of a laneway, is booked out weeks in advance and has foodies across the city singing its praises. Welcome to one of Brisbane’s best-kept secrets.

NUG is the tiny Italian-leaning restaurant from chef Ben Veldhuijzen and his wife and front-of-house manager Ruxi Petrisor. Formerly a cafe and general store, the Sicilian-style space with its crazy-paved floors, outdoor dining under a fabric awning and large communal table inside adjacent to the open kitchen was transformed by the pair into a casually charming, neighbourhood diner in Fortitude Valley’s Bakery Lane. The transition from day to night trade means a menu that continuously changes depending on Veldhuijzen’s whim and what’s the freshest, best produce of the moment.

Duck and Chorizo Ragu with Ricotta Ravioli. Photograph David Kelly

That could mean squid ink truffled salami croquette or duck and chorizo ragu with ricotta ravioli one night, and perhaps pizza with pork and pecorino sausage and stilton the next.

Whenever the visit, however, guests can expect a small list of share-style snacks, a clutch of pastas and a handful of pizzas, plus maybe one dessert.

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On our venture, Veldhuijzen is making his favourite arancino ($18). Bigger than a baseball, the crumbed and deep-fried sphere of creamy-not-stodgy risotto is fragrant with sage and sticky with salty feta, perfect for skidding through the puddle of pumpkin puree below. Meanwhile, the beef tartare ($22) features finely diced black Angus ready to be towered atop credit card-thin sheets of crisp, handmade lavosh with little pops of heat from horseradish.

The cheery, chatty and passionate Petrisor insists we try the fried polenta ($7).

Saison - Squid Ink Truffled Salami Croquette. Photograph David Kelly

The corn meal comes as crunchy, bite-sized cubes crowned with a twirl of mozzarella and rings of sliced Sicilian olives. Dusted with slightly smoky, slightly toasty Old Bay seasoning and with sour cream for dipping, these make for sensational canapes or little starters, and we’re happy we took the recommendation. From the trio of pastas the ricotta ravioli ($37) is a shining star, with the pasta thin and al dente enough to hold its shape, enveloping silken, almost sweet pillows of pureed roasted parsnip and ricotta. Its flavour is amped up by slivers of salted mushrooms that have been roasted in the oven until they shrivel into tiny umami bombs.

For seafood lovers, however, the Queensland spanner crab conchiglie ($39) is a winning choice, with the delicate, shell-shaped pasta hiding morsels of chilli and Pernod-spiked crab and crispy, tanned, fried breadcrumbs.

It’s a solid match to the funky almost fizzy Gilbert pet nat riesling from Mudgee, but would probably work just as well with any of the whites from the keenly priced wine list which favours small, boutique producers and mostly drops from Australia and France. There is also an alcoholic ginger beer, an Italian and a Spanish beer, a G&T and Aperol spritz and San Pellegrino non-alcoholic flavoured drinks.

NUG, located at 694 Ann St, Shop/8 Bakery La, Fortitude Valley. Photograph David Kelly

Meanwhile, pizza devotees across town have been raving about the Neapolitan-style creations coming out of the gas oven at NUG, and it’s with good reason. The base is textbook light and chewy with torched air pockets around the perimeter, while our topping of bolognese – cooked for six hours – delivers a brilliant layered intensity balanced by mouth-coating spoonfuls of oozy stracciatella ($35).

We’re more than satisfied with our savoury spread, but the couple won’t let us leave without a taste of their only dessert – a milk chocolate mousse with burnt walnut butter ($18).

Thank goodness they’re so insistent because it is thigh-slappingly good. The mousse itself is delicate – not too rich, not too heavy, while the burnt butter and candied nuts over the top takes it to another stratosphere. This is a couple who adores what they do and customers can’t help but be sucked in like a vortex by their passion, enthusiasm and, of course, the terrific food.

NUG General Store

Bakery Lane, 8/694 Ann St, Fortitude Valley

Bookings via Instagram @n.u.g.generalstore

Must try

Ricotta ravioli

Open

Wed-Sat 4-9.30pm

Verdict

Food

4.5 stars

Service

4.5 stars

Ambience

4 stars

Value

4.5 stars

Overall

4.5/5 stars