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Bianca: A Delicious, New Taste of Italy in Fortitude Valley

If you’re looking for a place in Fortitude Valley where you can have great pasta and risotto, wood-fired pizza, and delicious, grilled trout or prawns then look no more! Bianca, the latest Italian restaurant to hit town has it all.

Bianca was opened in late March 2021 by hospitality gurus Frank Li, Bianca Marachi, Tyron Simon and Ben Williamson at the former site of the restaurant Beaux Rumble. This Italian restaurant offers its customers a warm and accommodating space outfitted with friendly and chatty staff who serve delicious meals cooked in wood-fired ovens atop furniture fashioned from timber, red bricks, and terracotta tiles.

Bianca’s designs were created by the local architects Richards and Spence, who strived to give the venue an authentic and warm Italian aesthetic.

Photo credit: Instagram/bianca.restaurant

Bianca’s menu lets customers order classic Italian dishes such as Risotto ai Funghi, a delicious Italian rice-based dish which features mushrooms, however risotto isn’t the only type of cuisine available at the restaurant. People are free to treat themselves to pasta such as Lasagna, or even grilled food from their Griglia section like Rainbow Trout with Salsa Verde, or Gamberi (prawn) with Burnt Butter, Capers and Parsley.

Risotto ai Funghi
Photo credit: Instagram/bianca.restaurant

Ricotta Agnolotti, Fermented Pumpkin, Burnt Butter
Photo credit: Facebook/Biànca Restaurant

Pollo allla Milanese
Photo credit: Facebook/Biànca Restaurant

Customers can also indulge themselves with one of two different set menus, which consist of a series of starters, main courses, and desserts. Among the set menus included starters are Mortadella, Calamari Fritti, Pane di Casa, and Funghi Marinati. Examples of available main dishes, on the other hand, include items such as Lasagna, Spaghetti Alla Chitarra, Prawns Aglio e Olio, and Rucola, Lemon and Parmesan.

Reviewers raved over the restaurant’s delicious food, amazing service, and excellent dining atmosphere.

Had a lovely night for our anniversary. Our waitress took great care of us and we were welcomed with a glass of champagne each upon arrival. The food was amazing, traditional and so, flavoursome. Ben Williamson knows how to tease your tastebuds, say no more, he is a genius. Congratulations Bianca, Ben and the team we can’t wait to come back for more and thank you.🥂
Michael H.

Bianca can be found at 46 James St, Fortitude Valley. For more information, visit their website here. Follow their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates on meals, deals, dates, and other special announcements concerning the restaurant.

Witness a Unique Theatrical Performance at the Judith Wrights Art Centre

Following the announcement of a three-day lockdown in Southeast Queensland, “Seen But Not Her” at the Judith Wrights Art Centre from 1 to 3 July will not proceed. The production is awaiting further advice and updates.

“Our aim is to present current ticketholders with the option to transfer to another date, to obtain a refund, or to support us through a donation of the fee,” the group said. “With the situation as it currently is, we are hoping to still present at least the Saturday performance, but clearly must wait for updates from Queensland Health before we can confirm.”

“Seen But Not Her” pulls together a group of talented Brisbane women for a unique theatrical performance and a celebration of female creativity, where a violinist, cellist, pianist “converse” with a dancer, acrobat and a movement artist through music.

Musicians Cara Tran (piano), Flora Wong (violin) and Francesca Masel (cello) will be playing stirring renditions of songs composed by women, such as like “Piano Trio 11 – 2 Andante” espressivo by Fanny Mendelssohn, “The Mirror with Three Faces” suite by Lera Auerbach, and “Surface II” by Queensland’s very own Nicole Murphy.

Joining them on the stage are Abbey Church (Casus,Polytoxic), Mayu Muto (Casus Circus, Polytoxic, GUSH) and Sandi Woo (Phluxus2, QL2 Dance), who will let the music flow with their graceful movements.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity to work with these young women musicians and the beautiful music of these varied women composers,” director Celia White said. “This is a perfect time to be celebrating women’s creativity, hearing their voices, and seeing them take up space.”

Photo Credit: Chloe Callistemon/Vulcana Circus

The show is an original concept developed and conceived by Muses Trio and Bianca Mackail with the support of Arts Queensland and Women of the World (WOW) Australia.

Tickets to this fantastic night of classical music and exquisite movements may be booked online. Please take note that the Judith Wrights Arts Centre will be observing safety protocols to protect the health of the guests, performers and theatre staff.

Mark Your Calendars! Exciting Events in Fortitude Valley Coming Up Soon

Looking for a little excitement in the coming months? Fortitude Valley is about to become a hotspot for a raft of exciting new events all lined up for 2021.

