Green Papaya

During the cold winter nights (yes, I do think it is cold in winters in Brisbane) the utter laziness prevents me from  leaving my apartment exploring distant precincts  in our city, forcing me to look for interesting places in my own neighbourhood.

 Green Papaya is in no way a newbie for the Brisbane locals,  having  been operating for many years, but a visit to this Thai & Balinese restaurant in Woolloongabba was a debut for me -  and I definitely wasn't  disappointed. 

Having made a booking for 6:30 we rocked up 20 minutes late(rude, I know!) - starving - to find our reservation under the name  July -smiling to myself I thought,  IT is July now after all now, isn't it?

After being seated at the lovely table in a quiet corner of a restaurant we ordered our food. We decided to go with entrees and one main to share.. just so that us, little piglets, can order two desserts in the end!

The service was very attentive and non- intrusive. The restaurant got quite busy by 8 pm, with no single table available - but it was still rather quiet and tranquil. The food was tasty - we went for the Balinese grilled fish  with Secret (??) sauces - and the chef has definitely not let us down.

Both desserts were delicious - in fact we finished every tiny bit of it , which made me to wake up early and walk(!) to my yoga half - asleep, hoping that the sticky rice coconut ice cream with the mango gelato will be burnt off!

Design:   7/10

Drinks:   7/10

Food: 8/10

Service: 9/10

The highlight: close to home! & a dessert

Disappointment: The secret sauce on the main wasn't that special

Splurge: $$$

xoxo

The Foreigner

+4C inBrisbane with Mulled Wine and Hot Choco!

Before you keep reading any further, I have a confession to make: this post is being typed while the QLD and NSW inhabitants  have their eyes pinned to the screens watching closely the Maroon and Blue teams  competing for the State of Origin tonight, if only the person who approved my visa knew that!.To my excuse I follow the score online ad drink my hot tea out of the maroon mug! 

Anyway, as many of you  freezing living in Brisbane would know, it is 4C - pretty cold winter, even to my standards, and I am from Ukraine! 

All I want to do is to RUN AWAY TO THAILAND   stay in drinking hot chocolate and  never leave my warm bed.

Such  a passive waste of my young years has reminded me of a wintery drink, that will keep your bones warm and your mind relaxed - Gluhwein or Mulled wine. 

Mulled wine tastes great and needs to be consumed with caution, as heated alcohol  is very effective!, unless the motivation is to get drunk so as not to feel any cold all together, in that case feel free to drink untill the RSA authorities would have felt ashamed for you being so irresponsible with the alcohol consumption. 

Next time you are contemplating with the choice of the evening drink try the Mulled wine: 

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 10 cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/4 cup brown sugar or honey
• 1 roughly grated nutmeg
• 1 orange (roughly chopped)
• 1 roughly chopped apple (skin on)
• 750ml light, fruity red wine, such as a merlot (or any other cheap wine as it will all taste like cinnamon and fruit!)

Method

1. Heat cloves, cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg,  orange and apple in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add water. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Add red wine and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain and divide among serving glasses.

The main point is not to let the wine boil - other than that feel free to experiment with the ingredients. Prior to serving Mulled Wine in make sure nobody is allergic to any of the ingredients!

Considering that Queensland is bound to be a Sunshine state mulled wine is not a commonplace here, but if you are too lazy to make it at home, you can get a couple of glasses (or maybe a few more?) at the  Woolloongabba hotel.

Hope you are  keeping warm!

xoxo

Julie