Zeus Greek Street Food - Shop 13, 14 Little Stanley Street, Southbank QLD 4101

Zoom into Zeus - the Almighty Greek chain for pitas, dips and more.

As we walked in, we were welcomed by numerous signs like "Welcome to our home" and "We're not your new neighbour. We're your new family".

But none of them were as welcoming as this sight - large chunks of meat roasted over a charcoal barbeque. Just the smoky aromas alone was enough to make me drool.

The menu is simple - mainly focusing on pitas filled with meats from the souvla (the spit-roasted meats). Choose from the classic pork, chicken, or lamb - or for the more adventurous - the lightly fried soft shell crab. There's also something for the vego lovers too - the Stavros Stavrou with grilled haloumi and caramelised onion. And you can even pair your pita with greeky sides like Spanakopita (Homemade flaky spinach cheese pie and lemon), Grilled Haloumi, and Feta Oregano Chips.

I loved it how the Grilled Haloumi ($10) was sprinkled with oregano and served with a fresh slice of lemon. Just like traditional haloumi, it was super salty and rubbery - to the point that it squeaked. While haloumi is supposed to have a firm springy texture, I found this one just a little too rubbery for me.

Grilled Haloumi with lemon and oregano ($10)

Wanting to try something different, we opted for the Soft Shell Crab Pita ($13.50). Wrapped in a thick fluffy pita, the combination of crunchy soft shell crab, fresh Aegean slaw, creamy lemon mayo, perfectly caramelised onion and sweet chilli was heavenly!

Soft Shell Crab ($13.50)

While the pita may look a little small at first, it's generously stuffed with fillings. When I say generous - I really mean it. Check it out yourself:

It's jam packed with soft shell crabs!!!

Well - you can't possibly go to Zeus without trying The Zeus, so we had to get one. Tender, succulent chunks of lamb, roasted perfectly with a delicious smoky flavour, paired with fresh Aegean slaw, onion and parsley.

The Zeus ($12.50)

According to the menu, it was supposed to have smoked eggplant in it but it was quite faint (and actually, barely noticeable). It still tasted pretty awesome so who cares - the juicy, smoky lamb really made my day.



Verdict

True to its name, Zeus blasted us away with his amazing pitas and spit-roasted lamb. Even the unconventional choices like the soft shell crab was extremely memorable.

 

 

Men Ya Go - Shop 4/123 Albert Street, Brisbane QLD 4000

Head over to Men Ya Go for Ramen that's only so-so.
 

 
Featuring limited options with ramen/rice and charsiu.
 

 
Shio Broth ($12.60) was light and it tasted alright.
 
Egg was very "well-done", but I'd rather have none. Traditionally, Japanese ramen is served with an Onsen Tamago that has a soft runny centre (and not hard boiled).
 
The Char Siu was a little bland but at least it had the perfect texture - it was really tender.
 

Shio (Salt Flavour) ($12.60)

The Miso Ramen ($13.80) had strong miso flavours, but there wasn't the depth of porkiness expected from a good bowl of miso pork broth. Likewise, the egg was overcooked.
 

Miso (Soya Bean Flavour) ($13.80)

On the plus side, every bowl of ramen comes with free Kae-dama (extra noodles)!

Verdict
If you like hard boiled eggs and fairly light soup, then Men Ya Go is the place to swoop. Ramen tastes pretty okay, but not enough to make my day.

 

Sumo Salad - Myer Centre

At last - a healthy fast food chain serving healthy salads, wraps and rolls.

Choose from a variety of pre-set flavours such as ceasar chicken, thai beef, barbequed beef and prawn, grilled haloumi, just to name a few. Or if none of these take your fancy, you can even design your own.

I filled my Regular Salad ($9.95) with Sweet roasted pumpkin and beetroot with walnuts & light lemon mayo, Creamy basil pesto chicken & penne with sundried tomatoes & almonds, and Classic free range chicken cobb with crispy bacon & creamy ranch dressing.

