Happy Boy Fortitude Valley
Exciting times are ahead for Spring Hill’s Happy Boy. Brothers Cameron and Jordan Votan have announced a second venue is in the works, due to open late May/early June. The new location is 90 percent locked in, with Cameron confirming we can look forward to something near the James Street precinct. The Fortitude Valley Happy Boy will carry through the restaurant’s contemporary regional Chinese focus, but you can look forward to an expanded offering featuring more Asian street bites for snacking, a broader wine list from Cameron’s Spokenwine, and craft beer and Asian lagers on tap. Spring Hill’s Happy Boy will remain, however the fare will be shifting to more Southern Asian flavours – stay tuned for more on this soon.
Miss Jones
We know you guys love New Farm’s Little Loco – you voted it as Best Cafe in our 2016 EAT/drink Awards! So we’re sure you’ll be excited to hear that the team is busy working away on a second venue named Miss Jones, which is due to open in June this year. The location of the cafe is still top secret (another secret location!), but owner Daniel Bowles has promised that details will be revealed in the coming weeks. Similarly to its sibling Little Loco, Miss Jones will plate up contemporary classics and healthy dishes alongside Single O coffee. We’ll have more details for you soon.
Electric Avenue
The lads behind popular Woolloongabba cocktail haunt Canvas are on the cusp of opening a brand-new venue on the opposite side of their Logan Road cul-de-sac home. Owners Dan Rodriguez and Bodie Schofield (alongside new partners Nick Royds and Adam Pykett) have spent the past four months overhauling the neighbouring Crosstown Public House – transforming it into the eclectically cool bar and bistro Electric Avenue. With a throwback aesthetic nodding to Woolloongabba’s antique precinct past, Electric Avenue will be a multi-faceted venue that will offer patrons the choice of casual pre- or post-dinner drinks in a freshly renovated bar area or a meal in the stylishly appointed bistro, which will see head chef Will Quartel (ex-Sourced Grocer) plate up a fusion of bistro-meets-fine dining morsels made from interesting produce. There are rumblings of another element to the establishment that the boys are keeping hush hush, so interested parties will have to rock down to Electric Avenue when it opens within the next fortnight – we’ll have all the details for you.
Fish Lane Festival
It’s back, friends, and with the recent additions to Fish Lane, we think it’s safe to say this year’s Fish Lane Festival is going to be even bigger and better than the last. On Saturday May 13, Fish Lane will be transformed into a gourmet street party, filled with street eats and signature dishes from the neighbourhood’s eateries, craft beer, wine and cocktail pop-up bars, and three stages for live music and DJs. Program and menus are yet to be announced – keep an eye on The Weekend Edition for more details in the coming weeks.
Nativo Kitchen & Bar and Burnt Ends
The Barracks will soon get a breath of fresh air, when it welcomes new residents Nativo Kitchen & Bar and Burnt Ends. The two venues come from restaurateur TJ Peabody’s NKB Group, behind Nantucket Kitchen & Bar, NKB Express and Nickel Kitchen & Bar. Nativo is due to open in May, taking over the space formerly occupied by French Twist, and will serve up rustic regional Italian fare. Across the way, the group has also taken over the old stable building (once home to The Underground nightclub), which will reopen as Burnt Ends Bar and Burnt Ends Kitchen around August. The Burnt Ends name is a nod to what’s on offer – expect protein-heavy yakitori-style bites cooked over a fire pit.
Yes, Joy
Is there anything more joyous than food? Rachel Surgeoner doesn’t believe so, hence the name of her new venture Yes, Joy. Due to launch in mid-April, Yes, Joy will offer catering services for small to medium gatherings, with a selection of simple and wholesome bites. Through her soon-to-launch website, Rachel will take catering requests (currently available via email and social media), as well as share her latest food adventures and recipes. The Yes, Joy site will also feature a curated shop filled with pantry items and homewares. If you’d like to get a taste before it launches, Yes, Joy is currently making salads and baguettes each Wednesday at the Picnic & Pantry pop-up in QueensPlaza.
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