Harvey's Bar & Bistro in Fortitude Valley, Qld

LAST Saturday, when P.J. McMillan re-opened his legendary cafe, Harvey's, he did more than 100 covers for breakfast.

Harvey's Bar and Bistro

LAST Saturday, when P.J. McMillan re-opened his legendary cafe, Harvey's, he did more than 100 covers for breakfast.

To me, that proves three things: how quickly some businesses are getting back to normal after the floods; how popular Harvey's is; and how desperately Brisbane people want to get out and about again.

The menu is not quite as extensive as usual, because PJ's menus are dictated entirely by seasonal variability and availability at markets, but there were enough fresh greens and tomatoes to make a very creditable salad as a side dish and there was no shortage of mushrooms or leeks to go with the chicken Kiev on polenta ($32).

There might not have been Nicola potatoes to make gnocchi, but one can make do with ordinary pasta. And the fries with my self-indulgent fish-and-chip meal ($24) were frozen rather than freshly handcut (a pity, but nobody seems to do this any more). I didn't suffer either way, except from an excess of carbs.

The unidentified fish (barra, at a guess) might have been caught that morning, the beer batter was crisp and light, and the tart-fresh citrus dressing and tartare sauce were all exceptional.

So hang any cholesterol hang-ups.

Perhaps I should have gone for the daily special, where the barra was quickly pan-fried, the potatoes crushed and the tomatoes blistered, but it had been ages since I'd had proper fish and chips, so I was happy.

The lamb loin came with simple basics cooked not so simply roasted red onions and potatoes, jollied up with anchovies, capers and olives ($34). (PJ was on his way to the newly re-opened markets to stock up with vegies, so I couldn't see anyone complaining).

Those were main courses, but if you just want a light lunch, any of the starters would do just as well. There's a tasty little mixture of roasted asparagus served with a soft egg and a salad of parsley, feta and endive, with a spiced pine nut dressing. It tasted vaguely north African. The big surprise was the egg, which had been soft-boiled but was served ice-cold, which I would have liked to know before eating because the contrast with the warm asparagus served al dente threw my palate for a while.

But at $18.90 it was good value, and an interesting mix of textures and temperatures.

No potato gnocchi, as I said, although by the time you read this there may well be Nicola potatoes at markets again, but what's wrong with a tasty mix of shaved Serrano jamon, grilled fig, toasted sourdough, blue cheese and rocket for $19.90?

There are only four desserts, each $12.50, and in the middle of stone-fruit season I lusted after an almond tart with poached stone fruit with creme fraiche and vanilla ice-cream. But the floods had struck again and the peach was not a luscious fresh one, but a rehydrated dried number, again something of a shock to the palate and more of a winter dish than summer. But it was good, and the puff-pastry filled with almond meal creme was superb, as was the orange caramel sauce.

There's also a baked sweet ricotta with caramelised banana and rum, with an unusual and welcome addition of pine nuts my current mange-tout ingredients, as they go so well with everything.

So post-floods, lift your spirits a little with a two-hour treat at Harvey's.

DETAILS:

Harvey's Bar and Bistro

Address: 31 James St, Fortitude Valley

Telephone: [phone]

Opening hours: from 7am weekdays, 7.30am weekends. Closes 3pm, re-opens for dinner Wednesday-Saturday from 5.30pm until late. Closed public holidays. Monday to Sunday

Liquor status: fully licensed, no BYO

Prices: hot breakfast average $16; entrees about $20; mains to $36. Merlo coffee

Owner/chef: P.J. McMillan

Parking: extremely difficult on-street and small off-road parking bays

Wheelchair access: yes, and to shared toilets

Other: seats up to 100; all major credit cards; table service; vegetarian and gluten free; air conditioned; shared toilets; no background music, but customer voices can get very loud

THE SCORE:

Food: 15/20

Service: 14/20

Ambience: 13/20

Value for money: 12/20

About the score: 0-5 go somewhere else; 6-9 major change required; 10-13 reasonable, room for improvement; 14-16 good; 17-19 excellent; 20 the pinnacle

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