While Brisbane is often tagged Brisvegas or Brisneyland, neither of these nicknames quite capture the city's recent cultural renaissance. The svelte Gallery of Modern Art, poised between the '80s icon of the Cultural Centre and the languid curves of the Brisbane River at South Bank, may have put the joint on a culture vultures' map with high-profile exhibitions such as Warhol and Picasso, but the transformation of the Brisbane Powerhouse earlier in the noughties from a decaying, well, powerhouse, into a visual and performing arts hub made official what Brisbanians had long known. There's a lot of culture bubbling up beneath the subtropical slumber.
And art aficionados know something else. You can't appreciate the finer points of modern art on an empty stomach, or without slaking your thirst. Ideally, both activities can be combined, and for those who want to do the Friday night art gallery crawl, all you need to know can be found conveniently at the Facebook Brisbane Art Exhibitions group. But what about culture on a bigger, or at least more conventional scale? Both the Powerhouse and the QPAC host restaurants, and Bar Alto provides a buzz on the balcony overlooking the river at New Farm. But the menus are a tad modern-Australian and haute cuisine bland respectively.
Fortunately, there are venues for more intriguing meals just a short walk away from both major arts centres.
Brisbane did multicultural dining long before it transcended the '70s French cuisine in a hotel (tie definitely not optional) thing. And lurking just near the Performing Arts Centre on the delightfully named Fish Lane is a Cuban Paladar. Que? A Paladar is a family-owned bistro existing in the nooks and crannies of the Castro Brothers' socialist state, and Paladar Fumior Salon similarly sits just off Merivale Street in the post-industrial streetscape of South Brisbane. It's a little more conspicuous with its remarkable red shop front, and specialises in Cuban snacks (as well as cigars). Brisbane led the way with restrictive smoking laws, but then what are courtyards and roof-top terraces for? Take a seat or a puff and the decor and aromas will soon convince you that South Bank has its very own very little Havana.
And if you're heading to or from one of the Powerhouse's dance, theatrical or musical performances, the corner of Merthyr Road and James Street — a couple of minutes' walk away — hosts the best Indian restaurant in town. More adventurous than its counterpart in the Valley, Mint, Tandoori King offers a lot more than its name (reminiscent of any suburban curry house) promises. You can pick and choose from two menus — the standard and the more exotic. But common to both is the quality of the ingredients and the incredible richness of the spices and flavours. The interior avoids Indian kitsch, and the service is excellent. A curry and a bottle of wine outside on the sidewalk is a perfect way to chew over culture on a balmy Brisbane night.
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