Night Noodle Markets – July 21 to August 1

Brisbane Night Noodle markets at the City Botanic Gardens — Photo credit: Good Food Month

To celebrate Good Food Month, the Brisbane Night Noodle Markets are back at an all-new and exciting venue: the City Botanic Gardens. Entry will be completely free, however registration is encouraged in order to comply with COVID-19 safety and prevention measures.

Attendants will be able to indulge themselves with delicious street food from all across Asia from countries such as Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Among the many stalls present throughout the event, people can expect to bump into familiar names such as Hoy Pinoy, Bao Brothers Eatery, Flying Noodles, and Bangkok Street Food.

Read more about the event at the Good Food Month website here.

Alanna Sapwell’s Esmay – July 25

Alanna Sapwell, formerly the head chef at Arc Dining, is set to open up Esmay, her pop-up restaurant, at the site of the kitchen at the old Alliance Hotel in Spring Hill for one day only as part of Good Food Month. Though she’s toured and set up shop all over Australia, the opening of Esmay marks her first time bringing the pop-up restaurant to Brisbane.

Esmay is a restaurant that offers comfort-style cooking that makes use of seasonal and regional ingredients with Sapwell’s innovative twists. On the 25th of July, two sittings will be available for lunch and another two sittings will be available for dinner.

Those interested in booking tickets for lunch and dinner can do so by clicking these links.

The Circus of Light – July 31 and August 21

The Circus of Light at Fortitude Valley — Photo credit: Facebook/Psycho Circus

The Fortitude Music Hall is scheduled to host a series of upcoming light shows hosted by Psycho Circus on the 31st of July 2021 and the 21st of August, dazzling the audience with a gorgeous circus performance complete with an immersive set of visual and sound dynamics.

Those interested can expect to see glitter face paint stalls, confetti cannons, daring acrobatic feats, lasers and light displays, a barrage of balloons, and plenty more — all while the beats of house, bass, and d&b music play in the background to bring the circus to life.

Entrance to the circus will be limited to attendees over the age of 18, and people are encouraged to put on their snazziest and boldest outfits for a spectacular evening to brighten up a dull and dreary winter.

Tickets can be purchased via this website, and for the latest updates and announcements concerning the circus, follow their Facebook event page.

Hey Chica! – August

Hey Chica! at Fortitude Valley — Photo credit: Facebook/Hey Chica

Fortitude Valley is about to receive a taste of Cuban life with Hey Chica, an upcoming social club, bar and restaurant along Brunswick St that boasts that it’s “the closest you’ll get to Cuba without a passport”.

Hey Chica comes fresh from the minds of the team behind Retro’s, however with this bar, customers can expect to lose themselves to a venue with the vibes of a local street party, complete with Latin American street food and cool cocktails.

The bar has been scheduled to open sometime in August at 315 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley. For the latest updates and announcements concerning the bar and restaurant, visit their website or follow their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.

Video Editing Platform Clipchamp in Fortitude Valley Rakes 14 Million Users

At the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, Clipchamp had a 160 percent growth in new users. This Brisbane startup, headquartered in Fortitude Valley, continues to impress as it welcomes 2021 with a solid 14 million registered users from around the world.

The video editing platform, which launched in 2014, has made such an impact during the pandemic as companies and individual content creators shifted to video to stay in contact and facilitate a work-from-home environment or to consolidate their presence in their industries and niches when face-to-face meet-ups became too risky.

Co-founder and chief executive Alex Dreiling believes that Clipchamp being “in the right place at the right time” during COVID-19 has sealed the company’s position as a permanent platform of choice for the users. Because of their service, many users are now learning to do video editing themselves, instead of hiring professionals or agencies to make their videos.

The start-up’s platform provides video creators with the crucial tools needed to produce content without using expensive equipment, complicated software, or a substantial production experience. Its service empowers businesses to boost their profile and capacity to disseminate fresh content across many other channels, such as YouTube or TikTok.

In this day and age, when video content creation has ballooned into a $135 billion industry, Clipchamp is becoming essential for marketing. Thus, in 2020, the platform also launched additional features like webcam or screen camera recording, green screen options and audio/video separation.

The company’s staff also increased from 30 to 80, with workers coming from Red Hat, Facebook, Google and Amazon. It has offices in the U.S. and the Philippines as well and has a significant presence in Europe.

However, Mr Dreiling said Brisbane will remain its homebase and it’s where they will continue to develop their product even as they are heading for expansion.

Dine-in Igloos are Coming to Fortitude Valley

All throughout July, Brisbane will be able to cosy up and dine in with friends in their own private igloos at the Cielo Rooftop in Fortitude Valley.

