Brisbanites rejoice because beloved local wine bar and bistro Carl’s Newstead has been renovated! That’s right, despite recently opening City Winery and giving us starved of wineries some much-needed wine action, the folks from City Winery Brisbane are continuing to bring great food and drink to Brisbane. And out of towners said we aren’t cool! Well, take a look at the new look Carl’s Newstead. Take a long hard look at what the awesome wine scene is bringing to us, and then get yourself down there to give it a go!
Carl’s was originally started as a testing ground for the City Winery Brisbane. This hole-in-the-wall wine bar and bistro served as the cellar door, with fantastic food to boot. It enabled the owners Adam Penberthy and Dave Cush to test and learn, refine their offering to bring us something incredible!
Now that the City Winery is open, Carl’s has undergone a makeover. It has been transformed into an intimate restaurant with 25 seats, and I was lucky enough to go and check it out this week!
Welcome to Carl’s, your new cosy hangout
Image courtesy of Ali Rasoul
Carl’s is small but oh so cosy. It makes you feel like you are in someone’s dream decorated home, with walls decorated with a mixture of artwork. Some of this has come from Dave Cush’s own home, and some are artwork from his wife – talk about a multi-talented family! This wall honestly looked like something out of my dream home board on Pinterest.
The bistro’s decor doesn’t stop there, as the best part is the wine wall which is basically a visual wine list. It’s such a great idea as you don’t need to get lost in a wine list, and you know what you’re buying. The only problem is that it will leave you wanting to try them all. But the cosy atmosphere will make you feel like settling in for a long one, so you probably can!
The seating has beautiful timber tables and brown leather seats, and the kitchen is open plan. I think this makes it feel even more intimate and cosy as you can settle into the comfortable leather and watch the chefs work their magic!
Carl’s is definitely giving off the good after work vibes, where you can just picture yourself coming in, relaxing over some delicious wine and enjoying some great food with friends.
The food at Carl’s is next level
We got to sample some of the food and wine that will be on offer, but the great part about this space is that it will change every night! This gives us diners a fun and different experience every time we visit. And for the chefs, it is an opportunity to experiment with different tastes and dishes. Carl’s will become a space chefs from City Winery and beyond will be able to truly create. So expect seasonal dishes that change daily based on what they can get their hands on.
When I visited we got to try a wonderful braesola, fantastic kingfish, and an incredible mandarin dessert that blew me away. But the thing I loved most about it was the matching of the wines!
Ok let’s talk about the wines
Image courtesy of Ali Rasoul
The wines we tried on the night matched each dish perfectly, and each one offered something different. They have a great mix of Australian and international wines offering different varieties and flavours. This goes perfectly with the experimental nature of Carl’s.
I got to have a bit of a chat to Dave Cush, the winemaker for Gerler wines (aka City Winery) and their new sommelier Mark Whitaker. He has joined the team from GOMA. They are both so knowledgeable and passionate, which results in an incredible wine list for us to all enjoy. The best part of the evening was getting lost in conversation about the different wines on offer. Especially when it came to the next vintage of Gerler wines. I cannot wait to try some of the new wines Dave has in store for us in the 2019 vintage!
The current list at Carl’s features a mix of Gerler wines, wines from the Granite Belt, a Chablis from France and a Tasmanian Pinot Noir. Everything we tried was fantastic, and I particularly loved the Gerler Wine Fiano! It is unusual as it has had skin contact which gives it a brilliant golden colour. I’ve heard this isn’t to be repeated in the next vintage so make sure you get in quick before its gone!
I also loved the interesting pairings that Mark suggested for the evening, serving the kingfish with Pinot Noir. I never would have thought to do this but it was delicious! It speaks to how experimenting with food and wine and getting creative with flavour combinations really pays off. This is what we can expect at Carl’s!
The final word
Image courtesy of Ali Rasoul
What I loved so much about Carl’s was the intimate feeling of the restaurant and the passion of those that run it. They are so genuine, knowledgable, and their efforts have created a truly incredible experience for Brisbane. With unique food, carefully curated wines and a cosy atmosphere, this is going to be one of my regular haunts!
Carl’s is open for coffee by day, and wine by night. Breakfast and lunch are served seven days a week, and Thursday to Sunday you can head in for the dinner of your dreams!
For more information, check out the Carl’s website.