Excellent Service from our waiter. The food was fantastic, we were seated upstairs so felt a bit special. Price is what i expected it to be give or take a few dollars. Highly recommend Aquitaine Brasserie if you wanna spoil yourself a bit.
Delicious food, very friendly staff and a great position on the waterfront! The crispy chicken was to die for, along with the chocolate dessert � Definitely recommend
It was an intimate dinner with my Partner and the night could not have gone better
Waiting staff are attentive and considered the food exquisite and the wine matched tre food perfectly
A great dining experience!!
Spent a whole Sunday afternoon here having the three course meal. Such helpful and friendly staff who were welcoming and relaxed. Gorgeous food and such a lovely spot. Will come back next time in Brisbane without question.
Absolutely amazing
My partner and I came in for nibbles and a drink and it is now quite possibly my favourite place to do so! We had the charcuterie board and the cheese plate... perfection! �� staff are so kind and overly accommodating .. 5 stars all around
loved it, great food, lovely staff, would definitely recommend Aquitaine Brasserie
We shared the roast pork and it just melted in the mouth - even the greens were delicious. The view across the river is stunning and the service top class - asked for assistance to select a wine and was brought two to sample, food was delivered promptly as we had to get to the theatre and nothing was too much trouble. We'll be back for sure.
Great location, friendly knowledgeable staff and original, interesting, delicious food. Well worth a visit.
Thank you to all the staff for looking after me and my sisters birthday lunch on Sunday! We had a large group and our waiter David I believe was his name, was one of the best waiters we've had. Thank you.
Amazing food and amazing service highly recommend it.
We had a family function at Aquitaine Brasserie over the weekend, and it was a flawless evening! The food was lovely, the staff went above and beyond to look after us. We didn't have to think about anything, the evening went so smoothly that we didn't even notice how many hours went past! Thank you so much from Helen and Ian.
Great food in wonderful riverside location
This is a great spot for lunch on a sunny afternoon. We had a team lunch here on a Saturday afternoon and everybody loved the food and wine. The views are lovely and the service is attentive! It's nicey but pricey!!
Nice location, delicious dish, but just a little bit below the level as expected.
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I had a delightful leisurely lunch here while on holiday from New Zealand. The beef tartare to start with was generous and seasoned beautifully. The raw beef was cut into larger pieces than I'm used to, but it was perfect because it gave it a lovely chunky mouthfeel. I reckon anyone who's never tried beef tartare would find this texture less daunting than the more traditional finely-chopped version. The crispy home-made lavosh bread was really novel and delicious because I think it was deep fried rather than baked.
My main was the pan fried barramundi. I've never had barramundi before and this example of it was cooked perfectly. The skin was so crispy it was like a chip, but still attached to the moist, flakey flesh. I can see why is an Aussie favourite. The dish was missing the candied fennel chips listed on the menu but I've only just realised that now that I'm referring to the menu as I write this. It would've been interesting to see what they added to the dish. Despite their absence, I'm still giving 5 stars. I'm glad the apricot remoulade was served as separate blobs because I could control how much I added to each mouthful. I have a sour palate so I used the quite sweet (to me) remoulade very sparingly. The pearl barley and shaved fennel accompaniments made it a compete plate, with no need to order any side dishes.
Despite not having much of a sweet tooth, I'm a bit of a sucker for French desserts. I knew a whole dessert would make my tummy explode so I opted for the petit fours. At $10 I thought it would be a couple of small morsels to go with my coffee. Oh my God! Those petit fours have to be the best bargain in Brisbane. I'm still in a happy, happy sugar coma so I might have misremembered some of the flavours. There was a square of ginger and caramel fudge, a sesame(?) macaron, a piece of hokey pokey (honeycomb to you Australians) and a square of lychee gel that was like a very light Turkish delight. These were definitely NOT small morsels; each one took 3-4 bites to consume. The fudge is the best I've ever had. I'm used to fudge that is so sugary that the sweetness 'burns' your throat as you swallow it, which is why I'm not a big fan. This was not like that at all. It was also super creamy and not grainy at all. Now I have a benchmark by which to measure excellent fudge! The macaron was very dense, but not unpleasant. Maybe that's what Brisbane macarons are like - might have to hunt when another macaron while I'm here in order to compare and contrast. I would've been more than satisfied with the petit fours on their own but Aquitaine took them to a higher plane by serving them on a generous bed of white chocolate powder studded with pieces of fresh raspberry. The powder just melted the instant it touched your mouth and was like a separate dessert in itself.
