Restaurant Review - Urbane, Brisbane

Urbane Restaurant
181 Mary Street, Brisbane
http://www.urbanerestaurant.com.au/
07 3229 2271
Chef: Kym Machin

Now to the important bit, the scores. All out of 5.

Overall - 4. Outstanding.

Food - 4                                                Service - 3
Location - 4                                           Price - 4
Wine List - 4                                         Access - 3*
Comfort - 4                                           Cleanliness - 5

*Access to the restaurant is extremely good, however access to the toilets - should you have difficulty, is not good at all.

Menu - Degustation or A la carte
Open – Lunch Friday Only. Dinner Tuesday to Saturday. Close Sunday & Monday & PH's.
Price - A la carte: 3 course $95 (ex. drinks). Degustation: 7 course $85, 12 course $140. There is a vegetarian degustation (either as a 7 ($80) or 12 ($130) course)
Dress - Smart/Smart Casual
Type - New, creative, fresh, innovative, no formal food here

Where do I start and what do I say? This is not a case of if you don't have something nice to say then don't say anything, it’s more a case of feeling conflicted with my thoughts and where I should aim my comments.

On the one hand I could simply make the comment: "Urbane is a wonderful place to eat so go", and leave it at that, and then I could expand more yet I fear much of that would focus on what I think is wrong.

And please, this is not wrong as in 'you did something wrong' yet more in the way of some basic - restaurant - flaws and a menu (degustation) that tappers off rather than doesn't work.

So, where to start and what to say? As most people have the attention span of 10 secs I will say most the good things now, then they will stop reading and I won’t need to worry about too many people feeling like I am being overly critical.

Appearance, how to describe Urbane? Upstairs is elegant and mirrors what you expect from say a 'fine dining' establishment and downstairs is more 'studyish', 'bookish', 'English club' feel. Yes, I know most of these words can't be found in the dictionary, yet poetic licence dictates. You see, downstairs is dark and moody and dare I say, it has a slight sexy feel to it. Stone walls, lots of wood panels which look aged yet have a tactile look about them, and of course a lovely looking wine cellar from which you can go and have a look - a little like choosing a lobster from the tank.

I don't really know what Urbane's booking list is like yet judging by the 'crowd' - that is, it was full - the night we went I wouldn't leave going to Urbane by chance and hope you might get a table at the last minute, yet hey, give it a try!

Don't take this to mean Urbane is popular, which it is, yet there is a very small number of tables. While I didn't count, I don't think there could have been more than 12 to 14 tables upstairs?

One little tip, many people won’t know there is a downstairs - whoops, given away the little secret now - where there are a couple, and I mean only a couple of tables, so if you want a little more privacy, a little more 'mood' setting and want to be tucked away then make sure to ask for a table downstairs. I should add that this is an area that is more suited to big groups yet I know you can have a table should there not be any bookings that night, well if you ask politely and smile.

However, and I guess this is a big however for some, if you have a disability of any kind which makes getting up and down stairs difficult, or impossible, then a table downstairs might not be the best idea, however you will face this dilemma when you need the toilet.

Now, there could be a hidden lift somewhere - god knows where they could have put it - which could ferry you up and down, yet I think this is somewhat unlikely. Speaking of toilets, these are nice. Big, clean and have a feeling of not just being slotted in as a last thought. The basins are big, you could swing 2 cats around in here, and as many restaurants are doing, there are proper cloth towels to wipe your hands on and put in the basket. Sure not the most environmentally friendly idea yet hey, I don't care, it’s nice not to have to pull out the course recycled paper strips from the ugly silver box on the wall, well I do have such delicate little hands after all, mmm.

The location is a good one, and as the night progresses and you have a window by the front you can watch the slowly increasingly shyness (due to alcohol consumption) seep away from some in the street as they start to visit one of the more "interesting" establishments in Mary Street. No need to give that a plug, if that suits your style you will find it, or know about it already.

Right next door is the Euro, stop by there for a drink first (food review coming soon), yet a piece of advice, and only because it’s a nice feeling to feel special - even though your not - go and take your table in the restaurant and then let them know you might like a drink next door and you can 'pass' through the hidden passage way between Urbane and The Euro. Silly? Yep, yet hey it’s all in the name of fun.

Moving on. Food? The food is great, its clean, fresh, and some great ideas are going on in the head of Head Chef - does that make sense? However, and this is one of two criticisms I have about the food, the first: for the obvious ability and skill of Chef and her kitchen the boat is firmly anchored close to the shore. Poor analogy yes, yet you get the point. There is a lot talent here and it’s a shame that so many of the plates seem to be 'playing it safe'. Maybe Brisbane - and I know, sadly it isn’t - isn’t ready for wild and rollercoaster rides when it comes to food, yet the food here appears to be stuck between the two. On the one side its new and inventive and some clever ideas, and on the other it's safe and paired back from being truly outrageous (in a good way) and creative.

