The grilled calamari comes seasoned with lemon myrtle. Warrigal green gnocchi is its pasta of choice. Peppermint gum lamb is one of its signature mains, jaffa mousse with eucalyptus honeycomb sits on the dessert menu, and a beer that pays tribute to mango and macadamia Weis bars is on the drinks lineup. They're some of the highlights at Brisbane's Dapl, which serves up modern Australian cuisine with a focus on native Aussie ingredients, and sits inside Creek Street's Amora Hotel. The revamped five-star site was formerly known as the Novotel, then underwent a hefty revamp to the tune of $30 million, with the hotel itself relaunching at the end of 2023. At the time, it officially unveiled its new guise with a rooftop pool deck with skyline views, a lobby bar pouring cocktails and 296 rooms located over 14 floors. The next step: Dapl welcoming in diners from early 2024. Executive Chef Jamie Renfrey oversees the kitchen, with more than 30 native ingredients taking pride of place in his menu, which is available as à la carte dinner dishes and either two- or three-course set menus. The beverage selection includes that Mango Mac kettle sour beer from Revel Brewing Co, gin and whisky from 23rd Street Distillery, and a range of wine and cocktails. Among the latter, the Tropical Punch combines tropical gin with seasonal tropical fruits, triple sec, prosecco and sugar syrup — and the Citrus Sparkler is made with red citrus gin, limoncello, rosemary and tonic. Dapl's nature and botanical themes aren't just on display in its dishes and drinks. They're literally on display in the decor, too, with designers Cottee Parker overseeing the fitout. Think: a feature wall painted with a leafy scene, earthy hues all round and foliage watermarks elsewhere.
