Brisbane - Australia 2004 - page 241

Pier Nine MODERN AUSTRALIAN/SEAFOOD Ask the locals for
the best seafood in town, and this light-filled contemporary restaurant over-
looking the river and Story Bridge is where they'll send you. The menu changes
daily, but the specialties include fresh local Moreton Bay bugs (a kind of crus-
tacean) and oysters shucked to order and served several ways or au naturel for
the purist. Another is Tasmanian salmon, and I'm a fan of the spanner crab
omelet. It's always busy, so prepare to cool your heels at the oyster bar if you turn
up without a reservation.
Eagle St. Pier, 1 Eagle St. & 07/3229 2194. www.piernine.com.au. Reservations recommended. Main
courses A$21-A$40 (US$14-US$26). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am-10pm, but the oyster bar is open (with a
supper menu) until midnight. Ferry: Riverside (CityCat); Edward St. or Riverside (CityFerry); Eagle Street Pier
(Cross River Ferry). Underground parking, but charges are steep.
MODERATE
Jo Jo's INTERNATIONAL/CAFE FARE A spectacular timber, limestone,
and glass bar dominates the center of this casual cafe-style eating spot, housing
more than 1,000 bottles of wine. Four different menus—chargrill, Thai, pizza,
and Mediterranean—are on offer, and the locals have been dropping in here for
years to make a shopping pit stop, or to eat after the cinema. The food is well
priced and good. You order at the bar, but meals are delivered to the table (try
to get one on the balcony overlooking the Queen St. Mall). Among your options
are steaks and seafood from the grill; curries and stir-fries from the Thai menu;
pastas, antipasto and designer sandwiches from the Mediterranean; and gourmet
toppings for the wood-fired oven pizzas.
1st floor, Queen St. Mall at Albert St. & 07/3221 2113. www.jojos.com.au. Reservations not needed. Main
courses A$8-A$27 (US$5.20-US$18). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 9:30am-midnight; happy hour daily 4:30-6pm.
Central Station.
INEXPENSIVE
Explorers Cafe CAFE FARE After 6 years with one of the best-value a
la carte menus in town, this basement restaurant under the Explorers Inn
(p. 242) continues to offer great value, with all meals under A$17 (US$11).
There are soups, pasta, seafood, steaks, and chicken dishes, with a choose-and-
pay-at-the-counter format but with table service. There are vegetarian and
gluten-free dishes on the lunch and dinner menus.
63 Turbot St. (near corner of George St.). & 07/3211 3488. Fax [phone]. www.explorers.com.au.
Reservations recommended at lunch. Main courses A$10-A$17 (US$6.55-US$11); breakfast A$3.50-A$10
(US$2.25-US$6.50). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 7-9:30am and 6-8pm; noon-2pm Mon-Fri. Train: Roma St. Bus:
Downtown Loop.
IN SPRING HILL
MODERATE
Tognini's BistroCafeDeli MODERN AUSTRALIAN Owners Mark and
Narelle Tognini opened this relaxed modern bistro, incorporating an extensive
deli and walk-in cheese room, in April 2002. It is the third of the popular deli-
cafes to bear their name around Brisbane. (The other two are at Main St., Kan-
garoo Point, and Baroona Rd., Milton.) Popular with inner-city dwellers and
business folk, it has an extensive take-home range of gourmet delights you can
also find on the menu. Or you can sit at one of the communal tables and try the
roast pumpkin and goats cheese ravioli or maybe the blue swimmer crab and
prawns with Pernod and Moreton Bay bugs with roasted red capsicum. Don't
pass up the cinnamon poached pears and vanilla panna cotta—it's divine.

Value