Good food is the ‘spice’ of life. More than physical nourishment alone, great food satiates both the palate and soul.
Spice Central Kitchen & Bar on the ground floor of the Novotel, Southbank, is one of Brisbane’s most popular eating spots. It not only has a five star rating from diners, but for months it has ranked on Trip Advisor as one of the top five restaurants in Brisbane, denoting that it is consistent performer in both food and service. Having stayed in the hotel on a couple of previous occasions, we eagerly accepted an invitation to sample dishes from Spice Central’s lunch and dinner menu.
It is significant that this restaurant, frequented by travellers to the city, is named after spices. Spices were one of the most valuable commodities in the ancient world, used for both food and medicine. Spices not only made merchants rich, but they also launched the Age of Exploration where empires were established and destroyed, new continents discovered, and the balance of world power tipped from one nation to another, laying the foundation for the modern world.
Spice Central Kitchen is home to chefs from many nations, the culinary team led by Chef Devranjan Dasgupto, who trained in India at the Oberoi and Taj Hotels Palaces and Resorts, coming to Australia in 2018 via Burj Al Arab in Dubai. He is an award-winning chef whose CV includes being personal chef for David Beckham.
Partly hidden behind privacy screens, the dining and bar areas are decked out in shades of grey punctuated with pops of greenery. Large windows line one end of the restaurant, looking out to the green of Musgrave Park opposite the hotel, adding a cool, relaxed vibe. It’s a very inviting and calming space with wide appeal across cultures and demographics, music adding to the ambient mood.
Welcomed to the hotel by front of house staff, we take time out and relax.
We order entrées, a house stone-baked ciabatta accompanying them served with luscious truffle butter, EVOO and balsamic vinegar.
The first half of the dinner menu is titled ‘To Share & Start’, with portions available in two sizes bridging tapas or shared plate dining with traditional entrées sizes. With its interesting range of dishes including oysters and a charcuterie board to your size and specification, it would be possible to dine from this menu alone. Dietary notes are included with each dish, from gluten-free to nut-free, vegetarian and vegan, as befits a modern menu.
We’ve chosen an Aix rosé and beer to accompany our meals, but there’s a lot of choice by either the glass or bottle.
A small range of cocktails bring an international flavour, such as the Transcontinental, pairing Taittinger champagne with British gin and saffron. While it’s a smart sour lemony cocktail perfect for my palate, it seems a travesty to use a perfectly delicious Taittinger for a ‘colonisation in a glass’ cocktail. (Not much different, I guess, to my view on colonisation!)
When our entrées arrive, they are two of the best small dishes we’ve had in some time, showing lots of love from the kitchen.
A delicate 40 Degree sous vide chilled salmon is served with a grapefruit and cream reduction and accents of pickled cucumber, crispy capers and herbs. Pan-seared scallops arrive on a bed of rich butternut purée with crispy speck and a semi-dried tomato and pine nut crumble. The accompaniments provide a rich complementary background to the scallops without overpowering them in flavour. The scallops in particular is a cracker of a dish, luxe and full-flavoured.
Our mains are also of exemplary quality. Large grilled Mooloolaba Prawns are served on a bed of squid ink pasta tossed through with Kalamata olives, a perfectly flavoursome ‘bisque’ sauce and parsley that’s rich and dekicious.
The MSA-grade Riverina Rump Steak is a classic. Rubbed in smoked paprika it’s perfectly cooked to rare, served with ‘pont neuf’ potatoes, confit tomato and red wine jus; plenty of food without the Apple radish and hazelnut slaw we have ordered.
Somehow, we still find room for Berry and almond tart served with berry compote and assorted berries, a French classic that is always in style.
When we think about what makes a restaurant great, it’s a mix of many things; an ambient venue that is comfortable and calming for the senses, the attentive service that our waiter Henry provides for us, beautifully presented food with matching quality of wine or beverages and last, but not least, taste.
Without the achievement of exemplary flavours (through sourcing high quality fresh produce, choosing ingredients to complement the main ingredient, and excellent culinary technique) every other factor counts for naught.
Spice Central Kitchen & Bar performs on every front.
Chef Dev sums up his food philosophy this way: “It is all about the balance between simplicity and richness; emotions and precision; wellness and indulgence; social interaction and constant improvement.”
Let’s raise a glass to that!
Spice Central Kitchen & Bar, 38 Cordelia Street, South Brisbane QLD, Ph: 07 3295 4150
Open daily for Breakfast 6:30am – 10am (10.30 weekends), Lunch 12pm – 2pm, Dinner 6pm – 9:30pm
NOTE: Good Food Gold Coast dined as guests of Spice Central Kitchen & Bar