On Friday last week, I made the trip to Brisbane to visit dear friends that I had not seen in some time. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day in Brisbane, and I was escaping the grey, cold misery of Melbourne, so I was very excited.
First up, I caught up with my friend Rowan for lunch. I am out of touch with Brisbane venues, so I asked Rowan to choose our spot for lunch. He chose Otto Ristorante, a modern Italian restaurant set in a quite new office building on the fringes of the Brisbane CBD.
If you pause outside before entering Otto, there is a magnificent view over the Brisbane River to the Story Bridge:
I was wowed when I entered Otto, as I was greeted by their gorgeous colourful bar:
While waiting for Rowan, I ordered a glass of the Kris Pinot Gris ($12) to enjoy. I just loved the lush purple felt ceiling fans pirouetting madly on the ceiling of the bright, airy dining room:
We were seated at a table next to a plate glass window, giving us an uninterrupted view of the Brisbane River.
For entrée, I ordered the Crudo de Pesce del Giorno - raw kingfish, rockmelon, cucumber, lime and crème fraiche ($30):
This dish tasted as light and pretty as it looks - a marvellous starter.
Rowan went for the Capesante - Hervey Bay scallops, corn, sugar snap peas, pancetta and pickled mushrooms ($30):
Next up, we ordered pasta mains. I ordered the strozzapreti with braised lamb shoulder, broccoletto, smoked onion and parmesan ($40):
It was rich and satisfying, though I probably should have ordered the entrée size, as I was quite full afterwards.
Rowan ordered a daily special comprising a spinach pasta with parmesan ($36):
During our meal, we were entertained by the EA18 Growlers practising for Riverfire the following evening (the plane is the white splodge in the left of the frame):
You can see what a marvellous day it was from the colour of the sky.
The service at Otto was efficient and friendly. I had a small suitcase, being fresh off the plane, and they kindly stored it for me out the back of the restaurant during lunch.
Otto is a terrific venue for a special occasion or business lunch - or a marvellous splurge.
4/480 Queen St
Brisbane Qld 4000
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