You know, I will be the last person around here complaining about the influx of American cuisine into Brisbane as of late. It is without lying that I would say it is in my top 10 cuisines of all time, and that certain areas of it really contribute to that placement. One of the things about it is that the cuisine is one of the most diverse and complex, with such a giant landmass and a make-up which is somehow unique from each other. That being said, ever notice how the American influx is mainly Southern style, or somewhat akin to a diner? I would never get sick of that fare, though I always appreciate diversity. Enter, showcasing Cali-Mex, is St. Baxter in New Farm and boy howdy do we have a winner around these parts.
Getting here, it was the business as per usual. Dimmi releases another 50% off deal. Now since my dining buddy/house mate really likes American cuisine, this one was going to be an easier deal than normal - well, here we ultimately are. It was obviously booked in and given the deal, thus another chance for a good lunch.
There is nothing too out of the ordinary with the design of the place. It is bright, it is open, and there was a relaxed and inviting atmosphere while dining. But out of compulsion, there were touches of a diner here and there - mostly with each table having the selection of condiments on them - two types of hot sauce for the tacos, a coffee cup holding sugars, and serviettes. It had what was needed, and the people here are well-prepared. What I particularly liked was that they had a flag of California up on the wall, and there was one flying in the breeze outside. That, ain't a bad touch at all. What is also a nice touch is that certain items come in a diner-style basket complete with bright colours and a paper napkin.
Now let's get down to the service. It was without mincing any words up to a very good standard. These were a couple of attentive individuals, and what makes up some of the best service comes down to how the little things all add up. There was the usual filling up of water glasses, and what helped was that they were not too busy. Heck, it started out really good from the instant that the two of us walked through the door; with the whole Dimmi booking, they were switched on knew it from when it was mentioned. That already shows enthusiasm.
The food comes out really quick from whence the orders are put in, making it quite efficient. Knowing the two of us, and especially when everything is half off, the table definitely fills up quick. Also, being a couple who shares there is the swapping around of items and such. When it gets too much on the plate, improvisation occurs - an example is using the saucer the coffee comes on. When the waiter saw that walking by, he went immediately to get a couple of entree-sized plates to make it easier. That is something that I have not seen yet, and I commend the efforts further. The service might not be the most professional in a sense. What is was more was being personable, and in my opinion that makes a dining experience more memorable.
Getting onto the menu, it is American. However there is a bit more to that. They go a bit regional here, using California as a template. What that means is that a distinct Lain influence seeps on through, particularly on the Mexican front. It has a bit of this, a bit of that - a substantial selection of street foods/starters, tacos and burgers are their own section, along with a modest mains menu that highlights a bit of every section in standard American cuisine - the food down to the bone is wholesome, substantial and should leave most people feeling satisfied. Taking the seasonal philosophy into approach, the menu is bound to change from time to time, adding some excitement to it. While I don't talk for everybody, I definitely left really full and satisfied. And to add on something even better, everything is made in house behind the counter - that is down to the ice cream for desserts. When it comes to the drinks, they have several varieties of wines, beers, and spirits as well as a lot of sangria, and ready-to-make cocktails. For the non-alcoholic, it is a case of the usual: sodas, fruit juices and coffee.
Starting off, it was drinks. Without any surprises, it was coffee again. Espresso-based, thus it is doppio and good as per the norm. They use beans from Fonzie-Abbott, which I have over before that I reckon it is either one of the most under-rated or under utilised beans that are sourced in Brisbane. In saying why, it is indicative of the coffee here; the beans produce a richer texture, and the flavours in the beans are more distinct and come out easier. Often it is a tad stronger than most of its counterparts, not to the extent that it is a punch to the gut but it definitely gets your neurons fired up. Have a talented barista behind it, as it was here, and you are good to go.
Upon getting to the food, it is all a case of what to get first - something to kickstart the palate is always good and that is where the starters work a treat. They might be already cliched, but I ain't tired of them yet - especially when they are really good. For the starters this time (and dozen's more), I got a small order of chicken wings. These came with a hot sauce and jalapeno crema. And these were some good chicken wings. They were slightly crispy, and had a decent bit of spice rubbed into the skin. As per usual, the meat in the chicken was tender and it came off the bone beautifully. Both the sauces were good - first, the hot sauce was simply really good and had decent sting to it. This is not the hottest sauce that I have had, and they could go a lot more insane with it. What was better though was the jalapeno crema - at first I thought it might either be sour cream, or maybe a kind of mayonnaise. Having just a small taste, and something about it is just delicious - it is tangy, the sauce was smooth and cool, plus the two sauces together with the wings was a treat. Again, as old as it may be - the wings are a recommendation, yet again.
