Overview
A visit to the Fortitude Valley stretch of Ann Street usually means grabbing drinks, but soon it'll also involve hitting up a brand-new steak restaurant. The eatery: Establishment 203, which will open in November with Ben O'Donoghue in the kitchen, serving up top-notch beef and Italian dishes.
If you're the kind of diner who likes to watch the chef in action, that'll be on the menu as well, with Billykart talent and Surfing the Menu presenter O'Donoghue whipping up farm-to-table fare with Queensland produce — including those hero steaks — and also traditional pastas.
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"With an ability to control quality from paddock to plate including breeding, feed, ageing, cooking and plating, diners will be assured of the very best steak in the country," said O'Donoghue.
"This exceptional dining experience is underpinned by a combination of kitchen technology that mixes the best of old and modern cooking to accentuate the flavours of our seasonal produce. Side by side in the kitchen is Queensland's first Michelin-quality MKN induction cooking suite juxtaposed with our large live woodfired Mibrasa cooking stations."
So, if you opt for steak, it'll be cooked over wood. Establishment 203's exact culinary spread hasn't yet been revealed, but the restaurant will use sustainably sourced wood from a beef producer's northern Queensland cattle properties to give its meats a unique flavour. The pasta range will be drawn from O'Donoghue's Italian favourites, including from time spent travelling in Europe and working at The River Cafe in London.
The vibe: upmarket and elevated, so more than just your average steak joint. "The menu will embody sophistication, teamed with exceptional service and the very best steak in the country," O'Donoghue added.
While Establishment 203 is owned by a cattle-farming family with Italian heritage — hence the focus — seafood will also be on offer, and the drinks lineup will span signature cocktails, Italian red wines and Brisbane craft beers. Already keen? Bookings are set to launch in early October.
Establishment 203 will open at 621 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley sometime in November — we'll update you with an exact launch date when it is announced.