Japanese restaurant serves up Portugese? Must be Good Food Month

Sake's trays of delicate sashimi could soon be replaced with big hearty bowls of cozido when some of Brisbane's top Japanese chefs turns their hand to Portugese food.

October is brisbanetimes.com.au Good Food Month, a 31-day culinary celebration for Brisbane foodies, chefs and restaurateurs.

The Hats Off Dinners, held throughout October, will see the hatted chefs of the Queensland Good Food Guide set aside their regular menus and offer diners a different cuisine for one night only.

Sake executive chef Shaun Presland said the restaurant would combine executive sous chef Casey Poland's Portugese and Brazilian cooking experience with head chef Shinichi Maeda's contemporary Japanese cooking style to present a Portugese-Japanese infused menu.

“Sake will be using fresh seasonal produce as well as local ingredients from Japan and Brazil to create this special Hats Off menu,” he said.

Not to be outdone, the Fortitude Valley's Gerard's Bistro will present a rustic six-course tasting of traditional Lebanese delights, a feast Chef Ben Williamson has titled a modern interpretation on classic dishes.

“Usually we would take elements from Middle Eastern cooking, but with this dinner we wanted a specific interpretation of iconic Lebanese dishes,” Mr Williamson said.

And rather than presenting classic dishes in a traditional way, Mr Williamson said he wanted the dinner to challenge his customers' expectations.

“We wanted that element of surprise and mystery to build anticipation as we go along with the meal,” he said.

Nine Brisbane restaurants will hold Hats Off Dinners during October. For more information about the dinners and other events during October visit the Good Food Month website.