As for my dining buddy, he had a couple of items in mind for what he wanted to eat. One of them was a kind of taco - we are talking California after all. There were a a couple of varieties that he was tossing up. Ultimately, it was the fish taco that he went with. Every taco order comes with a portion of two. With this option, the tacos each had freshly caught piece of fish, which was served with a cactus and pineapple salsa, avocado, and pickled ginger all on blue corn tortillas. Served alongside them was a wedge of lime to squeeze over the fish. These were also pretty good, maybe a reservation here or there. Starting off, it was a bit dry which can be helped in part with the hot sauces on the table. The fish part was soft, about the size of a deck of cards, and had a slightly strong taste. All the garnishes on top - salsa et al - made it flavoursome, and had a combination of sweet and spicy, plus topping them all off was the slice each of jalapeno. So, pretty decent all up.
I am not sure if this was an apparent side order with the tacos, or ordered from the side menu, but whatever the case was a massive bowl of shoestring fries was also ordered. Maybe it is a trick of the eyes, but the shoestring fries portion looked beyond substantial. There was a choice of sauce as a dip, and he went with baconaise. Surprisingly, the baconaise was slight in flavour and not full on - it was still pretty good, creamy and whatnot. As with the fries, they were pretty decent. What helped was that they were pipping off and fresh from the fryer. They were crispy, fantastically seasoned and I definitely did not stop munching at them; the magic touch was right there.
I would say after all that, but pretty much everything was on the table at one exact point. ... Moving on, it is time to discuss the mains. The choice that I went with was their "low and slow" barbecue brisket. This was two decently-sized portions of meat, cooked and charred well, served on top of a smoky mash, with onions, a chimchrri and wine jus. Going on a roll, this continued the trend of everything being both good quality and very tasty. The bits of beef were somewhat tender, more towards the texture of a steak rather than something cooked in a crockpot but definitely with influences of the latter. The flavour of the meat really came out, and it was great. Mixing in with mash that must have been whipped like butter, the infusion of the other flavours - the caramalised onions, and the herbs in the chimchurri - made a complex and satisfying meal.
When it came to his choice of a main, there was one thing my dining buddy had in mind - a Cubano. Ever since at another place where he got a try of mine, he was smitten with how good they were. Honestly, this is the king of sandwiches in my mind to the extent I've tried making them at home. There really is no way that you can go wrong with one of these babies. The recipe does vary, but it has a basic outline. For this one, there was slow cooked pork shoulder, hot salami, jack cheese and pickles. If there was a weak spot in the meal, this might be it, and we are talking about a very strong weak spot - if that makes sense. What that means is that it was still pretty good. They pile the meat on very heavily, and the standout is the spicy salami. It was meaty, had heaps of pork in it, and a nice bite. The pork shoulder was tender, and substantial. Mixing it in, the cheese bound the well-toasted sandwich together, and the pickles - as the often are - were a good finish off with a bite of vinegar. This alone could be a substantial bite for between times.
It was left to the devices of the waiter for what he recommended that we get for dessert. Funnily enough, what he ended up getting - and he was describing the one he had in store - was the one that I had most in mind. It was none other than "Dulce De Leche". This was a caramel ice cream sandwich - and I hope you like caramel. The ice cream is caramel, the "bread" is burnt sugar cooked into a cookie and they garnish it off with some salted caramel popcorn. Word of advice, don't let your dentist ever know that you tried this - for your sake. The ice cream was really smooth and soft, like nothing you will ever find in the freezer section. Its flavour with the caramel was only slightly sweet, which made it pretty pleasant. The "bread" had a good crunch, and was sort of like toffee. With the caramel popcorn on the side, this was a delicious and lovely way to end a great meal.
This is practically dining perfection defined for me - the quality of the food is pretty good, plus the flavours are all there and it is substantially portioned. It is not only that either, what also helps is that the whole atmosphere of the place is lovely and inviting - the waitstaff contribute to well over 90% of that feeling. If it is not already a hit with the locals, then I'll be very much surprised. Anything else that can be said about it, I don't know, as it is already apparent that this is one brilliant find that is worth seeking out.
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