Grill’d & Bravo Trattoria, 11 Dec 2009

After chancing upon Grill’d whilst in Brisbane, Monsieur Poisson and I took the opportunity to try a much more local outlet in Crows Nest with Mistress one Friday evening. At no stage was the place full but there were a steady stream of people coming and going throughout our time there.

In keeping with their store themes, this one is decked out in the exact same fashion as the one we were at in Brisbane. Lots of sketches of cows, sheep and chicken in funny situations adorn the walls with witty dialogue bubbles. I also like it because there are splashes of red everywhere but this is a personal bias.

We order at the counter and decide on the chunky ‘Herbed Chips’ to share along with three burgers – ‘Baa Baa’, ‘Tuscan Delight’ and the impressive-sounding ‘Almighty’. The chips arrive first in their paper bag alongside a small tub or herbed mayonnaise. The chips are evenly seasoned and a lovely shade of golden but not as crispy as I’d like. We have a few chips left over at the end of the meal but the creamy herbed mayonnaise is cleared long before that.

How can you come across a burger named ‘Baa Baa’ and not order it? Of course, it’s not only the name which ropes us in but also the enticing combination of a grilled lamb pattie with avocado, cheese, salad, relish and herbed mayonnaise billed in the description. We have this on a white burger bun holding the juicy pattie, tangy relish and generous dollop of fresh green avocado.

Next up is the ‘Tuscan Delight’ ordered on a panini roll. There is grilled chicken breast with smoky bar marks sandwiched with roasted capsicum, basil pesto, cheese, salad and herbed mayonnaise. The basil pesto is the standout feature of this burger – it is fresh, herby and has a bucket-load of texture through the plentiful incorporation of nuts. The pesto reminds us of a basil and cashew dip available in the supermarkets.

The ‘Almighty’ is your Aussie burger minus the sometimes tropical addition of pineapple. This burger we have on a wholemeal bun enclosing a grilled beef pattie, cheese, bacon, fried egg, beetroot, salad, relish and herbed mayonnaise. Although the egg is not runny, the beef pattie is thick and juicy and the tart beetroot works well with the sweet and tangy relish.

After dinner and in need of a sweet fix, we wander up the road and around the corner to, where else but, Bravo Trattoria for some gelato. Except by the time we get there, Mistress and I are both distracted by the prospect of cannoli that we forget about gelato altogether! I leave it up to Monsieur Poisson to cover the gelato department and he orders cookies and cream as well as choc-mint. The choc-mint is not your usual lurid green but a pale, milky shade of chocolate instead. However upon tasting it, there is no mistaking the awakening flavour of mint.

Our cannoli also do not disappoint and are crispy, although this does make them a little hard to eat without shards of pastry flying everywhere! And while Monsieur Poisson and Mistress wash down their desserts with a caffe latte each, I opt for an affogato so that I can indulge in a bit of gelato as well.

Grill’d

57 Willoughby Rd, Crows Nest NSW

Tel: (02) 9436 0699

Opening Hours:  Sun-Thurs  11:30am-10pm

Fri & Sat  11:30am-11pm

Bravo Trattoria

6-8 Falcon St, Crows Nest NSW

Tel: (02) 9906 6630

Opening Hours:  Mon  CLOSED

Tues-Thurs  12pm-12am

                        Fri & Sat  12pm-1am

                        Sun  12pm-12am

happy eating!