Prohibited from taking photos of salads in the store, this was the best I could do. As pictures speak a thousand words, it is pointless for me to comment any further. Judge for yourself.


Regular Salad

Verdict
The manager explained to me that "they make their salads fresh every morning and that is why Sumo salads tastes so good." The manager was nice enough to spare me a menu so that I can scan the pictures and post it on my blog :) - but I prefer using my own and not take credit for someone else's photos.

FREE BIRTHDAY TWEET: I do not intend to rate/comment any further, apart from the fact that Sumo Salad gives you a FREE SALAD on your birthday.

Guzman Y Gomez - 142 Albert Street, Brisbane QLD 4000

Who loves cheap-ish tasty burritos? Go to Guzman Y Gomez!

Choose from Spicy Chicken Guerrero, Pork Chipotle, Steak Chipotle, Beef Guerrero, Barramundi and Farm Fresh Vegetables.

My favourite is the Chicken Guerrero (Mild) for $10.90. Char grilled marinated chicken fillets with black beans, salsa, jack cheese and a choice of normal rice or brown rice (for an extra $1).

Luckily there was a $5 burrito bowl special when I went :).

And if you're feeling thirsty, go grab a Corona too. It was $5 (on special) as well when I went.

The Food Extinguisher is obviously having fun

Verdict
Pretty good for fast food burritos! But don't expect authentic Mexican.

Bing Boy - Post Office Square | 280 Queen Street Brisbane QLD 4000

Check out the newest Bling in town -

Bing Boy

So what is a Bing? Paper thin crepe with egg, green onions, coriander, sesame seeds, crispy wonton pieces, and a delicious filling of your choice.

There are 8 different options. Choose from Peking Duck, Smoking Salmon, and Prawn King just to name a few.

The Bings come with a nifty perforated wrapping.

Pretty cool huh?

Ka ching - I paid $7.90 for one of the most popular Bings, coincidentally, named Ching Ching ($7.90). Marinated chicken thigh, creamy avocado, fresh bean sprouts and greens with an overly savoury soy sauce. The crispy wonton pieces was excitingly crunchy but I would have preferred it more if it had more chicken.

Ching Ching ($7.9)

My Fellow Food Extinguisher got the Mad Ming ($7.9). He certainly felt mad after trying the Bing as he found the combination of flavours a little weird. Basically, Mad Ming came with four different flavours: sweet, sour, savoury yet spicy at the same time. It was certainly different and unlike anything I've tried before.

Mad Ming - slow cooked beef which fell apart as you bite into it.
Wish the serving was more generous though.

Verdict
Oh boy - Asian infused pancakes wrapped with exciting crispy wonton pieces.

Snag Stand - Queens Plaza Food Court | 226 Queen Street, Brisbane QLD 4000

Straight A's - Awesome chips, Average haute dogs, and Awful service, for A gourmet price. As usual, I began my food journey by taking a few photos (without flash) of the menu for my readers - but I was told that I wasn't allowed to take photos (which made me feel very uncomfortable). Of course, this is just my personal experience, and you may have an entirely different one.
 

The faces have been blurred to protect people's identities.

Reluctantly, I put my camera back into my bag and got a take away menu instead.


Burgers

Haute Dogs

 


 
 
 
 



The Wagyu Beef Haute Dog ($10.9), served on a soft rustic roll with butter and garlic mash, herbed gravy and topped with sautéed onions seemed like a pretty good option. While the different elements complemented well with each other, the sautéed onions were undercooked and as a result, had a sharp and pungent taste (and obviously, not sweet, as expected). The butter and garlic mash was delightfully creamy, and I enjoyed the gravy, but there just wasn't enough. The sausage had a delicious beef flavour, but felt a little dry (probably because of the lack of mash and gravy).

Wagyu Beef Haute Dog ($10.9)
Only half my haute dog came with proper mash and gravy.

