my name is Food.: Upper Mount Gravatt

Corbett & Claude | Westfield Garden City, Upper Mount Gravatt, Brisbane

Australia May 06, 2021

Share |

Vapiano - Garden City, Upper Mount Gravatt, Brisbane

Australia October 06, 2018

Since its opening in Garden City, we actually never end up dining here due to the many restaurant options now, we end up going elsewhere. But since I wanted something Italian, we thought we'd come and try this branch and maybe compare it to the CBD branch. However, it has been a while for us dining at Vapiano.

'Con Carne' Pizza consisted of smoked Aussie ham, spicy pepperoni, salami, BBQ sauce on homemade tomato sauce and mozzarella First thing first, it took them a while to make this so we basically had to wait at our tables.. When we received it, it was practically burnt? very fired up pizza. At an instance, you were able to tell that they've left it either for too long or they just went all out on something making the pizza's surrounding before the crust be that burnt. It didn't taste nice, I can tell you that. The amount of ham, pepperoni and salami was also not very tidy.. or let me say, balanced throughout. Some slices had a bigger slice of ham but only a very tiny salami or pepperoni whilst some had a big pepperoni, half a salmi and a shred of ham. Very un-organized pizza, or maybe just in a rush.

The BBQ sauce on homemade tomato sauce, I couldn't really tell if it was homemade or not to be honest. It just felt as if the tomato sauce was barely there and all we could taste was just tomato paste. Sad to get a round 'burnt' pizza around the sides, makes us not able to actually eat it whole or just a disappointment. Although we did try to eat the whole slice, the burnt BBQ sauce or some what random parts of ham or dough, just didn't taste that nice.

Hoping that the pasta would be better than the pizza so that the dinner won't be a full failure but sadly, it didn't. 'Pesto Rosso' was a sun-dried tomato pesto with pine nuts, chilli, ricotta and cherry tomatoes. We also added chicken breast on top of that to add to the dish.

First thing we noticed was how dry the whole dish was, especially the past. My previous experiences in Vapiano was that the pasta at least had some sort of sauce or coating of sauce but this one, nope, none of that. Although it was freshly cooked, we weren't sure how long it was sitting there on the bench. As when we started mixing the grated cheese together within the pasta, it seemed a bit stuck and dry throughout. The slices of chicken was not much and the amount of pine nuts also, I wished that there was more.

Yes, there was a slight hint of chilli but another, not so good dish. The bread was also dry and a bit tough, it did not feel or smell as fresh as it used to be back then when dining here.

Sad to leave this place with a disappointment of not one dish but both, most likely not planning to come back anytime soon. Maybe one day we'll come back but, not sure when.

Share |

Hog's Breath Cafe, Westfield Garden City, Brisbane

American November 18, 2016

Share |

Pancake Manor, Westfield Garden City, Upper Mt Gravatt, Brisbane

American October 09, 2016

Continuing its success from the CBD branch since 1979 having the Cathedral as a home has made it to be one of Brisbane's Icon. What has always been great was that they would be open 24 hours allowing everyone to be able to have food from day to night and don't have to worry about the closing hours when those tummy of ours grumbles at 1am in the morning.. since we know that they will be open. For the Garden City brand unfortunately, they did try to create that old world charm however having a contemporary feel and another bad thing was that they aren't open for 24 hours. So for those of you who want pancakes or burgers, or a milkshake in the middle of the night, then you would just need to drive over to the city for them.

'Hot 'n Troppo' (AUD$12.95) was two buttermilk pancakes served with roasted walnuts, grilled banana, cream, chocolate ice cream and chocolate sauce. If you'd prefer Vanilla ice cream compared to Chocolate, then the waiter would simply just change it for you no hassle. The buttermilk pancakes were warm, causing the chocolate ice cream to melt quicker than we would have liked. The amount of roasted walnuts was very generous accompanied with one grilled banana sliced in half, placed on either side of the pancakes.

The grilled bananas however were not that great as it tasted as it was just a normal banana without being grilled. It would have been nice if it was grilled maybe a tad longer showing off their grilling marks and having that smoky flavour to it. The chocolate sauce was drizzled all over and around the pancakes and the roasted walnuts giving it a balanced and a way for you not to have to wonder why there isn't much sauce. The chocolate sauce was subtle and not too strong and blending in with the chocolate ice cream, you start to think of your Sunday breakfast in a way. Waking up to those not so perfect round pancakes and having a dollop of jam or cream, even just with butter on top would just do the trick.

