New Years Eve Perfection at Aria Without the Kids

Rewind to New Years Eve 2013, I was 9 million months pregnant and we sat at home waiting for "Extraction Day" which was scheduled for the 3rd of January. With nothing better to do then facebook stalk what our friends were doing that night it became clear what I wanted to do next year.

So with literally 12 months in the making we decided that we would have dinner at Aria's for New Years. Well that's half true....it wasn't until we had our anniversary dinner there in October and saw a flyer for their New Years Eve dinner I remembered my great idea....and then  I procrastinated until a .few days before Christmas and finally booked it in.

But its not about why or when with Aria, its all about the food. I often say to my husband that if we won lotto I would eat at Aria for every meal, and New Years dinner did not disappoint. So tonight we had no kids...yes no kids, sorry Chloe but Aria isn't really a kids friendly place, I have enough respect for my fellow diners to not ruin their experience. As well us the usual Uncle Ad's and the Husband we also had my Mother-in-Law with us.

Enough small talk, lets get on the important stuff, so dinner was technically 3 courses, however with all the little extra's it really is more than that and you really do leave feeling satisfied.

We arrived about 20 minutes before our sitting time and went to wait in the bar with a cocktail and some beers, unlike my cocktail earlier in the week, this was everything that a cocktail should be.

 

The cocktails and beer were served were served with a small bowl of olives which was a nice touch.

 

 

Once the cocktails were finished we were taken to our table, given it was a set menu for the evening - 5 options for each course I had already drooled over the menu since we booked and I knew exactly what I wanted. However a nice surprise was a little starter that came out before our entrée and bread.

 

 

It was some sort of "cracker" that was made out of squid ink, the toppings were hummus and something else I can't remember. The main thing t was they were delish and  I was about to forget about  the rest of the meal, I just wanted a few plates of these.

 

 



 

 

 

For entrée we had the following:

 

TUNA - seared and tartare with radish, capers and anchovy mayonnaise

 

PORK BELLY grilled sweet pork belly, crackling with blood peach and currant chutney 

 

 

For our mains

 

DUCK roast breast with witlof, turnips and toasted buckwheat

 

 

 

BEEF roast fillet with glazed shallots, pommes purée, sautéed mushrooms and red wine jus 

 

 

 

My husband always threatens to come to Aria and just order 4 bowls of the mash, tonight was just as good as always.

 

For Dessert

MANGO mango mousse with lime and black sesame ice cream

 

 

 

 

 

 CHOCOLATE Valrohna chocolate pavé with banana and chocolate sorbet, salted caramel peanuts

 

 

 

PINEAPPLE blueberry poached pineapple, coconut sorbet and toasted meringue

 

 

 

 

 

The meal was finished with petite fours and coffee. I can't fault this meal in anyway at all and it was a great way to end 2014. I just can't wait to get back to Aria in 2015.

 

 

 



Spizzico at Kangaroo Point

A last minute decision to go out for dinner and a night of from my current “low carb diet” led us straight to this family run Italian restaurant located in the unusual location as part of the Southern Cross motel in Kangaroo Point Spizzico. Dinner with the usual suspects, my husband, brother in law and my 3 youngest kids aged 12, 10 and almost 1.

 Friendly service throughout the evening and we were seated in a nicy cosy corner which suited us given we had the bub was with us. Like most restaurants in Brisbane they have one of the great Ikea high chairs for bub. We were also given a complementary bread and olives to get us started. Food came out very quickly despite the place filling up quickly

They didn't have a kids menu but told us they could do any of the pastas in a kids size, but miss 10 is a bit of a pig when it comes to spaghetti so we just ordered off the main menu. 

So what we ordered:

Starter:

Ciabatta con Olive - toasted italian bread w/balsamic/extra virgin olive oil and olive tapenade”(the tapenade was wow, and had bits of mint in it that added an amazing freshness to it)

Mains:

 Tropicana  Pizza, with Smoked ham and pineapple ( had a great thin crunchy base, the sauce and toppings were average)

 

Spaghetti con Polpette -Spaghetti tossed with homemade meatballs in a garlic, basil & tomato sauce (Didn’t get to try this but my 10 year old polished it off)

 

 

Fettucine con Pollo- Fettucine with chicken, spinach and semi-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, in a cream sauce ( Pasta was fabulous, but would have liked a bit more sundried tomatoes to add a bit more flavor)

 

 

 

Gnocchi con Ragu di Manzo -Potato dumplings with slow cooked beef ragu in tomato topped with parmesan (Gnocchi was lovely along with the tomato ragu, beef was so so)

 

 

 

Overall probably a 7/10, home style food that was satisfying and enjoyable and I would eat there again. But nothing that have me raving about it and putting it one my “can’t wait to go back again” list..

 

Scores from the other diners:

Brother in law 7/10

Husband: 7/10

12 year old daughter 6/10

1 year old – Can’t count yet so can’t give a number, seemed to enjoy everything she tried and most ended up on the floor, I don’t think this is a reflection of the food more her fascination with throwing food.