Despite being told off, I have to admit, the chips ($2.9 or $3.9) were indeed, Awesome. Cooked in Cholesterol Free Oil and lightly seasoned with natural sea salt flakes, these perfectly crispy Tasmanian Russet Potatoes which melted instantly in your mouth were to die for. Together with the Fresh Herb Aioli ($1), it was like a match made in heaven.

Snack Chips ($2.9) with Fresh Herb Aioli ($1)
When they say "snack", they really do mean just a "snack".

Verdict:
Awesome chips but Average dogs.

Thr1ve - 280 Queen Street Brisbane QLD 4000

Gym junkies, lactose intolerants, and health conscious galore, Thr1ve is the perfect place for sure. Food Extinguishers, gluttons and the poor, you will definitely scream out for more. Literally, because the portions are so small.
 

 

Situated right next to beautiful greenery

 
In fact, I wasn't too sure how well I can thrive - the portions were petite, and the meals, at best, mediocre. It's true when they say food that is good for you don't taste good - so Thr1ve deserves a special round of applause for making healthy food taste "decent" (emphasis intended).
 
The great thing about Thr1ve is that you're bound to get your daily vegetable and protein requirements from their paleo-inspired, high protein, low carb meals and smoothies. Here is a menu of the things they offer. 

Paleo-inspired food

Organic coffee and tea





 

Lots and lots and lots of protein supplements

 

I started my day with the Banana flavoured Paleo Pancakes ($5.9) - Dutch mini pancakes made with coconut and almond flour, free range eggs, dusted with cinnamon and drizzled in organic honey. It came in a small un-environmentally friendly tub which doesn't look too good for the environment. Contradicts their healthy hippy image :S. 



Pancakes might be good for the body, but packaging doesn't look too good for the environment.



 Anyway, I pried the lid away and discovered six cute spherical pancakes, which were, indeed, very mini. The pancakes felt a little dry and grainy, but I enjoyed the subtle hint of banana and the rich coconut flavours.

 

6 little Banana flavoured Paleo Pancakes ($5.9)

 

Still feeling hungry, we ordered the Baked Sweet Potato, stuffed with cashew cream cheese, free range bacon & chives ($6.9). I was quite shocked to see lumps of sweet potato mashed with random bits of chives and bacon instead. The WOW Factor really wasn't there but I liked it enough to finish it in 3 quick bites (and probably because there wasn't too much mash in the small tub).

 

Umm...where's my Stuffed Sweet Potato??!!

 

On the other hand, the smoothies were extremely enjoyable. Made from silky homemade almond milk, the Salted Caramel Smoothie ($6.9 for regular, $8.9 for large) felt so smooth and satisfying. Or if almond milk isn't your thing, you can swap it with homemade coconut milk instead. The smoothie was a bit watery but I like the natural sweetness and flavours from the dates, bananas, sea salt and cashew butter. What's more, there's absolutely no sugar in the smoothies which means that it's not only healthy but also bursting with energy! The only downside is that Thr1ve's regular cups are around the size of a small cup of coffee. 



Regular Salted Caramel Smoothie ($6.9)



 My Fellow Food Extinguisher had the Green Mango Smoothie ($6.9) with green mango, kale, lime, avocado, and organic honey. He thought it was super sour but that's only because he's used to sugary drinks and can't live without sugar.

 

Regular Green Mango Smoothie ($6.9)

 

Even though I wasn't very full after this breky, I felt refresh and energised for the rest of the day. Must be the low GI J

 

Verdict:

Big is Beautiful. Food at Thr1ve is not big (in terms of size). Therefore, Thr1ve is .... makes GREAT SMOOTHIES.

 

I will definitely be back when I need a detox (which is long overdue, especially after the gourmet high tea I had at the Lab) or when I win the Gold Lotto. Prices are a bit steep for what you get but it's organic, free-range and healthy.