From the 1st of July all the way until the 1st of August, pop up igloos will open up in Fortitude Valley — each coming complete with their own set of furniture, fairy lights, and fleece blankets to help bookers cosy themselves in. The best part? Each booking comes with food packages that come with their choice of drinks.

Those interested in reserving an igloo for themselves as well as their friends and loved ones can do so via this link. Igloo can be booked for up to 1.5 hours at a time. Each igloo can house 2 to 6 people; however, food options must be selected. Igloos cannot be reserved without ordering food packages.

Four different food packages will be available for bookings: the Standard Package, the Premium Package, the VIP Package, and the Vegan Package. Each package come with grazing boards with an array of snacks and finger foods, a main course, and either alcoholic beverages or soda.

The Standard Package entails a grazing board which contains prosciutto, mortadella, pecorino cheese, asiago cheese, hummus, olives, focaccia bread, and pickles as well as a main course in the form of a calamari and arancini plate. Drink options include sparkling, red or white wine, or beer per person.

The Premium Package, on the other hand, offers everything the Standard Package does with the addition of dessert in the form of Tiramisu Bomboloni: Italian doughnuts filled with Tiramisu cream and chocolate sauce. Additional drink options also include espresso martinis and aperol spritz.

However, the VIP Package offers everything the Premium Package does in addition beetroot cured salmon bruschetta and an oyster platter. Margaritas will also be available in the drinks list of this exciting package.

Lastly, the Vegetarian Package offers a completely different set of food options entirely in order to accommodate people’s dietary restrictions. The grazing board contains roasted capsicum, Evoo preserved eggplant, fried artichokes, stuffed olives, hummus, focaccia bread and pickles. Instead of a main course, dessert will be offered in the form of a raspberry tortino topped with chocolate mousse and berry coulis. Drink options are the same as those offered by the Standard Package.

Those interested in booking an igloo can do so by visiting this website.

The Winter Pop Up Igloo Dining event will be held at Cielo Rooftop, 209 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable but may be resold. Those unable to make it to their booked times and dates will lose their space unless they resell their tickets.

New Louis Vuitton Flagship Store Moving into NAB Heritage Site

Good news for Brisbane shopaholics and fashionistas! Did you know that high-end fashion brand Louis Vuitton will soon open a new flagship store at the former National Australia Bank building on Queen Street?

According to the development application (DA A005719018), Place Design Group will do minor changes to the heritage-listed building but much of its facade and appearance will not be altered. There will be some markings on the front side in the form of branding or advertising the new tenancy.

Some walls on the basement level will be taken down to expand the floor area and create a spacious open plan. The mezzanine level, on the other hand, will be fitted with a glass balustrade to deliver a sophisticated shopping experience that many Louis Vuitton fans are so used to. Larry Weston Architect will help Place Design Group in the transformation.

Photo Credit: Developmenti/Brisbane City Council

“The proposal represents a great outcome for the City of Brisbane and the Queen Street Mall with a highly regarded global fashion house showing confidence in Brisbane’s retail sector which was has been significantly impacted by the COVID 19 virus,” the developers said.

Country Road was the tenant of the said building for many years. Constructed in the late 1920s, this structure has a neo-classical design which was common to bank buildings during this period.

With this new occupancy, Louis Vuitton will give up its prominent site on the corner of Edward and Queen Streets but there’s no news on what establishment will take over the soon-to-be-vacant property.

It comes as Louis Vuitton invested $11 million to refurbish its flagship store on George Street in 2018.

Fortitude Valley to Welcome Cindy Chow Bar with Burlesque Shows

Fortitude Valley, prepare to be in awe! A revival of the liberating nightlife of underground parlours in the 1920s will heat up Brunswick Street as Cindy Chow, a bar and theatre with burlesque shows, will mark its opening soon.

Conceptualised by nightlife hospitality bigwigs Patrick Donohue and Justin Kong, Cindy Chow has been inspired by Shanghai’s clandestine venues or speakeasy bars during the Prohibition Era. She is a fictional character, imagined as the star of an entertainment venue that served booze and held an illegal gambling operation patronised by Americans and Europeans.

“From these times, one lady ruled the darkest of secrets including drinking, gambling and eroticism. This is her story. A tale of black market dealing and gunshot blasts, high powered boats and plenty of late night street fights. The story of an exceptional life of a lady they called CINDY CHOW,” the operators teased on the official website.

To go with the theme, the fit-out of Cindy Chow will feature Chinese awnings, Chinese pottery, golden Buddhas, jade and red upholstery, tables with a lazy Susan, and a stage for the burlesque shows planned for the weekends.

