Stockie Kitchen - CLOSED

Overview

Ah, the good ol' Stock Exchange. A place for city club crawls, birthday voms and three too many vodkas. But not anymore. Like many of Brisbane's old withering faithfuls the Stock Exchange has regenerated after another makeover (we're assuming she's had a few in her 151 years). The old pub has been stripped back with white walls, exposed brick, wood panelling and classic furnishings. Upstairs the rooftop bar is looking fresh with plenty of greenery, and downstairs features a wall of old black and white photographs.

We stopped by the Stockie Kitchen for a Friday lunch to find the venue bustling with CBD workers out for a casual bite. Serving up pub favourites with a few gourmet twists, the kitchen still features a cheap $12.50 menu to keep the masses happy (featuring schnitzel, beer battered fish, a beef burger and more), but also 'small plates', salads, burgers and mains.

Choosing the salmon ($19) was no mistake. A large and beautifully cooked piece arrived perched on a bed of green olives (a nice salty kick), alongside rosemary roasted potatoes and asparagus (swapped for tomatoes). The other good decision was the 300g char-grilled scotch fillet ($20) served with chips, watercress and crisp spiced onion rings. This dish could be ordered for the onion rings alone. We popped a plate of garlic and herb buttered seasonal vegetables ($8) on the side and called it a day.

Both mains and the side dish exceeded our expectations of the Stockie Kitchen. With almost every dish on the menu under $20 it's hard to go wrong. The only thing to let it down was the long wait for food (leaving no time for dessert). Lucky it was Friday, lucky I took my boss with me.