The service was warm and solicitous but not obtrusive. Aquitaine calls itself a brasserie, but I thought the food was far more elevated. The very good thing is that it charges brasserie prices!
I'd planned on what I was going to do with my day before I fly home tomorrow, but now I think I'm going to have to rearrange those plans to include another lunch at Aquitaine!
Even if you aren’t in the mood or timezone for a full meal, Aquitaine is an excellent venue for an afternoon glass of bubbly and a few appetisers with friends. The ambiance and proximity to the river can’t be beaten in a 20 degree “winter” day in Brisbane. And the cheese platters are delicious!!! Best of all, the service is friendly and professional. Highly recommend to any local or tourist.
Perfect restaurant. The ambiance was relaxing and we sat at a table that gave us privacy without losing the views. The hospitality of the staff was impeccable, very welcoming and professional. The food was phenomenal. Oysters were fresh, the mains pan fried king salmon and steak frites were both spectacular. Finished off on a perfect note with the chocolate marquis.
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Had a date night with my partner at Aquitaine before seeing a movie (Dunkirk, see it!) and the booking experience through Zomato was a good one. We had the garlic bread which was a nice combination of butter and soft confit garlic cloves. The mains were King salmon for me and my partner had the pulled duck cassoulet with mushroom and broccolini sides. The king salmon was crispy skinned, and while very tender, it was mostly raw on the interior and quite cool to eat, but some of this was due to the weather being rather cold for Brisbane. The sides were delicious. The wine was a Clare valley cab sav 2013 at a reasonable $65 per bottle, which was a nice accompaniment to the meal. Our waiters were attentive and mildly friendly on the whole, however, there could be some improvement to the experience towards the end of the night. All meals came out in an efficient manner and the two courses took only an hour to complete. Overall, a pleasant meal out with good food but not 5 star and a little on the expensive side for the mains.
Very impressed with all the food I tasted at this
place!!! There was a set menu as my friend was having a function but we were not the slightest bit disappointed. The real star was the duck and dessert, beautifully presented and perfectly flavoured. Will definitely be back for more
I've already been here for twice! Absolutely amazing! My favourite French restaurant in Brisbane so far. The environment and foods here are really authentic, delicate and elegant. Fantastic experience, the service is good! Highly recommend!
We had a lovely meal here a little while ago.. Fab service & view but we particularly enjoyed the food. Just wonderful flavors, the charcuterie was on point & I'd definitely go back. Enjoy x
Had a lovely lunch, and really enjoyed the wine, staff friendly & setting great. Shared the duck, which is one of the tastiest duck dishes I've had to date. Was busy, good atmosphere and will definitely return.
What a great venue with great views and good service. The food! Well we started off with fresh Oysters, pork belly and Ceviche scallops.
Oysters with champagne + dill foam, very interesting but certainly top quality and fresh tho was a lot more shells in my oysters then usual. Pork belly and scallops was delicious which went down like a treat.
Mains we had the Sword fish and Duo of beef with buttered greens. The fish was very interesting with the lemon curd but the beef was also delicious.
Finishing up with All things chocolate it was a great night out and would recommend to family and friends.
What a beautiful spot on the river and we were so fortunate today as the helicopters were practically over our heads practicing for riverfire. A classic champagne followed by a Bellini then Tasmanian oysters and a sublime duck dish. Everything was so delicious that I also ordered petit fours and I wasn't disappointed.
My wife and I had the Prix Fixe menu which had a great selection for the price both meat & vegetarian choices. The duck & chicken were very tasty. Although busy we were well attended by staff and meals came promptly and beautifully presented. Had a dozen Pacific oysters before which were fantastically fresh and came with the most delicious champagne/dill foam. A most enjoyable wedding anniversary outing!
Very posh restaurant in South Bank, Brisbane. The food tasted average, but was excellently plated. It was a bit on the pretentious and pricey end of the spectrum. Not really a family friendly restaurant.
