Summer has arrived, which is all the excuse I need to throw on a little dress, gather my girlfriends together and head out to brunch.
For me, brunches have fallen by the way side as my diary has been filled with night-time activities and any chance of a lazy weekend morning at home relished.
Or at least they had until I took a tour of Alex Perry Hotel and Apartments and stopped in at the hotel’s onsite restaurant, Delfina’s Bistro, for brunch with Sally (Alluxia), Sarah (Little Miss Melbourne), Emily (Corporate Catwalker) and Larry (The Simple Gentleman).
Originally located in Brisbane’s Emporium complex, Delfina’s Bistro has recently moved across the road and re-opened in a beautiful new space on the ground floor of the hotel and our catch up and tour reignited my love affair with a weekend brunch for two reasons.
Firstly, their food—modern Australian with a slight European twist—is delicious, fresh and simple and their breakfast menu had multiple dishes which I wanted to try (always a good sign).
And secondly, they serve brunch cocktails.
Brunch. Cocktails.
While I struggled to decide what I wanted to eat, there was little doubt what I’d drink with the Tutti Frutti Sangria ($12) and Mimosa Made Better ($12) both catching my eye.
In the end I ordered the Sangria which was light and fresh with Rosè wine, a splash of vodka, apple juice, ginger beer, honey and seasonal fruit while Sally had the Mimosa Made Better, feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds as it was a ball of citrus sorbet drowned in Cava.
For the purists, Bloody Mary’s are also on the menu, with three options to choose from: Classic, Spicy or Smokey which comes with a shot of beer on the side.
With our drinks sorted, it was time to order food.
Always a sucker for fritters, I opted for the the Pumpkin Fritters ($18) which came with glazed bacon, toasted kale, demented beetroot relish and herbed crème fraîche.
But the Smashed Avo ($15) on sourdough with dukkah & labneh balls and a burnt lemon glaze looked amazing.
We also tried the Pumpkin & Date Loaf ($8) served with goats cheese cultured butter and persimmon jam and while I’m not usually a fan of dates (pun intended) it was delicious.
I also have it on good authority (from Sally) that the Potato and Celeriac Rösti ($18) with salmon gravlax, poached egg, pickled radish, crème fraîche and beetroot relish are highly recommended.
The kitchen at Delfina’s Bistro opens at 7am and the bar from 10am. Brunch is available until 3pm.
You can find Delfina’s Bistro at Alex Perry Hotel and Apartments, Ann St, Brisbane.
