set up by those same creative souls responsible for lauded brisbane favourite, aria, riverbar has understandly gotten a reputation that has spread throughout town and like most other places in this specific nape of the woods, you can expect a crowd and some ardently frequent diners to be here.
a good friend from school was up from sydney for a few days, thus was going to make the most of his visit in town. i was on the agenda and with some messaging back and forth, an arrangement to catch up one day was organised. so, like no time had ever passed, it was meeting him in the usual spot in the city to go and find somewhere to eat. normally he goes new farm way, but this time it was right in the city centre that he had in mind.
upon walking here, he said that it gets views of the river. knowing some places around the general area of ripiran plaza (his old stomping ground), i got the idea of it being elevated or on a pier. by this, he meant it was practically on the bank. this might be appropriate to use the term "hidden gem" again, as few would think about going around the side of ripirian plaza without knowingly heading there with a location in mind. it gets a good breeze from the water, and is very much al fresco dining. good views of the story bridge are likely as well and you get great, uninterupted views of the skyline and the citycat gliding past.
they have a nautical sort of look to the place, setting it as the aesthetic with the theme being a sports bar. it is relatively modest in looks, going for the simple to create a relaxing atmosphere. the bar is the entire length of the cafe and with not much else immediately around it makes great use of the ample space by spreading all of the tables around, and having a number of high stools. if the weather decides to be nice when you are here, consider yourself lucky.
service is the usual kind that has become common place in brisbane cafes. you peruse the menu for some time, then when you are ready go up to the counter and place your order and pay. then they give you a table number - which this time is a pole, which goes into one of the holes in the table's tray - and off you go to find a table and await your meal. thestaffhere are very friendly, and during the middle intervals are hard working getting tasks done such as clearing off plates which are empty.
the menu varies depending on the time of the day. for breakfast, it is more or less the usual items such as museli, and a big breakfast among others - plus is relatively inexpensive. though not labelled as such, it helps that the different sorts of breakfasts are sectioned off from each other with basics, simple hot and big breakfasts. at other times of the day - going into lunch and dinner - it is essentially a selection of bar snacks and pub food: burgers, pizza, classic meals etc. sharing would be all the rage with the food, and why should it not? some are available at only certain times. as with any pub, expect cocktails, wines, craft beers et al.
ordering coffee first, it was the usual with breakfast - a doppio. everything that needed to be in a good coffee was present in this coffee. that meant a smooth finish, good strong hit, and great flavour. it was courtesy of the single origin roasters. this was another one of those times when i had another coffee straight after the meal, or more so nearing the end of it. since i don't drink alcohol, this is about as close getting shouted as i can get. again, the coffee was just as good the second time around.
the meal that i ordered had was a beans dish, mixed in with merguez sausage, spinach, and fried eggs, and topped with manchego cheese. on the side were a couple of bits of thickly-cut toast and two butter pats. this is the sort of meal you can expect to be the standard at the riverbar: straightforward and simple. it is wholesome, the size was pretty reasonable - between generous portion and the modest sizes renowned at high-end restaurants - and most importantly, was hot. there was more butter than needed to be on the bread, therefore i put the remainder in with the bean mixture and it melted quickly in.
the beans were really good, with the spinach adding some fresh texture to it and with quite a few bits of sausage mixed in as well, it was a balanced little snack. the bread, thickly sliced, was great quality and close to turkish in consistency. each one brought something different to the mixture, the beans being fibourous, the sausage having a smokey flavour and adding protein, the cheese combining it together and adding bite and the spinach making it feel somewhat fresh. all up, definitely wholesome but wholly satisfying.
how well riverbar compares to its mothership restaurant, i have no idea since i have yet to be to it thus i can only discuss from the reputation. the team behind it obviously want to reach a different audience and get somewhat of another vibe both to expand the appeal and to get it to stand out in character. from the perspective of the breakfasts, it more or less looks like just another place with most of the same tricks (high quality albeit); it could be something else when it comes to the pub grub later on in the day. it is worth trying out and is apparent why so many people like to congregate to this place. colour me impressed again.