The roasted walnuts were a perfect combination for the grilled bananas however same goes with the bananas not being grilled enough, the walnuts seemed to be better having that roasted smoky flavour. Somehow, having chocolate and nuts as well as bananas always goes together nicely either for a snack or a dessert.

'Caesar Salad' (AUD$14.50) is always great to order when wanting some healthy option. Although being a pancake restaurant, sometimes you just don't feel like having too much pancakes even if it would be great. Having various dishes other than pancakes such as savoury crepes, salads or burgers and so on, everyone can dine here any time of any day without having to worry.

The usual elements of Caesar salad applies, lettuce, bacon, parmesan cheese and their own special Caesar dressing with their big house-made cheesy croutons. A salad this big is always great to order especially when you're here with a group of people allowing the salad to be easily shared around. The salad was filled with slightly charred bacon and big thin slices of parmesan cheese which seems very generous. The caesar dressing was not very acidic which I quite enjoyed and mixing it all together may be a challenge for some without having to spill some of the salad out of the plate.

The house-made cheesy croutons was just alright but it would have been great if there were a bit more rather than just of what seemed to be a half sliced. It was also a bit soggy on the crust and outer parts of the bread however, you could taste a tad of cheese around the middle. The terms 'big' that they used maybe meant literally not being in small cube slices but instead just a knife through the middle.

Share |

Oliver Brown, Westfield Garden City, Upper Mount Gravatt, Brisbane

Brisbane June 07, 2016

Share |

Donut Boyz, Westfield Garden City, Upper Mount Gravatt, Brisbane

Brisbane May 06, 2016

Share |

Kinn Thai, Westfield Garden City, Upper Mount Gravatt, Brisbane

Asian March 14, 2016

Kinn Thai lies on Westfield Garden City's forecourt along with many other restaurants bringing you an ambience of relaxation, beach-like design while also allowing you to have your night outs, dates and catch ups. Kinn is the only Thai restaurant amongst the others and no wonder why it can get so packed on weekends and yes, even on weeknights. Do book a table but if you're lucky, just walk in and a few minutes wait will get your table ready. "Kinn" actually means "Eat" in Thai which is a very unique interpretation for a restaurant name to have but when you think about it and as stated on their website, '..like eating is with family and friends to relax and share'.

'Pad Thai' ($16 for Chicken/Beef) is another classic noodle dish we always order whenever we go to a Thai restaurant. Pad Thai, I would have to say is best with Chicken or Seafood. Presented nicely with a quarter of a lime wedge as well as crumbed peanuts on the side allowing you to mix as much or as little as you would like.

Traditional Thai stir fried rice noodles with bean sprouts, egg and crushed peanuts and of course, the meat of your choice. A simple but yet artistic and full of flavour dish carries out the spices and herbs used. Remember to squeeze a bit of lime wedge and mix it with the crushed peanuts to give it a bit of a zing and extra crunchiness. If you do not like peanuts or have any allergies, do remember to inform the waiter beforehand while you order so you would not have to spoon aside the crushed peanuts off the plate.

The lighting went a bit weird afterwards so it went really bright yellow as you can see from the photo below. But here's a close up of Pad Thai. The bean sprouts and red onions allows the dish to have its crunchiness along with the crushed peanuts which makes it an exciting dish. The flavour was spot on however I would've liked it if it was more distinct but nevertheless, the whole combination of the chicken, egg and bean sprouts worked really well.

'Green Curry' ($16) can be done with your choice of chicken or beef only. The Green curry is a classic that you have to try everytime you go to a Thai restaurant, well, for me anyway. Flavoured with green chilli paste, green beans, bamboo shoots, eggplant, kaffir lime leaves and Thai basil. Do note that this dish is a bit spicy and even if you ask for it to be milder, it seems that they weren't able to as it still came out spicy. Yes, we asked the waiter if we could have it mild or less spicy if possible as we... well, me.. am not a fan of spicy food. A bit of spicyness I can handle, but more than that then I would need a jug of cold icy water by my side.

At the first instance, I noticed the oil floating on top of the green curry which was not a nice thing to see. As soon as we mixed it all up together, it wasn't as noticeable. However, when eating it by itself, without rice I mean, you are able to feel how oily the dish is. When mixed in with the rice though, it was quite strong in terms of the green chilli paste but yet had subtle bits and pieces which would make the dish seems more elegant but delicious at the same time.

The green beans and the bamboo shoots was great and was sufficient in amount. I would have loved to have had more Thai basil leaves in the dish as it leaves off that nice aroma. The portion is enough for one or even to share, but may not be when you are really hungry at the time while eating this dish. I prefer the Green curry the best out of the rest of the Thai curries available but that is just my personal preference.