Top 10 Brisbane cheap eats 2015
It used to be easy. We had fine diners and we had cheap eats. The latter had plastic tablecloths in place of starched linen. An ice bucket for your BYO instead of a leather-bound wine list and sniffy sommelier. And the bill total usually came in double digits rather than triple. These days the lines are more blurred and cheap is highly subjective, but we think these are some of the best value-for-money venues in Brisbane.
Bamiyan Restaurant
In a multi-ethnic strip of eat-in or takeaway shops, unassuming Bamiyan offers a reminder of the many cultural and geographic influences on the cuisine of Afghanistan. Mint, yoghurt and chickpeas top ground beef mantu dumplings and traditional Karahi lamb is tender and gently spiced. Authentic food, warm family hospitality and free BYO seal the deal and make this one of the best-value options on the south side.
4/82 Bennetts Road, Camp Hill, (07) 3172 2912
Bird's Nest Yakitori
You could go alone for a cheap and cheerful meal of karaage and rice. But it's all better shared with your crew because there's sake, beer and skewers of chicken cooked over Binchotan charcoal, too. Culinary explorers can venture into wilder territory with livers, hearts or crisp chicken skin. Upbeat staff keep a jolly vibe going juggling walk-ins, re-orders and refills, never neglecting the welcome cheer of "Irasshaimase!".
Shop 5, 220 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane, (07) 38444306, birdsnestreataurant.com.au
Little Greek Taverna
This friendly, family-run corner venue is a cosmopolitan West End stalwart for good reason. The kitchen sends out celebrated national dishes such as moussaka, marinated pork souvlaki and Auntie Ellie's own tiropita – pastries filled with soft cheeses. Kolokithakia – crunchy zucchini chips – are superb dipped in tzatziki. Even indulging in dessert, perhaps a classic Greek custard galatoboureko, won't break the bank. And it's BYO ($2.50 per person).
1 Browning Street, West End, (07) 3255 2215, littlegreektaverna.com.au
Mirchh Masala Impex
Home to possibly the best Indian food in Brisbane; ignore the fluoro lights and plastic utensils and concentrate on enjoying the authenticity of the food. Even committed carnivores won't notice that Mirchh Masala's intensely flavoured curries are meatless. A great value mixed platter includes two curries, dahl, roti and more. Puri are like crunchy profiteroles, filled with an explosion of tamarind chutney, chickpeas, chilli, onion and coriander.
3/110 Logan Road, Wooloongabba, (07) 3162 8194
Rogue Spice Canteen
So far, all but the foodie cognoscenti remain unaware of this authentic, modern Asian street food joint dishing up change-from-a-twenty meals. Coconut, tamarind- glazed beef ribs come with a hot and sour salad, while slow-cooked curries, satays and spicy chicken are generously served with rice and salad or roti. Make a point of getting here before the word is out and the queues start.
Shop 6c, 421 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, (07) 3161 4896
Saigon Alley Cafe
Whatever ails you, you're likely to be feeling much better long before you finish a seemingly bottomless bowl of fragrant Saigon Alley pho, complete with help-yourself garnishes of chilli and fresh herbs to adjust the heat level to your personal taste. A broad menu that includes Vietnames curries, banh xeo, banh mi and noodle bowls is supplemented with rotating specials to keep regulars and newcomers alike coming back for more.
Shop 2c, 317 Adelaide Street, Brisbane, (07) 3194 7218
Soul Bistro
Cleverly disguised as a workaday cafe in a strip shop complex, this unlikely gem has soul in spades. Tasty, well-priced food accounts for the numbers of students and value-loving locals who flock here for hearty serves of dishes such as crispy pork belly with sweet potato mash, pat chun vinegar and cinnamon reduction or sticky lamb belly ribs with Szechuan black vinegar.
16 Baroona Road, Milton, (07) 3367 8188, soulbistro.com.au
Southside Tea Room
Southside dishes up a mix of hearty hangover food and nutritious bites during the day before transforming into a suburban dive bar with kitsch and quirky decor, board games and an old-school pinball machine as the sun sets. Red Robin food truck is parked out back in an adhoc beer garden shared with neighbouring Death Valley bar, keeping hunger at bay.
639 Wynnum Road, Morningside, (07) 3899 5859, southsidetearoom.com
Taro's Ramen
The success of his Adelaide Street city store prompted Taro Akimoto to open this second shop in Ascot. The ramen is as authentic as any you'll find outside Japan. Be transported to street-side Tokyo ramen shops with a steaming bowl of hand-pulled ramen made with quality Bangalow pork and free-range eggs. Varieties range from a mild shiso to a red-hued fire tonkotsu. The menu expands to include pork gyoza, wagyu tataki and chicken karaage.
Shop 1, 145 Racecourse Road, Ascot, (07) 3868 2833; Also at 363 Adelaide Street, Brisbane (07) 3832 6358, taros.com.au
Thai Wi-Rat
The striking refurbishment of the Valley's Chinatown Mall hasn't affected this stalwart of inner-city Thai dining. Offering generous value for money, Thai Wi-Rat is popular for spicy specialities like 'yum goon chieg' fried (Thai-style chilli salad with sliced pork sausage), satays, and saucy stir-fried noodle classics pad Thai and guay tiew pad see ew. Some don't like it hot, so make sure to ask for extra mild.
20 Duncan Street, Fortitude Valley, (07) 3257 0884
Find more cheap eats in the Brisbane Times Good Food Guide 2016. Pick up your copy for $7.99 from participating newsagents or online at brisbanetimes.com.au/goodfoodguide for $9.99 including delivery.