Overview
Spanning from South Brisbane to West End, the stretch of eateries nestled between the parallel roadways of Fish Lane and Melbourne Street are fast becoming one of the city's best places to grab a bite. Throw a stone, and you'll find a French wine bar, a rippin' rib shack, a shipping container Vietnamese eatery and Gelato Messina, just to name a few places that have set up shop in the area. Chu the Phat joined them on May 5, serving up Hong Kong, Korean and Taiwanese-style street food inspired by hawker stalls.
Dubbed a younger sibling to the CBD's Madame Wu — the two are both run by the same company, rawGROUP, who also boast Beach House Bar & Grill among their culinary stable — Chu the Phat aims to offer a more casual version of its predecessor's Eagle Street nosh in its new multi-level digs. Downstairs provides a place for casual drinks around the bar or dropping in to pick up a takeaway lunch. Upstairs, it's all about sitting down in a more intimate space around the open-plan kitchen, whether you're munching through snacks, starters, stir fries and more, or settling in for a tasting banquet.
Doing double duty at Madame Wu and Chu the Phat, executive chef Brendon Barker aims to conjure up a feast of Asian flavours, as his menu demonstrates. Kick things off with pork and kimchi spring rolls or crispy red fried pigs' tails, indulge in some potato bread with smoked brisket and duck egg gribiche, opt for diamond shell crabs wok-tossed with bull head sauce and rice cakes, or enjoy twice-cooked black onyx beef kalbi (that is, Korean barbecued beef short ribs). Then, wash it all down with a selection from the wine, spirits and cocktail-heavy drinks list, with the latter a veritable pun wonderland — The Chudriver, How Chu Doing, Phat Chance, Phat Boy Slim, Chu Bacca and Manphattan all feature.
Find Chu the Phat at 111 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane. Head to the eatery's website and Facebook page for more information.