Naga
In case you missed the news last week, the team behind Libertine, The Gresham Bar, Walter’s Steakhouse and Popolo Italian Kitchen & Bar has set its sights on Eagle Street Pier, announcing the forthcoming arrival of Naga – a modern Thai restaurant and bar promising great food, smashable drinks and guaranteed good times. Owners Andrew and Jaimee Baturo have taken over the riverside space previously occupied by Pony, recruiting Anna Spiro to help give it a playful party vibe using bold eye-popping colours, fabrics and retro decor, as well as more than 150 vibrant glowing lanterns suspended from the ceiling. Head chef Suwisa Phoonsang (ex-Libertine) will pay homage to both Bangkok and the northern Thai village of her upbringing, crafting a menu featuring the likes of Moreton Bay bug pad Thai, grilled pork neck salad, massaman beef milk buns and seafood dumpling green curry. The menu will be complemented by an equally bright drinks list, filled with fun fresh and fruity stick drinks, lychee wine, Naga Laga and the signature Nagaroni cocktail. Naga is set to open in October as a long-term pop-up at Eagle Street Pier, due to the site being pegged for redevelopment in the coming years. Rest assured we’ll have an up-close look at the anticipated arrival as soon as possible.
The Foundry and The Prince Consort
After more than five loud and sweaty years at 228 Wickham Street, hosting the likes of Dune Rats, WAAX, DZ Deathrays and many more, beloved live-touring venue The Foundry is closing its doors. But do not fret, music lovers, this is not goodbye! While The Foundry is farewelling its original home, it will be moving into a new bigger and better space in Fortitude Valley so soon. The move was sparked by new ownership for the iconic 228 Wickham Street building, with the new owners undertaking a refurbishment to the massive heritage hotel (which also encompasses the likes of The Elephant) and reverting to its original name, The Prince Consort. The mega venue will introduce some exciting new spaces such as La La Land, 400 Rabbits and The Garden Bar, as well as encompass old favourites Greaser and the Valley Wine Shop – we’ll have more on this in the coming weeks. As for The Foundry, the brand as been acquired by Lithium Entertainment, who will relaunch the live-music venue in early November in Fortitude Valley. If you have tickets to a future show there’s no need to worry – The Foundry anticipates no changes to the current event schedule, with all previous ticket sales to be honoured at the new venue.
My Beer Dealer
Few bars have done more to stoke the flames of passion for craft beer than Petrie Terrace bar Brewski. After cementing its status as a go-to watering hole for hop heads, a 2018 refurbishment and expansion of its Caxton Street home saw Brewski tack on an impressive bottle shop addition called My Beer Dealer, which continues to stock a jaw-dropping array of phenomenal frothy beverages from Australia and abroad. With the ongoing pandemic forcing beer lovers to drink at home more frequently, the Brewski team has decided to expand My Beer Dealer to the northern suburbs, giving locals greater access to top-tier sips. The team is chipping away at a second My Beer Dealer location in Clayfield – right near Eagle Junction train station. Shaping up to be double the size of its Caxton Street counterpart, My Beer Dealer 2.0 will showcase a larger selection of premiere craft brews, this time categorised by flavour rather than brewery in order to make it easier to pick according your mood. In addition to beer, My Beer Dealer will also stock an expanded range of wine (with lots of organic, biodynamic and natural drops available alongside mainstream varieties), as well as a considered array of Australian and independent spirits, lifestyle drinks (think seltzers, non-alcoholic beverages, low-sugar sips and gluten-free drinks) and a dedicated cheese fridge stocked with sublime snacks. My Beer Dealer is on track to open in early October. We’ll have more details for you soon!
Voglia
As we get closer to the official unveiling of Montague Markets – West End’s newest retail, dining, entertainment and residential hub – we are slowly being introduced to the eateries that will be calling the precinct home. The latest concept to be announced is Voglia, an Italian eatery from Vito and Bradie Mandarano. Inspired by the jaw-dropping scenery and lifestyle of the Amalfi Coast, the couple (who also operate Vito’s Cucina & Bar in Ascot) will be imbuing Voglia (Italian for ‘wish’) with a discernible south-Italian flair. At full capacity Voglia will be able to seat 120 patrons and will boast a multifaceted all-day offering, stretching from morning until late evening. A front counter will be dispensing casual takeaway fare and coffee in the early hours, while the dine-in space is where guests can chow down on burgers, pizzas and a full a la carte fine-dining experience from afternoon until well after sunset. Voglia will join Fat Dumpling, Wara Sushi and recently announced arrival Cheeky Bean Espresso as part of Montague Markets’ dining array.
Suburban Social’s Beergustation dinner
Sure, we love a wine pairings, but we feel beer-and-food combos are going to be all the rage soon enough. The crew behind Suburban Social is spearheading the tandem with a pair of beergustation dinners taking place across its two locations. On Thursday September 17 and Thursday October 1, Suburban Social will host a five-course feast at its Holland Park and Chapel Hill locations, respectively. Head chef Marty Coard will be crafting the fare using fresh local produce, plating up the likes of gin-cured kingfish, beetroot carpaccio with beer mustard, dry-aged duck breast with beer onion puree, pork belly lathered in apple cider gastrique and goats cheese cremeux with poached rhubarb. Each course will be accompanied by a liquid pairing, including a Mexican hot-chocolate stout from Ballistic Beer Co., Sauce Brewing’s Mango Squeak, a red IPA from Jetty Road Brewing and a plum fruit-cart sour from Slipstream Brewing. Guests will also be gifted a mixed four-pack of beers, included in the ticket price. Click here to purchase tickets for this week’s dinner at Suburban Social Holland Park, or here for October’s event in Chapel Hill.
Stanley’s Yum Cha Sundays
Now that Howard Smith Wharves is close to returning to its bustling best, its riverside eateries are also starting to ramp up activity once more. Waterfront Cantonese restaurant Stanley is looking to revitalise our weekends with a brand-new yum cha offering every Sunday. From 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, Stanley’s head chef Louis Tikaram will be dishing out a veritable feast of Cantonese morsels, including XO seafood dumplings, barbecue pork buns with chilli jam, salt-and-pepper squid with fresh chilli and lemon, and stir-fried egg noodles with sesame and sweet soy. In addition to the banquet (which is $49 for adults and $15 for kids under 12), guests can upgrade the experience, adding two hours of Louis Roederer champagne for a total of $129. You can make a booking via Stanley’s website.
If you’ve heard something that’s worth mentioning in The Weekend Edition’s Pavement Whispers, email [email protected].
