BBQ Tonight - Upper Mount Gravatt, Brisbane. A new addition to the Palmdale Shopping Center area, BBQ Tonight boasts itself as Brisbane's newest and only Pakistani restaurant. Just across the main road from the big shopping center, the newly refurbished Garden City, Palmdale is not the most attractive looking of places and definitely does not have the glamour of its over-road neighbour. However, with such places as this the area wins furthermore for dining with options that are exotic, or more rustic and akin to a delicatessen. BBQ Tonight finds itself as the new kid on the block, and it is absolutely in the right area for that.
When my dining buddy and I were here, it was a Saturday afternoon and comparing to the blaring hot weather and high humidity outside, sitting inside was fantastic. It is really cool, has a little bit of atmosphere to it and most of it is about the touches to the place. On the far wall are a couple of lounges with a platform to put a hookah on and enjoy it during some relaxing; on the back wall is a television which televises cricket games to the clients and even has some prerecorded for those interested.
Service is pretty good and friendly. There is definitely a degree of professionalism to them, and a willingness to please. Characteristically, they are more modest than what might be used to being associated with good service - but still, it is all there. For the Pakistani population of Brisbane, this looks like it is being set up as the hub for meeting up and getting their home country's food.
To describe the menu, and a general idea about Pakistani cuisine from a glance at it, there are both curries (most likely trending towards dry as North Indian tends to be) and barbecued meats akin to kebabs from most Arabic cuisines. There are the odd additions - such as fries and burgers - making a fairly substantial selection of menu items. Often there are plenty of deals, including a weekend breakfast buffet and there is a discount meal for both students and taxi drivers.
My big sister has an eye out for deals; one of them led to this place. The deal that she found was for a Chargha chicken meal plus a juice each. You could also say it was to test the waters before she got back into town. Chargha chicken is one of their specialties, and a traditional dish in Pakistan. Chicken is marinated in traditional spices before being char-grilled on charcoal. On the menu, generally the order is a whole chicken; for the deal, it was a quarter chicken. Each one came well-presented on a plate with a side of rice and a tub of mint sauce.
This is simply delicious. The spices were infused into the skin, and the flesh. The juices of the chicken managed to be maintained, and it was very tender. It almost did not even need the sauce, it was that good - the sauce itself had a good consistency and taste. As well, the rice was a good side. It was impressive the colour pattern that they managed to create with various bits of orange and brown throughout.
The juice menu comes on each of the tables. Each one of the juices is freshly squeezed and made to order, with all sorts of combinations being possible. The one that took my eye was called "Cocktail Juice". This was a combination of orange, apple, pineapple, kiwi fruit and strawberry. It was refreshing, had a frothy consistency on the top and the flavours were quite complex giving the combination - none tried to overbear the others, and it was not quite sweet, but more tangy.
After such a great meal, comes the dilemma - forget who pays the bills, the true one is whether or not to get dessert. After a bit of indecision, and even less having to convince my dining buddy both of us got a sweet to finish off the meal. In particular, there was one that I was eyeing off early one called Pineapple Sweet. This was a blended mixture of pineapple and cream with bits of mango mixed in. My dining buddy got a "Kheer" - or a rice pudding in other words. Both of these were served in martini glasses, which made it easier to sample the other. Both of them were good. Rice pudding is one that is not for everybody, and in trying to describe it certainly won't be so - it is smooth, subtle in flavour and a good, mild finisher to great, big meals. As for the pineapple sweet, it is probably the better of the two. Both the flavours of mango and pineapple are lovely with a creamy and fruity texture to combine. The fruit was obvious ripe and is one of the healthier desserts around that can be ordered (without having to go the whole fresh fruit route).
I really, for once genuinely, wish these guys well and the best. It is a new addition into an expanding range of cuisines which is a good start. Furthermore, the range of items on the menu is tempting and expansive plus most of it is relatively good value. For those always interested in trying something new, it more or less promises that; and those less adventurous will still be able to find something as it has reminders to two popular, safe-choice cuisines around town. As a finale, for business, presentation and just all-round pleasantness BBQ Tonight is one that is just a delight to come to with great service and decor. This little restaurant is certainly recommended all round.
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