I want to add that the presentation is stunning. I like my food dressed and tarted up to look amazing and this does. All the usual swirls and brush strokes and droplets of sauce are here, yet it works and it looks good. Sometimes it’s a little wanky and pretentious, yet not here, this is on the money.

My other criticism, and I will get it out the way now with the food was the dessert, or should I say desserts. Now, if I recall correctly there were 3 dessert courses as part of the 12 course degustation. Thank god I have some anonymity as Chef or the kitchen may knife me for this, yet the desserts are bland and boring.

Whoops, it’s been said now. The other courses were delicious, and each flowed well after each other, and as I have mentioned they were all clean and crisp and fresh and kept your interest. Then comes the desserts, while they were nice they just didn’t wow me, or our table. It seemed as though the creativity and dare I say interest stopped at dessert. Maybe our expectations where to high – I don’t think so - yet while you could see the thought process and the reasoning behind the desserts they just didn’t work in so much as delivering what could have been an absolutely outstanding menu.

Moving on. Drinks? Great! Not much else to say other than great. As usual and this is all too typical of anywhere is the whiskey (Scotch) list was poor. The usual suspects lined up and were politely passed on. Really, what is wrong with a restaurant buying some very well aged (and expensive) whiskeys for their clientele? Enough said as this is a real pet hate of mine.

A good selection of cocktails – The Euro that is – and the wine list is extensive and quite a good number by the glass. My only comment about the wine list is that while extensive and on the whole well planned there does seem to be a few to many wines added for the sake of it. The list is not overly complicated, yet some of these could be binned – literally, and replaced with a much better selection making this a very through and well thought-out wine list.

A BIG however is that some of the prices are just simply, get ready a naughty word is coming: taking the piss. Even by some very worrying restaurant prices there are some amazingly brave decisions on this price list, yet there are a number of wines which were surprisingly reasonable – in so far as paying for wine in a restaurant can be reasonable.

Lastly we come to service, and sorry Urbane I cannot hold back on this. The service by some is brilliant! It really is, friendly and engaging without being nosy and they take a pride or interest, however you wish to look at it in the food and their service style to you as a customer, yet then there are others. Wow, and as I say, sorry, yet service generally falls into three categories: all staff are exceptional and well trained; all are bad and you wonder why they are there; and very seldom do you get some very good and some very bad, yet this is one of those occasions.

There are a couple I could mention, yet as he is the face many will deal with throughout the night I should make particular reference to ‘the man’ and his wines. In a nutshell, he was rude, arrogant and totally uninterested, and this seemed to be a theme that ran across the floor all night. His manner was as I say rude and completely uninterested. Maybe it was his last night (which I know it wasn’t) and he didn’t care, yet it’s pretty poor form and when many people tend to remember the negatives this is not one you care to recall.

The staff in The Euro and upstairs in The Laneway were great, especially the guys in The Laneway, and as I say some in Urbane were wonderful, yet when only half the floor is firing that night it doesn’t reflect good, and I should add when it’s so clearly obvious. I hoped this was a one-off, yet I hear from some it’s not, then all I can suggest is a rethink or a refresher for all your staff is well overdue. I think that’s all I will say about this.

So, as I said at the start I had mixed feelings about whether to make this a one line review or the god knows how many it has ended up being. Urbane is a great place to eat. You have the added bonus of a more sedate environment to have a drink of any persuasion before a more formal dinner, a wonderful dining area no matter which one you are in – upstairs or down, food that will interest you and make you wonder how they did it, and a great spot to end the night with a few drinks in a more ‘lively’ environment. So when you are wondering where to eat tonight or next week pick-up the phone and give these guys a call, you will not be disappointed and might just find yourself back again to see how the menu evolves as the Chef’s thoughts evolve.

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This review, like all restaurant reviews - unless clearly stated, is based on a visit to the particular establishment within a 4 week period of the review. This could mean it was last night, or 3 weeks ago. In an effort not to identify dinners, usually sufficient time will have passed so that hopefully any little peculiarities cannot be recalled to specific dinners, should such an event have taken place.

This review, like all reviews is not to detail the experience in depth, nor detail the menu, nor provide photographic samples of the food, location or anything else. This review, like all reviews is intended to provide some basic information from which you, the reader, can make an informed decision as to whether this establishment is suited to your dining needs and tastes.

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