Overview
Brisbane, please bid welcome to a new addition to the food, drink and sports community that's opened for business in Newstead's Gasworks Plaza, on the site formerly known as Maggie May: Gas Hound Bar & Kitchen. From Hallmark Hospitality, the new offering pairs an elevated Aussie bistro menu with high-grade entertainment — a step up from your local pub's dart board and kitchen.
Being a sports bar, you can expect electronic dart boards, pool tables and plenty of televised games to enjoy with your food. Speaking of food, the (literal) roaring heart of the kitchen is a wood-fired oven that sets the theme for much of the menu, crafted by Executive Chef Jason Flett to hero local ingredients and shift with the changing seasons.
Markus Ravik
"At its heart, Gas Hound serves classic pub fare but we're elevating it with premium ingredients and beautiful presentations," Flett said. "We make everything from scratch — for example, hand-crumbing and pan-frying our chicken schnitzels – to give our food that extra bit of love and attention."
"About 50 per cent of our menu will be cooked over flame in the wood-fired oven, including our steaks, to open up more flavour and add a touch of smokiness."
Markus Ravik
On the drinks front, Gas Hound boasts a cocktail menu that mixes premium spirits with a modern makeover on the classics you've been sipping in bars around the world. Hallmark Hospitality director Cade Hopman said, "Highlights include the punchy Sure Fire, a tropical, ginger-spiked Margarita, the crisp and savoury Steel Tip martini, and Deep Pocket, a rich, slow-sipping take on an Old Fashioned."
"Our cocktail and drinks offering is crowd-pleasing, designed to suit everything from casual catchups to big nights."
Markus Ravik
The redesign of the space from Maggie May's retro supper club aesthetic to Gas Hound is grounded in Modern Australian designs, with Queensland local Space Cubed Design Studio to thank for the vision (you'd have seen their work at Donna Chang, Boom Boom Boom, Southside and West Village's Soak Bathhouse). The core aesthetic is now built on hardwood eucalyptus timbers, terracotta tiles, a pergola and greenery inside and out.
Space Cubed Director Arran Woollams said "We've really leaned into biophilic design principles to bring nature into the venue; planter boxes, greenery throughout and flowering vines outside that will merge with the interior to create a conjoined space."
"We're installing character lighting that still gives that moody presence during the day while keeping things light and bright. As night progresses, the lighting retains a warm and comfortable feel throughout."
Markus Ravik
Find Gas Hound kitchen & Bar at 84 Longstead Street, Newstead. Open 7am–10pm Monday-Wednesday, 7am–11pm Thursday, 7am-12am Friday, 11am-12am Saturday, 11am–9am Sunday. For more information, visit the website.
Images: supplied.