Meatballs And Beef Cheeks
+3.5
Great location, nice view, friendly service and the food was very good (but not great). I've dined at Aquitaine four times, including hosting a business dinner for 10+, but haven't been compelled to return for business lunches or date nights with my wife in the past 6 months. I wouldn't be opposed to it, but there are other, more interesting options nearby. My wife enjoyed the escargot and I recall the steak chasseur was nice. I got excited to see Pommed de Terre Sarladaises on the menu - I guess duck fat excites me - but they were ok at best.
Slick Chef Extraordinaire. Gangster Of Food.
+3.5
Very nice view, friendly service and a nice wine list. It's a great spot for a casual lunch or dinner date. The food is good, very good actually but its just a little boring to me. The food tastes great and the chefs execute it well but it's nothing new.
Modern french restaurant. I ordered the trout with green beans, almonds and citrus. The fish was cooked beautifully with a nice crispy skin. The citrus was a lovely burst of flavour however there could of been a little more of it. For dessert I had creme Brûlée with strawberries. It was creamy with a lovely toffee top. The only thing perhaps that could have been improved was the timing of the mains - they took a little longer than expected to come out. I would return.
The bouillabaisse brought out my inner teen wanting to scream "OMG"!! A rich fish soup with plenty of fish and shellfish pieces, and a generous side of crusty bread with rouille -"rust", a spicy aioli-. So flavoursome, so many varied seafood bits, the perfect dish for a hot summer night.
The Roquefort ice cream was original and a great complement to the main: the poached figs and the orange sauce brought the right sweet/salt balance. I finished with the Mille feuille just to load up the calories. So good, I'm back tomorrow.
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All I can say is..WOW!
Aquitaine has been on my foodie bucket list since earlier in the year when I learned of its existence and after months of wiping drool of my phone screen through their Instagram and contemplating blowing the weekly food budget continuously I have finally caved to the occasion and took the leap of faith. I was not disappointed.
To say the food was perfect is an understatement and to dine on the water at Southbank with the shimmering Sunday afternoon sun in my eyes just added to what seems to now be an experience such as dining in France itself.
Starting with the entree moving into a main and tipping it all over with what is to date one of the best executed desserts I have even had the joy of tasting created a bombardment of flavours, textures and vibrant plating coming from what I can only now put into one of top experience not only in Brisbane but anywhere I have dined.
Aside from som minimal knowledge of the wine list in which the waitress was extremely apologetic about nothing could of been more perfect.
Highly recommend to experienced diners and anyone on the market for what is sure to be an unforgettable but affordable foodie experience!
Had a great meal out last night at Aquitaine.. My partner had the kangaroo and said it was flawless, I had the mushroom entree and chocolate and salted caramel ganache which was also flawless.. The breads and cheese entree special weren't bad but felt like they were missing something.. Would also be good if they ask if you want all the elements on the plate explained prior to launching into a lengthy explanation. Otherwise great food and service, just these few things would make the experience flawless :-)
Lovely night with the family last night. Mixed reviews round the table about the food. I had the duck and it was cooked to perfection and the yoghurt that went with it was a perfect combination. However my partner had ordered the same thing and it was slightly over done. The chocolate ganache was every bit delicious and not too sweet. Nice way to end the meal and they did a little something special for my MIL who was celebrating her birthday. Kids meals are not that kid friendly so you might need to consider that if you do have children.
The Invisible Food Critic
+4
Had a great night here with some friends but lost my phone that night therefore had to borrow my friend's photos which were taken half drunk... Dishes showed simplicity yet technical, my steak was cooked to perfection and the sauce was amazing. The desert left a very memorable taste to end a wonderful night. Very technical and executed perfectly. Beautiful decor and very prompt service, will return again to take more photos!
Great service, reasonable price and the meals were fabulous!!! Had the jamon, sardines, mushroom, duck, beef and bouilliabaisse. Delicious. Partner and i will definitely be going back.
