Restaurant Review: The Wolfe, East Brisbane

Looking for a more decadent, celebratory fine-dining experience? The Wolfe is the ideal place!

Located on Stanley Street East, nestled in-between aged buildings, anyone would walk straight past this restaurant without even realising. Inside, however, The Wolfe’s dark wooden decor certainly makes an impact. Since we left the booking a little late, we were seated in the outdoor courtyard towards the rear of the main dining area. We were happy to be seated outside with the cooler air making for a more pleasant experience, even with the mosquitoes attacking my legs. Decorated with leafy greens, the courtyard was just as elegantly designed as the dining room, making you feel no less important that the interior diners, including the continual dedicated service throughout the evening.

Un petit appetizer

Since we booked and arrived at a later time, many of the menu items were already sold out (which shows just how fresh the produce is) including the oysters, much to my friend’s disappointment. However, we were greeted with some delicious (and dainty) appetizers whilst we scoured the menu. Many of the menu items were gluten-free, much to my delight, making my decision a lot more enjoyable – opposed to the usual experience of just choosing whatever is gluten-free! The menu is changed on a monthly basis, so don’t expect to find the same items I ordered below on the current menu!

I opted for the quail ballotine with red grapes and woodear mushrooms to start, wanting to experience new dishes that I could actually enjoy on my strict gluten-free diet.

Starter: Quail ballotine with red grapes woodear mushrooms

My first time eating quail, it was perfectly moist, tender and perfectly matched the red grapes and woodear mushrooms…and that sauce! Lately, I’ve been opting for more raw dishes to start, so having a cooked entree was a good choice to mix things up a bit. Next up, my main was another first for me – wagyu beef (and a sizeable portion of it too!)

Main: Wagyu beef with enoki mushrooms

When my main first arrived, I was a bit disappointed that I hadn’t ordered a side to go with it, but half-way through my plate I realised that it simply wasn’t needed. Once again the combination of flavours and the perfectly cooked steaks were to die for, leaving me wondering if I’ll ever be able to enjoy another steak again! And for dessert…

Dessert: Chocolate Mousse with Berry Sorbet

Anything chocolate is a winner to me, but this was just the most divine way to top off an amazing meal. The richness of the chocolate mousse was perfectly balanced by the tartness of the berry sorbet and the crunch of the white chocolate shards. Once again what looked like a small portion turned out to be just the right size for the dish. Whilst the dishes took a little while to arrive, it allowed time to relax and enjoy the atmosphere and good company. Unlike most restaurants, we weren’t rushed out at the end of our meals and the table service throughout deserved a 5 star alone.

I highly recommend the Wolfe for an evening of decadent dishes for a special occasion. Remember to book well in advance as the dining room fills quickly and perhaps book a little earlier in the evening to ensure you don’t miss out on some of the delicious fresh produce.

Happy eating! 🙂

Carluccio’s – Walton on Thames

Carluccio’s is, and always has been, one of my favourite places to eat out since my diagnosis.  They were one of the first restaurant chains (that I was aware of) that had a completely separate gluten free menu. I remember the first time I went to one of their restaurants as a Coeliac and I was so excited about having a whole menu to choose from. Today, their menu still has a great choice and all of their gluten free pasta is made fresh on site.

The restaurant in Walton on Thames doesn’t feel like a chain. Yes it’s quite large in terms if space but there aren’t that many covers and you hardly ever see the staff running around like headless chickens. It’s always calm, reasonably quiet and pretty relaxed – quite unheard of for a chain restaurant.

Tonight, we selected a cushty corner table and ordered a few glasses of wine. Well, for me it was the Cranberry Reviver – a refreshingly light cranberry mocktail – as I was the taxi driver for the night.

No starter for me as I always know that I’ll want dessert (we’ll come to that later) and I fancied a risotto which is always dependent on the Specials Board which I imagine changes daily or weekly. Today, it was Risotto Di Pollo E Spinaci – a beautifully creamy chicken, spinach and garlic risotto in a very generous portion. I have to sincerely apologise.. I was so hungry and excited that I forgot to take any photos of my main meal. Infact, I didn’t remember that I needed to take a photo until the plates had been taken away, which is when I had my delayed “d’oh!” moment. I’m still new at this blogging thing!

My acquaintances had a normal pasta with meatballs which look delicious, and a chicken in sauce with roasted potatoes which was apparently quite bland. Overall, they were reasonably happy with their main meals and the portion sizes.

Onto the dessert. My favourite dessert of ALL time and the main reason I visit Carluccio’s.  The Dolce Di Cioccolato is a divine, melt-in-the-middle chocolate pudding made with almonds, Kahlua and served with creamy vanilla ice cream. It is SO good I get excited every time I see it. Gooey, creamy, chocolatey and nutty – what more could you want from a chocolate pudding? A perfect ending to a lovely meal.

Pizza Express – Lymington

Me and Pizza Express go way back. Back to the days of being able to enjoy delicious gluten-y menu items with the Tesco Clubcard vouchers that our parents would save for us during our University years. Since the Coeliac diagnosis, we’ve had a bit of a love-hate relationship.

In this particular trip, we visited the Pizza Express restaurant on the High Street in Lymington. We decided to visit Lymington as part of our New Year’s getaway, and Pizza Express seemed the perfect place for lunch. We had an online voucher (courtesy of their regular newsletters) which included a deal for a starter and main course. The gluten-y options were fairly reasonable, whereas the gluten-free starter/side option was merely a Mixed salad. To accompany this I chose the Risotto Mio (appears under the Starters menu but can be selected as a main).

When my Mixed Salad arrived dowsed in a white dressing, I was a little concerned and had to confirm with the waitress who kindly went through the allergen list to double check. It turned out to be the House Dressing which was indeed gluten-free. The Risotto Mio was a reasonable portion, however I found that it was lacking in flavour – it seemed a little watery and bland. It was definitely lacking a little more cheese and seasoning.

Despite this, the staff were very friendly and seemed to be up-to-date and knowledgable of the gluten-free options on the menu. They were more than happy to answer my array of questions and check the ingredients for me.

Overall, this was a pleasant enough meal for a quick lunch, however I would like to see more gluten free starter and pasta options on the menu.