The Brisbane Hotel
It was J's birthday on saturday so after a bbq at the beach, many of us met up again at The Brisbane to continue the celebrations. It was a very hot and humid night and the place is a pretty popular weekend hang out for the in crowd since its rennovation a couple of years ago. We arrived about 9pm and it was already very crowded. Being very hot inside, we decided to move out to the court yard. It was very packed but everybody seemed to be having a good time. There was the occasional waft of a breeze through the courtyard but there was really no relief from the heat. The different sections of the pub are well set up, with tables and umbrellas outside and several bar sections and a restaurant inside. Clearly they want to appeal to the people who want to be seen, so there is a bit of the wank factor. However, our party had a good time because we were keeping to ourselves and not out to mingle. I have the usual complaints about getting to the bar - it took a very long time to get service. To be expected on such a busy and hot night I guess but annoying none-the-less. After an hour or so outside we headed inside to play some pool and were in luck because a table was available, so we pretty much spent the rest of the night in the pool table area.
On my last visit in December 08 a group of us went for dinner and then upstairs to the Lazy Susan's comedy lounge. The restaurant was expensive, but I guess to be expected in a place like this, and not many options for vegetarians (again a common complaint!). However, we all were satified with our meals except T who has the misfortune to be dairy intollerant. He specifically ordered a pizza without cheese. The first pizza that came out didn't look right as it didn't have cheese but had something else under the toppings instead, so it was sent back as the wrong order. The second pizza arrived and out waitress said that the chef made it without cheese but he put cream on the base instead! Oh dear, it is very annoying and time was ticking away and we needed to get to the comedy lounge. WHY would they "take the initiative" and put cream on a pizza? When someone orders it would seem the wrong thing to just make a substitution without checking. In the end, both pizzas went back to the kitchen (and it was clear that the first pizza had arrived with cream as well but it had not been explained to us), and the waitress offered a tasting plate thing that could come out immediately, so T took that (it consisted of dips but including hommous so at least he could eat one, italian sausage of some kind and olives). I think they should have given us that for free, but they didn't. The Big Ho Ha was on at Lazy Susans and it was an entertaining evening of impro comedy games.
On my last visit in December 08 a group of us went for dinner and then upstairs to the Lazy Susan's comedy lounge. The restaurant was expensive, but I guess to be expected in a place like this, and not many options for vegetarians (again a common complaint!). However, we all were satified with our meals except T who has the misfortune to be dairy intollerant. He specifically ordered a pizza without cheese. The first pizza that came out didn't look right as it didn't have cheese but had something else under the toppings instead, so it was sent back as the wrong order. The second pizza arrived and out waitress said that the chef made it without cheese but he put cream on the base instead! Oh dear, it is very annoying and time was ticking away and we needed to get to the comedy lounge. WHY would they "take the initiative" and put cream on a pizza? When someone orders it would seem the wrong thing to just make a substitution without checking. In the end, both pizzas went back to the kitchen (and it was clear that the first pizza had arrived with cream as well but it had not been explained to us), and the waitress offered a tasting plate thing that could come out immediately, so T took that (it consisted of dips but including hommous so at least he could eat one, italian sausage of some kind and olives). I think they should have given us that for free, but they didn't. The Big Ho Ha was on at Lazy Susans and it was an entertaining evening of impro comedy games.