Shucked Coffee House, Newstead

Shucked Coffee House tucked away on one of the little streets in Newstead is one of the places I keep recommending all the time whenever someone asks me about a 'cool' place to go for breaky.

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You will understand what I mean by cool, once you visit the place - it's just so different to your average cafe! If you get a a table in the outside area you probably will end up sitting on those terribly uncomfortable but very cool chairs, eating from a tiny but 'oh, so adorable' table admiring the relaxed atmosphere of Shucked - and  it does not matter how uncomfortable the chair is, because the food is amazing, the stuff are friendly and welcoming and the vibe just makes the time stop, forcing you to sit back and relax with your cup of aromatic coffee. 

The menu will not disappoint either - quirky, creative and utterly delicious, food comes out well-presented and very 'seducing'. When I go to places for breaky I like to pick something that I can't be bothered to cook myself at home, in that sense Shucked is perfect hardly anything on the menu would be your average breaky dish, even the staples will have an unexpected twist.

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Shucked is a place that you need to visit for yourself to really appreciate what is so special about it, so I wont be posting too many photos, all you need is Just Show Up!

Oh, and case you are not a breakfast person, you need to rethink your life philosophy they do lunch and evening cocktails as well!

Design:   9/10

Drinks:   8/10

Food: 9/10

Service: 9/10

The highlight: Atmosphere and food

Disappointment: Outside chairs are not comfy, but not a deal beaker and definitely create a cool vibe!

Splurge: $$

Website: http://shucked.com.au/ 

xoxo

The Foreigner

Three Monkeys: West End

With my  crush for  West End and its funky eateries oddly enough  The Three Monkeys has never been a topic of a discussion in the Foreigner's Diary..and yet, it just seemed unnecessary to bring up  a West End Iconic coffee place that is so well known to the Brisbane crowd that even I have known about it for a while.

The Three Monkeys has been around since early 90s if not earlier, and  the menu probably hasn't changed much since, and the options perhaps are not as exciting and sophisiticated, as expected, but, realistically, who cares when there are all these cakes! :

• the place is open 7 days week from morning till late,
• the selection of teas and coffees is great and a Chai Tea is to die for... and the size of the bowl easily replaces dinner,
• the prices are more than reasonable
• and the most important reason for every 'respected' Brisbanite to  pay a visit to the 3 Monkeys - the ambience and the vibe of the place!

If you have been there before you may as well not  waste your time reading any further, as the rest of the post is dedicated to me raving on about the utter cuteness and uniqueness  of the West End Monkeys. 

To put it simply - Three Monkeys  is  a calm place. On the days when the world is particularly evil to you and you hate everybody   3 Monkeys  is peaceful and kind, even when the rest of the humankind is not , nobody there seems to be worrying or rushing - it is one of the few places in Brisbane, where you can come alone get yourself a bowl of cofee and get immersed in reading 50 Shades Of Grey a book ...
 

Design:   9/10

Drinks:   8/10

Food: 6/10

Service: 9/10

The highlight: Ambiance!

Disappointment: The food is on the ordinary side

Splurge: $

xoxo

The Foreigner

Brew CBD

Friday in the CBD is usually a day when everybody is Out & About, having 'catch up' lunches, coffees, and wines.  On a normal fifth day of the work week Queen street turns into a nightmare with crowds of people strolling along, window shopping, while you are running around like crazy bumping into every second jovial pedestrian.
Finding a decent, fairly quiet place for lunch in the CBD under those extreme conditions can be a bit of a challenge. And if the eatery serves tasty food, good coffees, wide selection of drinks and does not rob your bank account - you have discovered a hidden treasure! And Brew is undoubtedly the one!

Brew is one of those hidden gems that you will never find unless you look for it, and even if you do, you have to be curious enough to walk down the alleyway to find yourself inside a tiny coffee shop, funky, but minuscle with just one or two tables...Now, don't turn around just yet...paraphrasing a famous quote, the best things come to those who keep walking - going through the back door you will suddenly find yourself in a fairly spacious seating area with a few cosy couches, low tables and wooden benches - unique interior with its own, unconventional character.

Brew is always busy, particularly on Friday nights, hence the recommendation to start Friday afternoon 'beer o'clock' early and secure a convenient spot. The lunch menu is quite limited, but will be able to cater for the majority of the city dwellers with a selection of toasted sandwiches, salads and a couple of mains.

 My today's experience at Brew, however, was only limited to a 45 minute lunch catch up with  a girlfriend (big thanks to her for suggesting the place!) and consisted of a Green Salad and a Roibos Ginger Tea ( I am heaving a healthy month, in case you are wondering).
The food was nicely presented, fresh, slightly blunt in flavour but salt & pepper easily fixed the issue - overall lovely nutritious lunch, quickly served and of a decent size. Service was quick and attentive, despite the business. Overall only positive things to share, so you can safely head to Brew for your next coffee/lunch or after-work drinks!

Design:   9/10

Drinks:   8/10

Food: 7/10

Service: 9/10

The highlight: It is a hidden funky gem in the CBD!

Disappointment: Somewhat limited menu

Splurge: $$

To all  the fellow Office Plankton Workers: Happy Friday and xoxo

Julie

Comfort At My Table - Sunday Brunch

Last Sunday my Man and I finally paid a visit to one of the unique gems on Cribb Street - Comfort At My Table. The 'oh so lovely' cafe is well renowned for its coquette atmosphere and extensive breakfast menu with a twist.

Having woken up well after midday we were lucky to avoid  the morning rush and get a lovely table inside and ordered our breakfast (God bless the places that serve breakfast until 2 pm on weekends!) hassle free.

It took quite a while to get our coffees, however we were so distracted by Facebook  the cute details in the design of the place that have hardly noticed the wait - it is quite nice to be surrounded by flowers in  vintage vases, cook books, jam jars  and other very homely pieces.

Those who made Brisbane home fairly recently  will probably share the feelings I had - Home Away from Home.

The food was yummy and beautifully presented - the plates, cutlery, cups - everything reflected the concept of the cafe. I would imagine it would be quite hard to get back to the office after having a coffee there during the weekday.

Where: Comfort At My Table, Shop 5,19-23 Cribb St 
Milton, QLD 4064

Design: 10/10

Food: 8/10

Service: 7/10

The highlight: The concept!

Disappointment: a bit slow service

Splurge: $$

xoxo

Julie