“As we grow as a group, it’s always been my fear that we corporatise too much,” Williamson says. “Hospitality is people. It’s shared experiences and stories – from the kitchen to the front of house to the bar. That’s what we should be celebrating.” The new menu items include torched Mallorcan toast with honeycomb, fennel seeds and guindillas; chistorra (Catalan-style chorizo) roasted in farmhouse cider and lime; and coral trout pil pil with burnt lemon. There’s a distinctly Spanish influence here, but Williamson said it
was more by happenstance than design. “I tend to disregard the current menu and just brain dump a whole lot of stuff down, and then piece it together into something that has flow and cohesion,” he says. “I physically got in there and tested all the dishes, and it was a great send-off for [departing head chef] Anthony [Naylor] to be part of that process and go out on a high. “It wasn’t until we [finished the menu] that … we picked up on that
Spanish influence … Outside of Moda and a couple of other places, there’s not a tonne of it in Brisbane.”
Agnes, Brisbane restaurants, restaurant menu, Spanish influence, Anthony Naylor, Williamson, torched Mallorcan toast, chistorra, coral trout pil pil
Spanish food in Brisbane? finally.
Sounds cool but why does every menu gotta be like ‘Spanish-leaning’ now lol. I’m just here for the toast and whatever that honeycomb thing is.
Wait so the head chef left and then they changed the menu to impress people? I thought torched toast means it’s literally burned on purpose, like a cooking safety thing. Also ‘pil pil’ sounds like a medicine brand? Might still try it though.
Brisbane needs more Spanish stuff, agreed. But ‘picked up on the Spanish influence’ sounds like they just guessed and it turned out right. Guindillas?? is that like jalapeños or just weird vinegar peppers? Either way I hope they still have normal options because not everybody wants fancy coral trout pil pil.