Now Open: Naldham House's New Restaurant The Fifty Six Will Take Your Next Cantonese Feast Up a Few Levels
This waterfront precinct in Brisbane's CBD is now complete — and scallop and prawn siu mai, lobster pao fan and banana-infused old fashioneds are on the menu.
Only one Cantonese eatery in the middle of the Brisbane CBD is located inside a three-storey former shipping office that dates back to the 1800s. Only one such restaurant is nestled into a historic (and heritage-listed) building's top floor, perched above a brasserie plus a supper club-style cocktail bar and lounge, too. That place: The Fifty Six, the latest addition to Naldham House, joining the ground level's Naldham House Brasserie & Terrace and the second storey's Club Felix in the Felix Street building.
The site itself relaunched as a multi-venue hospitality hub in 2024, but its final piece was still a work in progress until Thursday, February 13, 2025. Now, the landmark waterfront building's third reason to drop by has started welcoming patrons through the door, then upstairs. Traditional recipes made with modern techniques are the star under Chef Gerald Ong (ex-Tiger Lane, Chairman & Yip, Mrs Wang, Lucky Duck and Golden Panda in Canberra) — and, decor- and vibe-wise, so are arched windows peering out on leafy views, plus looking at the river while getting comfortable on the 48-person balcony.
Ong's culinary inspiration: both the initial wave of Chinese immigration to Queensland, and also the influence since that cuisine in both Brisbane and Australia has taken from Chinese culture and food. Accordingly, if you're hankering for familiar Cantonese dishes, they're on the menu, but given a contemporary spin.
Seasonal local produce is also in the spotlight. Think: Hervey Bay scallops paired with house XO, Queensland blue swimmer crab baked in its shell and Queensland baby lobster pao fan paired with shellfish broth.
Elsewhere on the menu, when scallop and prawn siu mai isn't tempting your tastebuds, or the oysters with pink ginger mignonette and the drunken prawn tart, then raw Hirasama kingfish, salted egg prawns, duck pancakes with house hoi sin, tea quail egg with caviar, sweet and sour Berkshire pork, and steamed Murray cod should be.
There's more menu highlights where they came from — including more dishes from the dim sum range curated by Ka Wai Kwok, such as the prawn toast that's paired with house-made chilli sauce; black pepper beef tenderloin and scallops as well as dry-aged five-spiced half duck with davidson plum sauce among the bigger options; and desserts like mango pudding, chocolate brownie mochi and deep-fried toffee ice-cream with char siu caramel.
Can't decide what to order? Three separate tasting menus will come in handy, with one dedicated to vegetarian dishes and another focusing on seasonal options.
The beverage selection is just as carefully constructed, whether a banana-infused old fashioned takes your fancy, or a margarita made with shiso-infused tequila and yuzu does the trick. The Fifty Six's take on a manhattan uses roast duck fat rye, the wine list is hefty — complete with a section dedicated to 'aromatics of intrigue' — and 11 different picks sit among the premium tea selection.
"The Fifty-Six is a beautiful restaurant that will enhance the vibrant food scene of Brisbane and offer a taste of Hong Kong style. I am bringing my love and passion for Cantonese cuisine, and mixing it with modern techniques which I believe will be a very special dining experience," says Ong.
Although the year listed above its entrance is from four decades back, Naldham House was first built 141 years ago. The site began its life as a shipping office, then underwent major renovations in 1988. From there, it became the Brisbane Polo Club from 1994–2015. Now, since mid-July 2024, it's one of the River City's newest drinking and dining destinations — still under the name Naldham House.
Thank DAP & Co to transforming this patch of the Eagle Street side of Brissie's inner city into a three-venues-in-one haven. The hospitality group co-owned by Andrew Baturo, Denis Sheahan and Paul Piticco, which is also behind The Gresham, Popolo Italian and Walter's Steakhouse and Wine Bar, has made over the site as part of the Waterfront Brisbane project that's revamping this area of town.
Find Naldham House at 33 Felix Street, Brisbane City, with The Fifty Six on the venue's top floor — and open from 12–3pm and 5pm–late Tuesday–Saturda. Head to The Fifty Six's website for more details.
Images: Dexter Kim and Markus Ravik.
- The 11 Best Day Spas in and Around Brisbane
- Five Romantic Brisbane Date Ideas for This Week From Budget to Blowout
- Ten of the Most-Unique and Relaxing Stays You Can Book Around Auckland
- Ten Charming Farmhouse Stays You Can Book in NSW Right Now
- Unique Stays with Breathtaking Views of New Zealand's South Island
- Fifteen Romantic Getaways You Can Book on the South Coast and in the Southern Highlands