Situated in the new section of Southbank near the Goodwill bridge, it offers a nice view of the river and the city on the other side. It was a shame that on the night we went it was raining. Service was okay; it did take them a little longer than usual to take our order and bring our drinks, considering it wasn't busy at all. Food was enjoyable, the escargot in butter and herb sauce were to delicious as was the pork belly and scallop. Mains was also good with the beef being tender and juicy. All in all a good night out.
love if from the first time.
love it more cause is on the entertainment book.
love it cause is at the quiet end of south bank.
keep coming back for the dinning atmosphere and the food.
Terrific food and service. We went using the entertainment guide and will most definitely be back again! I had the special which was a 'to die for' duck pie. The entrees of sardines were incredible as were the mushrooms. Finish off by a great ganache. Good location and very attentive service.
Fantastic & super value, 3 courses and cheese plus wines for under $100 each. Classic french food with a modern twist. Food was impeccable and the bouillabaisse smelt absolutely devine!
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It was time for a very long overdue catch up with my oldest friend and she had decided that Aquitaine sounded like a good option for a Friday lunch. We arrived nice and early and greeted very warmly by our friendly waiter. The place was still empty so table choice was all ours and we chose to sit outside and enjoy the view.
The menu was with us quickly and our celebratory glass of bubbles in our hand in good time. The menu was interesting, but neither of us could go past the winter lunch special menu - choice of two courses and a glass of wine for $35 ... bargain. On the menu for our visit was pumpkin risotto and coq au vin - with a choice of either a glass of chardonnay, cabernet sav or a beer. We both went with the white and it was great!
Now to the food - the pumpkin risotto made its appearance and it was seriously good, and such a generous serve, wasn't sure how I would fit in my main. It was creamy, pumpkiny and had a generous serving of goats cheese sprinkled on top ... my hubby makes good pumpkin risotto, this was even better than his.
The coq au vin was also delicious - a really large bowl of hearty chicken, loads of carrots, plump mushrooms, onion and potato mash/puree surrounded by a delicious wine sauce. The waitress explained that the chicken had been suveed, then finished off in the pan and it was delicious - so moist, tender and melting off the bone. But those mushrooms - they were my favourite bit.
In all a lovely long lunch - the service was superb, the food was delicious and we both agreed that we needed to catch up more often and that Aquitaine would be the place to do it!
Went this Saturday early afternoon - Very good service from knowledgable staff. Food was good and the venue very pleasant. The experience lives up to the price tag so a thumbs up from us!
Picnic basket!. I organised a picnic basket for a night out with my fiancé. When we arrived, we were asked if we would rather sit inside at a table as it had been raining. The staff member set up our table beautifully, just like a picnic and explained what everything was. The cheeses and meats were delicious and the warm bread, a perfect touch!
We had a great experience and will definitely be back!
Excellent Evening. Recently my wife and I went out for our normal Friday night dinner and decided to give somewhere new a go. So glad we did. The service was good and the food excellent. A good variety in choice, well priced and great flavours. The location just seems to match the food with great views of Brisbane. I can see this being a regular due to the service and food provided, a job well done on the night we were there. Definitely going back and looking forward to our return.
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Good Dining Experience. My family came to the restaurant to celebrate my brother's upcoming birthday. Although we were incredibly late, we were still seated as the restaurant was not too full on a Monday evening. The atmosphere is fantastic, as are the drinks (according to my brother). The service is mostly as expected but on occasion great.
The food itself was an interesting mix. The entrees were absolutely superb and the dessert godsend, although I can't say the same about some of the mains. We were all a little disappointed with my father's wagyu steak which wasn't as smooth to eat as it should've been (although the price tag is also pretty low considering it was supposed to be "wagyu"). The seafood in my bouillabaisse although not bad, didn't seem to be the freshest. The others found their mains to be good, but nothing rave-worthy. Otherwise, the portions were good, not too big, not too little, as was the price (for the food, atmosphere, and location).
All in all, this restaurant is a place I'd like to one day return to again, even if it was just for the entrees and the dessert.
Nice food. The view and the delicate French cuisine were a perfect combination for this restaurant. The service was also very good. So all in all, it was a great dining experience.
If the dessert comes with fossilized parsnip, no matter how crazy that sounds, I strongly suggest you order it.
Incredible Service. Aquitaine saved our night. After a booking mistake in the restaurant next door, they accommodated our group and the food was brilliant. Really enjoyed how inventive and creative the food was.
