The days are heating up but the nights are still cool enough for you to indulge in some winter comfort food at The Barracks before officially swapping soups for salads.

Hanabishi Sushi Train

It can be hard to resist fresh sushi, especially when it’s presented on a never ending train of bite sized portions. However if you can avoid temptation at Hanabashi Sushi Train you will be rewarded with a hearty winter meal in the form of warming miso soup followed by a traditional Japanese curry, try the Katsudon!

Peasant

Peasant, just like winter, revolves around good food, wine and company; you may have to supply your own company but the rest is covered. Some say you shouldn’t choose perfume for others and we feel that way about tapas, but at $6 you can’t go past the bread with roast garlic and extra virgin olive oil. As far as wine goes, one of the Spanish cabernet blends should get you feeling warm and fuzzy inside, how about the 2003 Covides Duc Du Foix?

The Chelsea

The ultimate winter meal would have to be a good hearty steak and The Chelsea offers just that. The Rangers Valley Wagyu striploin (250 gm) is served with parsnip hash and a red wine, shallots, and thyme jus. Try following it with the ginger cake served with poached pear, fresh cream and spiced syrup for a real treat.

Coaldrake’s Bookshop

Curling up with a great book may not be a very suitable food suggestion but it’s a winter indulgence nonetheless. The knowledgeable and passionate staff at Coaldrake’s Bookshop are always happy to recommend a good read, whether you prefer to spend those long winter evenings wrapped up in fantasy or brushing up on your history.  To complete the experience, take a freshly made coffee or hot chocolate home with you from Coaldrake’s Espresso Bar.

The Ekka offers all of the excitement and bright lights that you’d expect when the country meets the city. However after comparing a day out at The Ekka to a relaxing day at The Barracks, you may find yourself reconsidering how you’ll spend your RNA Show Day on the 11th of August.

Getting There
Your day out at The Ekka begins with packing a bag with the day’s necessities and making your way towards your local bus or train station. A short drive away lies The Barracks, with ample undercover parking (free for the first 2 hours) and hardly a line in sight.

The Day Begins
With your wallet in hand, where it will spend a good portion of your day, lining up to get through the Showground gates. Mentally preparing yourself for the mayhem that is the Ekka, running through your days schedule and hoping your carefully selected Showbags aren’t sold out. Meanwhile, at The Barracks you could be sitting down to a cup of coffee and decadent pastry at French Twist.

The Strawberry Sundae
There aren’t many people, young or old, who can get through a day at The Ekka without buying at least one of the infamous Strawberry Sundaes. While Movenpick Ice Cream may not be able to rival on the basis of nostalgia they can definitely compete on taste. Their Strawberry Sorbet combines pureed strawberries with delicate morsels of strawberry flesh to create a creamy textured natural-fruit sorbet with no artificial additives or colours.

Lunch
While the novelty of eating a Dagwood Dog for lunch has a certain amount of appeal it won’t offer you the same satisfaction as a sit-down meal at one of The Barrack’s fine dining options. With The Ekka in mind you may choose a gourmet burger at FAB Fish & Burgers, a wood-fired pizza at Pizzeria 1889 or a mouth watering steak at Hogs Breath Café.

Showbags
The Showbag Pavilion transports you to a world of overpriced novelty toys and treats that could be found in your local Coles supermarket. While The Barracks can’t offer you Bertie Beatles we have created our very own showbag. We are giving away 10 in our next newsletter, valued at over $100 and including an indulgent selection of Bittersweet Chocolates, you definitely won’t find these in your average Showbag. Sign up to The Barracks eNews now for details on how to win a very exclusive The Barracks Showbag.

The Evening’s Entertainment
The smartest move after lugging around oversized soft toys and a few kilograms of candy for the best part of the day is finding a seat in the Community Arena and settling in for cowboys, monster trucks and fireworks. While it’s unlikely there will be a slightly bewildered cowboy wandering around The Barracks, we can promise authentic Australian entertainment. The Palace Barracks Cinemas is currently showing two Australian films, The Waiting City and Animal Kingdom.

Winding Down
On the way home from The Ekka, most people find themselves crammed into some form of public transportation congratulating themselves for making it through the day. Alternatively, after a relaxing day at The Barracks you can head home at your own leisure without having to take a precautionary cold and flu tablet.

A short testimonial from one of our many happy customers:

“I want to congratulate you with the development of “The Barracks” into a very attractive, modern entertainment spot. We live nearby, in Paddington,. And have been frequent visitors. We had some reservations at the very beginning especially regarding parking, but you have solved them and made many improvements so we happily flock to the movies, a meal, the household shopping and even the barber. Well done!” 9th July 2010

Natasha Mirosh, Food Writer for the Courier Mail visited our newest eatery FAB recently.

‘My burger was the best burger I have had in I don’t know how long.  It was as the name suggested FAB.  A meat patty with fresh herbs, on what tasted like an olive oil based bun with fresh toppings and chips with the most fantastic sauce.  It was a kind of less garlicky aioli, perfectly smooth, with a touch of vinegar or some other kind of acid to set off the creaminess.  Totally decadent with great chips.

The burger tasted absolutely homemade but far neater in its construction.  I thought it was really generous for the price too.’

Click here to read the full review.

All burgers at FAB are $9.95 all day Tuesday!!!

Welcome to the new Barracks Blog, a space where you can find out the latest news from Brisbane’s newest retail precinct located conveniently on Petrie Terrace.

From this space, we will bring you retail tips, dining reviews, information about promotions and special events, gift ideas and much more.

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