Restaurant Review: The European.

For the last few years my usual coffee place has been the European on Spring Street, I started going there because it was just close to where we l lived and they made a decent coffee. The European is just one of those places you go to if u want good food, service is friendly and the menu changes according to seasonality quite often and everything I’ve tried is tasty.

The food is from all over Europe and sometimes dwindling down to the Mediterranean or Middle East for inspiration, the head chef here is Ian Curly rumored to have a new TV show involving training convicts to cook.
The view and atmosphere is great, just for a coffee or a romantic dinner in the dimly lit dining room which shouts old school bistro. The supper menu also has a killer croque-monsieur which is very indulgent for a snack after 10PM.
The night I went n decided to take a few photos I had a light summery salad, for our starter, which was pretty plain, kinda reminded me of a viet coleslaw



Moreton Bay Bug, Crispy Chicken, Cabbage and Cervil Salad

 The mains were definetly one of the highlights of the night, the pasta was the essence of the sea, with the shaved bottarga like crunchy explosions of seawater which contrasted the silky smooth linguini beautifully, and the added acidity crushed tomatoes cut the richness of the sweet sweet crab.

If your looking for a soul warming dish, this is it. the duck pie is the pinicle of high end comfort food. delicious flakey pastry with confit of duck in a rich orange sauce with earthy mushrooms and a few sprigs of watercress makes the perfect pithvier.

Free Range Duck Pie with Mushrooms and Confit Orange

Our desserts were pretty extrodinary also, with a Salted Caramel Parfait with Peanuts and Sour Cream Ice Cream which makes the one at Fenix taste like a salted rubber band. I could eat this everyday. definetly worth a visit to the European just to try this bad boy out.

Salted Caramel Parfait with Peanuts and Sour Cream Ice Cream

The Apple Creme Brulee was nice and smooth with a sharp crack of burnt sugar which was bitter enough to compliment the underlying tones of calvados. served with a green apple sorbet and old fashioned tea cake that would remind you of your childhood at grandma's

Apple Creme Brulee with Green Apple Sorbet and Old Fasioned Tea Cake.

European is definetly in my top 10 dinning choices in the CBD. Highly recomended whether just for a coffee or a late night snack. Staff is friendly, great views, impressive winelist, and out door dinning area with heaters!.