paddington Archives - Page 14 of 14

Treat Your Pooch to Beer for Doggies at Paddington’s Atticus Finch Cafe

No need to feel sorry that you have to leave your dog behind when Happy Hour strikes. Atticus Finch Cafe in Paddington lets you and your dog enjoy a drink together.

Atticus Finch Cafe is not just a dog-friendly café. From Friday to Sunday, starting 4 p.m, the cafe turns into a bar serving drinks for humans and dogs alike.

In many ways, the cafe is unique. Named after the protagonist in To Kill a Mockingbird, this tiny cafe located at Latrobe Terrace, will easily give you the impression that it’s a place with a heart.

*(Photo credit: Atticus Finch Cafe/Festival)*

Regulars come here not only for its coffee. The food is top-notch as well. On top of that, this is a must-visit place for any dog-loving human who wants to treat their furry friend to outdoor dining every now and then.

There is a lot of seats on the outdoor deck and every dog is welcome to relax and sit down with their human.

Doggies Drink Up

On weekends, busy folks can cap their work week with a jug of beer at Atticus Finch Cafe. The best thing is that they can bring their dogs to the bar. Atticus Finch serves a top selection of craft beers for humans and Beerdog’s Bitter for the dogs.

Aptly dubbed as “Nectar of the Dogs,” Beerdog’s Bitter is a sure hit with the doggies.

Don’t worry about your dog getting drunk. The drink is non-alcoholic and is made from 100% AQIS certified Australian beef. Ingredients are all natural and there are no preservatives, so the beverage is safe for your dog.

Get directions to Atticus Finch Cafe.

(Photo credit: Beerdog’s Brewhouse/Facebook)

Paddington’s Montrachet Still Tres Bon

Located at Given Terrace in Paddington, Montrachet is considered to be one of the best French restaurants in Brisbane. In early 2015, Thierry and Carol Galichet sold Montrachet to Shannon Kellam and Clare Wallace, who now runs the place.

Although the change of management has been met with some apprehension when it turned hands due concerns that the appeal of what has become an icon in Brisbane will be lost, the new owners soon proved naysayers wrong. Not only have they kept the core values of the Brisbane icon intact, with just a little tweaks on the menu, the interior, and the food preparation, Montrachet has been reborn in a familiar, yet distinctively upscaled way.

Montrachet, aside from having impeccable French food, is also acclaimed for its outstanding service. And indeed, Chef Kellam has made sure that the excellent service continues.

Regulars at the restaurant will still see some familiar faces among the Paddington staff and several familiar dishes on the menu. The food, already excellent, has also been transformed. Plating and presentation is now more ornate, leaning towards fancy, and tres jolis.

The interior of the Montrachet has been styled to evoke a Parisian bistro atmosphere, complete with a red leather banquet running the entire length of the room, a black marbled bar overlooking the kitchen, and a restaurant oozing with glitz and glam.

Other interior details include French antiques, metal pastis signs and gilt framed mirrors that complete the French ambience. Large frosted windows envelop the place in luxurious intimacy.

The menu still contains old favourites such as the streak frites, cheese shuffle, and garlicky buttery snails. There are also new dishes on the menu such as the confit of duck and the pork cheek on potato galette.

On Friday nights, the restaurant holds a five-course degustation featuring creative dishes by the kitchen brigade, pumped with seasonal and regional flavours to satisfy one’s palate.

Don’t be intimidated by the totally French wine list. There are wines selections for every budget and their sommelier will only be too happy to help you make a selection.

Bon appetit!

Photo credit: Montrachet / Facebook

Red Hill’s St Brigid’s Church: The 100-yr-old Landmark On the Hill

A striking red brick structure can be seen, perched on top of the hills that provide sweeping views of the suburb of Red Hill. This red brick building is St. Brigid’s, designed by the prominent architect Robin Dods and modelled after a 13th-century French cathedral.

Compared with other Catholic churches in Europe that are often adorned with carvings, ancient paintings and elaborately patterned stained glass, St. Brigid’s interior is a little bit more austere. The design, inspired by St. Cecile’s Cathedral at Albi in the South of France, features gothic elements and Romanesque styles.

Photo credit: http://www.catholicleader.com.au

In designing St. Brigid’s, Architect Dods also took into consideration the Brisbane climate. Everything in the building, from the height of structure, its windows, balconies, French doors, arches and its open chancel, was designed to accommodate the suburb’s changing climate.

Coming-of-age of Catholics in Brisbane

St. Brigid’s is a church with some significance to the whole of Brisbane, owing to its visibility from all directions. It was the largest parish in Brisbane when it was built between 1912 and 1914 by Thomas Keenan, a well-known builder in the early 20th century. The church was built to accommodate 1,000 people.

The opening ceremony of St. Brigid’s in 1915 was a big day for the Catholic community in Brisbane. The church represented the coming-of-age of the Catholics in a city that was dominated by Anglicans.

The name St. Brigid’s was derived from an Irish female saint, St Brigid of Kildare. Her life-size statue can be seen above the church’s entrance porch. St. Brigid herself is known for healing and was said to be very domesticated during her lifetime.

Heritage Building

Today, St. Brigid’s is one of six churches in the Jubilee parish. Widely regarded as one of Brisbane’s major landmarks, the church just celebrated its centennial year in 2014. Due to its heritage, the church is now a part of the National Trust as one of its heritage buildings.

Photo credit: www.catholicleader.com.au