Nest Restaurant
Nothing says fancy like a brand new menu by Chef Kenneth Ip at Nest Brisbane. Tucked away on the second level of Hotel Jen, overlooking Roma Street’s famous 100 year old fig tree strung with 200 red lanterns, Nest is an Asian themed sanctuary, home to some of the best slaw and pork cutlets in the CBD.
To begin the meal, we were offered exquisite cocktails, severed in single serving plungers. The tea based cocktails oozed with flavours of lychee, almond and rose, and was topped with a dash of amaretto.
Following the introductory cocktails, entrees set the palate for a beautiful meal with coils of calamari rolled in rosemary sea salt and cracked black pepper, on a bed of rocket and drizzled in a creamy curry aioli.
Shortly after entrée was finished, the waiters proceeded to bring out huge, copper-coloured bowls containing our main meals. Plated perfectly in the centre was a generous sized Vietnamese spiced pork cutlet, topped with a unique peanut & rooftop honey crumble and papaya nam jim, and accompanied by a spicy Asian slaw. It was this meal that made us all very glad that we were neither vegetarian, nor allergic to peanuts, because it was simply delicious.
To perfectly top off the meal, dessert brought a whole new element to the table. The cherry bombe was layered with a rich, thick chocolate brownie base, topped with a scoop of home-made cherry ice cream, and covered with a meringue which we watched the chef torch to a perfect golden brown glaze. Accompanying the bombe was a black cherry vinaigrette, which balanced the rich sweetness of the brownie beautifully, sprinkle with fresh raspberries and traditional Japanese yuzu. An outstanding way the finish the meal.
Nest is the perfect place to unwind after a busy week, and the perfect excuse to dress up a little fancier than usual. The cherry bombe was the standout for the evening, and a must have if you’re paying a visit to the restaurant.