The appeal and the presentations, however, will be as tasty as the food and drinks to be offered at the bar. There will be an initial 10 types of cocktail drinks that will taste better with choices of Asian bar food like san choy bao, canapes, and duck pancakes.

Cindy Chow is projected to open in late May or early June 2021. More details, including the exact location, will be revealed until then.

True Spirit Double-Decker Gin Bus Now Touring Brisbane

The West End-based Brisbane Distillery’s latest double-decker gin bus, aptly named “The True Spirit”, is finally operational, setting up at the Riverside Markets every Sunday and touring the city every other day.

After making its first appearance on Sunday the 9th of May 2021 at the Riverside Markets, The True Spirit has been making rounds across Brisbane.

Here, customers will be able to book a booth in the buses’ top level and be served three cocktails for $24.99, however those who simply wish to visit can enjoy free samples of the mobile bar’s selection: Brisbane Distillery’s Game of Eucalyptus Gin, Queensland Dry Gin, and Brown Snake Rhum.

The minds behind this double-decker bus are none other than Brisbane Distillery, the creators of the gin school, distillery and bar in West End. The True Spirit has been in development for a long time. Now, it’s finally complete and serves as a mobile bar, with a counter and bartender on the bottom level and a roofed lounge area up top.

Photo credit: Instagram/Brisbane Distillery

Brisbane residents might be able to see The True Spirit driving from street to street as it makes its way towards its next stop. Customers will be able to purchase drinks and grab a seat whenever the vehicle is parked. Stocking its shelves is a collection of gin, tonic, and other essentials needed to create a slew of gin-based cocktails.

Since the Brisbane Distillery has obtained the license necessary to operate all throughout Brisbane, people can expect to see it just about everywhere, whether it be parked outside markets or even close to private residences for parties and celebrations.

Though The True Spirit’s location is never fixed as people can make bookings for the site of its next appearance, Brisbane Distillery can be found at 99 Jane St, West End, open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 a.m. onwards with the exception of Saturdays, in which case the distillery opens at 12:00 p.m.

Those interested in reserving The True Spirit can make bookings via this link. For more information, visit their website here. Follow their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates on their double-decker gin buses’ location, as well as any other special announcements.

Sushi on Q410, the Latest Sushi Place in Fortitude Valley

Fresh from the minds of William and Jenny Kim, the duo behind Brisbane City’s Sushi Kim and Sunnybank’s Sushi Paradise, the all-new ‘Sushi on Q410’ is the latest sushi place that’s rapidly becoming a star in Fortitude Valley.

The restaurant, which opened in March 2021, offers quality Japanese food for takeaway prices, with their menu featuring some classic sushi dishes such as handmade nori rolls and salmon nigiri, as well as some more unique meals like their fusion sushi rolls.

Customers on a budget who wish to satisfy their cravings for high-grade Japanese food need not look any further. Sushi aside, the restaurant’s menu also offers some famous Japanese rice dishes such as katsudon, shrimp tempura, honey chili chicken, and japanese curry, all for under $13.

The joint’s unique design aesthetic allows people to unwind and relax amidst exposed red brick walls, hanging and potted plants, and dark timber furniture that makes for a rustic atmosphere.

The restaurant can be found at 410 Queen St, Brisbane City, open Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For more information, and for the latest updates on meals, deals, and other special announcements, follow their Facebook page.

Archdiocese of Brisbane Lodges Commercial Development Application for St Patrick’s Church

A development application detailing plans to construct an eight-storey building next to St Patrick’s Church in Fortitude Valley was submitted by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane to the Brisbane City Council.

Filed in early April 2021, the development application (DA A005698653) cites that the mixed-use building will also have various public areas, including a communal rooftop terrace overlooking the southeast section of Morgan Street. Views of the church from McLachlan and James Streets will not have any obstructions.

The second to the seventh level of the building will be leased to commercial and office establishments. The plan also includes two levels of basement parking to accommodate 132 cars and 115 bikes. If approved, the construction will take up 2,441 square metres of space or about 23 percent of the land.

A spokesperson for the Archdiocese said that the commercial site will ensure that St Patrick’s Church, one of the oldest churches in the city, will thrive and continue to support the community for years to come.

St Patrick’s Church has been a landmark for more than 140 years. Built around 1880-1882, the property was entered into the Queensland Heritage Listing in 1992 for its cultural, historical and religious significance for Fortitude Valley residents.

Meanwhile, the Archdiocese of Brisbane is also currently overseeing the refurbishments of St Stephen’s Cathedral. As with St Patrick’s Church, this historical site has been a vital part of the community for more than 150 years.