But most of all, the service and staff were A+, and we brought out own birthday cake which they plated, wrote happy birthday on it, provided candles and plated it with ice cream, all to our surprise.
Had a fantastic lunch there today ! Great service , great food
Lovely evening. Polite .... Lovely evening.
Polite and very efficient service.
The ashed goats cheese and escargot were ingredible to open with
Had the scallop, pork and black pudding entree and my partner had the duck gallontine both complex and interesting dishes. Slight tweeking on seasoning and the dishes would have been perfect. Nice fries as well which is a good sign but a little more salt wouldn't have gone a stray.
Nice work chef, and excellent job to the front of house.
First time visitor to Aquitaine and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Dishes were good proportioned and tastefully presented. Very pleasant waiting staff made the experience even more enjoyable. Well worth the visit.
Perfect!. Went with a friend for a girly date. Booked and shared seating on this couch overlooking the water. Nice afternoon breezes with a drink in hand to start off with than came entree of ham terrine. Mains of fish and duck. Dessert - that snickers creation and cheesecake.. delicious and perfect finish to our night.. Most importantly - our attentive waiter. Will definitely will go back for drinks, dinner and/or dessert. Great location amongst all the others however this venue stands out!
Fantastic. Had dinner there last night and it was one of the best dining experiences we have had. There were three of us and all courses were memorable, particularly the wagyu beef and the duck. The décor is great, the staff were brilliant, there is a reasonably priced wine list and of course the view is magical.
Great Spot. An exceptional dining experience and a wonderful atmosphere also.
I had my partners birthday on Sunday and it was amazing. Staff were friendly and cheerful. Food was delicious and generous. Beautiful setting and atmosphere.
Lee & Rachel Buckingham. We had lunch today at Aquitaine
And all i can say is WOW.
The service was great and the food will give and two hatted restaurant in Brisbane a run for there money.
We are looking forward now to our next visit
I dont eat desert but the snickers desert was just amazing
great jobs we will spread the word, and we will be back soon.
Oh great views and the price was good too.
Lee
It's easy to miss Aquitaine kind of blending in with the venues either side but well worth the visit. Sunday afternoon with girlfriends, it's sunny and we're looking for cocktails & nibbles. Staff were experienced and were able to easy guide as through a range of cocktails & then wines when we decided to stay & order more food. Ticks all the boxes, good food, good cocktails, great service and good view. Will return!
Came for dessert only - best I've had. Came one night just for dessert after eating dinner somewhere else. Very nice service even though we just wanted some dessert. Had the french toast and the hazelnut and chocolate mousse cake with meringue bits. Both were plated beautifully, tasted amazing (french toast was crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and the other dish just tasted so delicious together with all the different textures of the different components). Serving size wasn't very big but this suited us just fine as it was enough to leave us wanting a teeny bit more. Can not wait to come back to try their dinner menu!! Also very romantic place next to the river.
Enjoyed a lovely evening here, the food was very nice & the portion sizes were huge for a fine dining restaurant. The desserts were excellent value at $12 & delicious! Will defiantly return.
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EXCEPTIONAL Function Venue. We recently had our wedding reception here and could not have been happier with the service that we received from Aquitaine.
We chose to have a canapé style evening, very informal and fun.
Lucy worked with me to get a menu that catered for all of our guests. We had a lot of GF/DF, so I wanted to make sure that they weren't disappointed every time a platter came around, filled with food they can't eat. So we did the majority of the menu to be GF/DF, with a few special meals for the vegetarians and other allergies.
The quality of the food was fantastic, mostly rich and delicious as French food is. The only thing that I would have done in retrospect, would have been to have extra plates of bread/dip to fill up the guys. I had specifically asked not to do this, so that one is my fault, hadn't really gauged how much guys want to eat/drink over such a long day. Oops.
EVERYONE commented to me about how good the service was and how beautiful the venue is. The staff were so friendly, always made sure people had a drink and got the food around. The venue itself and its view, really were amazing. Absolutely no need to add expensive/unnecessary decorations, the best of Brisbane's view was there to enjoy.
(I also consider that what we got was very good value as well)
Friendly plus amazing river location. Popped in for dessert on a beautiful warm August Monday evening. Staff were very welcoming to us and our two little boys. Food was interesting (including Pear on French Toast) and reasonably priced - and the view across to the city was spectacular.
Amazing dinner at Aquitaine last night - such a beautiful location on the water paired with a new head chef, new menu, and great service - the whole evening was out of this world good!! My favourite was the pork belly & scallops.. the rest of the table the barramundi tail.. And I loved the creme brûlée eggs!! Our waiter Josh gave us some of the best service I have had in Brisbane recently. Could not recommend more!
Nice views, great service, rich food. Our waiter was fantastic: very attentive and knowledgeable. We also got a very good wine recommendation of the 2009 Pommier Bourgogne Pinot Noir.
The cured meats for the appetizer was a perfect share size for two. My steak tartare starter was extremely heavy and I felt fairly full after it, but nevertheless it was very tasty.
For our mains, we had the wagyu beef, which was excellent. Plus two sides.
The appetizer, starter, mains with two sides, plus one sweet, one bottle of wine, plus two additional glasses of wine, came to a total of $220 (excluding tip).
AMAZING!. I went to this restaurant with my family for my 18th birthday, we were a little late but the staff were not mean or anything about being an inconvenience. Our waitress was very stunning and was great at her job. Had a lot of valuable product knowledge regarding the menu, which helped. We ordered a bit of everything, the entree of scollops were absolutely beautiful. The atmosphere and surrounding views of Aquitaine are very beautiful. 10/10 and not complaints.
Pretty good!. We went for a birthday lunch. Bloody Mary was amazing and spicy!
Friendly staff but a bit disorganised. They forgot specials board, side dishes, and gave us other customers food and coffee.they were friendly though.
Steak was amazing, snails were great and right amount of garlic, homemade breads were excellent, fries yummy, vegs perfectly cooked and Brussels sprouts were actually amazing..roasted in oil.
Didn't like which way we were facing..towards the ally. They need to make this look nicer if you don't have a seat with a view. So that is really the only negative, even though we pre booked a table and asked for a nice one. They also made out they were fully booked, but upon arrival it was 40 percent full. So having lunch at preferred time would have been nice.
Great food especially the pork belly. Good service and nice views too. Recommended!
Went to Aquitaine last night for dinner for the first time, excellent service, menu and food. Will be back again.
Favourite Restaurant. Beautiful food, both lunch and dinner, we've been back many times. Great atmosphere - always buzzing with lots of people. Gorgeous outlook onto the river & staff were excellent. Favourite restaurant by far!
Great food and service. Second visit to Aquitaine...confirmed what I thought the first time that this is a classy palace. Great food, reasonable prices (not cheap but value for money) and mostly excellent service. Our waiter was sensational...there was a waitress who was either new or just living in another dimension (passing plates across people, not knowing what went where, tried to give us another table's wine) but she was the exception. Definitely recommend for a romantic night out or dining with friends.
What a gorgeous day! The service was lovely, they were a little rushed but they were busy so it was understandable and even being busy remembered the smallest detail about my intolerance to Gluten and Diary.
The chef was happy to help. Good to see venues picking up the game in this area.
The food was delicious (a little small for the price but tasty) and the wine list is outstanding!! You learn as you read it! Love that!
The view, the service and the food.... I say "a big win"!!
Had a wonderful Valentines at Aquitaine! Half dozen scallops were beautiful, mains of Lamb Rack and Fish of the Day (Red Emperor) also fantastic. Would recommend choosing an accompaniment, the beetroot with maple bacon and hazelnuts - simply divine. Desserts were inventive and appealing on all levels, we chose the Peach Brioche and Chocolate Cork.
For 2.5 courses, 2 cocktails and three spirits the bill came in just over $170. Very happy with that! Service was hit and miss but the view, atmosphere and yummy food made up for it in droves.
Will definitely be returning.
Classy tastes. Partner and I dined on a Friday evening. Pretty vista with a water front table. Once seated initial service was a tad slow however after that was friendly and professional. Starter was onion soup which was lovely and sweet. Entrees were beef tartare and absinthe cured salmon. Both were lovely and well presented. Mains were pork belly and spatchcock. Again, both tasty and well presented. Wine selection was lovely. We both did feel that the menu had a slightly heavier winter feel then we expected in summer though. Would definitely return.
Nice. Great outlook, good food. Bordering on too high price tag for menu/meal/wine etc. The constant bogan on the southbank foreshore remind you that you are in Brisbane, which distracts from an otherwise nice restaurant.
Walked down the new South Bank development looking for a place to grab a drink and a bite to eat. Aquitaine had the most inviting area to do this, so we managed to get a seat and ordered a couple of French ciders by the glass and some bar snacks. The service was so friendly and efficient for a bar setting and the food was amazing!! The wine list has some great selections of new and old world wine and we will definitely be back soon to sample that and the creative looking cocktail list.
Wow what a fantastic place to sit and share a charcuterie board and wash it down with a bottle of champagne. We stumbled upon Aquitaine when walking last Thursday. We settled for chauterie and a bottle of champagne. Will be back for dinner very soon. Lovely staff and a magnificent view
Beautiful food to match the beautiful outlook. This is what Southbank has been missing! Looking forward to some Sunday afternoon drinks at Aquitaine. P.s loved yesterday's Steak special with (mushroom pâté)!!
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Embrace your Brisbane-ness. Well what a find this has been. Well prepared food with exquisite ingredients and a balmy riverside dining atmosphere but a little quirky in its effort at “authenticity”. After eating in the CBD fairly regularly over the last few years a shortage of hotel rooms left me in South Bank looking for somewhere for dinner. For all its efforts to try and convince me that it is authentic south-of-France I found the experience at Aquitaine quintessentially Brisbane (in the best possible sense).
I approached the idea of Red Emperor in mussel broth with fennel and spring onion with trepidation. Although mild by Brisbane standards, I was finding the evening a little humid. I opted for the fish and eschewed the offerings with heavier French-inspired ingredients (foie gras, blue cheese, et al).
I was pleasantly surprised .
Not only was the portion size perfect (that is not supersized, but not nouvelle cuisine either), the broth was light and delicious. Some may measure value for money by total calorie count and not quality and freshness of ingredients. If that's you then you may not find this good value. Fennel and whole spring onions balanced the flavour of the small mussels in the broth. The cherry tomatoes were few but were an intense and novel in flavour and a real highlight of the meal. The kingfish (which can be a little dry) was perfect in broth. A small freshly made bread roll with herbed butter with a glass of Hunter Valley Semillon (2005, 2006? I can't remember) finished of the dish nicely.
My direct comparison is trying to find somewhere in Southbank in Melbourne after a show and being sorely disappointed. For all the hype it can be really easy to find sub-optimal dining experiences in Melbourne.
Which brings me to the quintessential Brisbane part: Brisbane tries so hard to be as good as other places sometimes that it inadvertently surpasses the competition. Aquitaine is a case in point. The service was a little too try-hard and supposedly French (without the rudeness I have to say), tried a little bit too hard to be “authentic”. But what has happened is that it has surpassed the standard fare in equivalent tourist strips in Melbourne and Sydney – and has done this through its local strengths: good interpretation of provincial French cuisine with great fresh ingredients and a to-die-for outdoor dining experience.
Three large and wonderfully grilled king prawns were smothered in an intensely flavoured shellfish sauce. The sauce married perfectly with the pumpkin and both were supported with some texture from the pine nuts and the pasta. The prawn and sauce were the star of this show though, and the skill on chef Damon was on display with the perfectly balanced shellfish sauce and the sweet prawn meat working in complete harmony.
We decided to give this place a try for our wedding anniversary dinner at the end of October and I can tell you already, Aquitaine is perfect for date-diners. When you sit outside the lights are dark, so you feel like you have more privacy (but it’s hard to take photos if you’re a food blogger!). Service is excellent, every dish was presented to us upon arrival, each component was described so we knew exactly what flavours we should expect.
The waiter chitchatted with us for a while we were waiting for our light lunch, a salad Nicoise w confit tuna ($18) and a warm confit duck salad, rocket, kipfler, onion jam, fetta ($18). I wouldn't have chosen a different place for lunch on that day.
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