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Cinnamon & Co in West End Now Serving Vegan Brunch and Dinner

West End’s cafe scene is one joint healthier with the recent opening of Cinnamon & Co, now serving vegan brunch and dinner.

The latest addition to West End vegan joints, Cinnamon & Co is the brick-and-mortar version of Wild Spice Kitchen, a food truck parked next to Paper Moon cafe that serves up vegan brunch.

Taking its cue from its successful food truck venture, owner Tasia Amber, decided that it was time for a spin-off. Their brand new cafe in West End opened in January 2022 and it boasts of two-level dining space.

The street-level space features timber flooring, terracotta and white walls whilst downstairs, customers will be greeted with a relaxed ambience complete with tables, armchairs, and couches.

The stellar brunch menu will still feature some of the popular dishes of Wild Spice Kitchen including the herbed and cheezy tofu scramble served with warm croissant, balsamic tomatoes, a pair of hashbrowns and confit garlic aioli; and Mac ‘n’ Cheese with the sauce prepared using cashew, onions, potato, and nooch.

Other options include Fungi Party Burger (sesame brioche bun stacked with mushroom patty, onion jam, cheese, truffle aioli, avocado and rocket) and Teressa (quesadilla packed with spicy buffalo chickpeas, vegan mince and melty cheez then served with roast sweet potato, chipotle aioli and housemade pickles

If you decide to drop by for dinner, their entree offering includes Sexy Tofu which is crispy fried tofu sous-vide in hoisin and ginger served with a zesty dippin’ sauce; and Snackadilla or crispy tortilla with buffalo chickpeas, melty cheez, and cumin mince.

For the mains, options include a warm salad of marinated tofu with avocado, crunchy chickpeas, orange, celery and leafy green with curried aioli dressing; and cheez burger made with sweet potato and black bean patty, cheez, mustard, tomato, dill pickles and aioli on a sesame brioche bun.

Serving of coffee is made courtesy of Coffee Supreme AU plus alternatives including tea, HRVST juice and Luv Maté (Yerba Maté, raw cacao, maca root, and guarana). Sweet treats such as brownie, peanut butter oatmeal, and caramel macadamia are on offer too

Cinnamon & Co is located at 63 Hardgrave Rd, West End and is open for brunch from 8 am to 2 pm, Wednesday to Sunday; and for dinner from 5.30 pm to 10 pm, Friday and Saturday.

Cinnamon & Co | 63 Hardgrave Rd, West End

Pilates Meets Cardio at West End

Photo credit: Strong Pilates / Facebook

STRONG Pilates has opened its latest studio on Montague Road in West End bringing its revolutionary hybrid workout machine that integrates cardio with strength and resistance training.

Whilst Pilates helps strengthen muscles and enhance flexibility, its low-impact nature doesn’t offer the kind of burn that a high-intensity workout gives. This is where STRONG Pilates comes in.

STRONG Pilates has been making waves in the fitness training landscape since opening its flagship studio in 2019 in Elsternwick, Melbourne. Already 15-studios strong, owners Michael Ramsey and Mark Armstrong are not stopping with their aggressive expansion plans with no less than 50 locations eyed this year.

Michael and Mark used to run several F45 studios which were highly successful. But after discovering ‘Rowformer’ – a machine that is a half reformer and half rower – they started unloading their six F45 studios in 2019 to open a STRONG Pilates gym in Melbourne.

The studio is very stylish with charges in each locker, hair dryers/straighteners, mobility area, showers, and cold towels soaked in Eucalyptus oil delivered post-workout plus a distinct scent enveloping the entire gym and a specially curated playlist in the background to complete the overall STRONG experience.

At the heart of the STRONG Pilates class is the Rowformer which allows for a low-impact but high-intensity workout regardless of one’s level of fitness or mobility. A typical 45-minute class will involve what they call “strength blocks” covering the upper body, lower body and core. Each of the three strength blocks is followed by a 5-minute interval rowing.

STRONG’s West End studio is the sixth location following Hope Island, Burleigh, Ashmore, Southport and Maroochydore. Soon to come are at least seven Queensland locations spread across Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Brisbane, thanks to the strong reception that their fitness brand has been getting.

Ready to take your workout routine to the next level? Click here to book online.

STRONG Pilates | 196 – 204 Montague Road West End QLD 4101

Old Queen Street Building Set for Major Transformation

Photo credit: Google Street View / google.com/maps

An almost half-a-century-old building on Queen Street in Brisbane may be the subject of a major transformation.

Built in 1974, the 22-storey skyscraper sits on a 1,700-sqm site at 444 Queen Street. PGIM Australia has revealed plans for an adaptive reuse of the “outdated” building, positioned just outside the highly sought-after Golden Triangle and directly opposite the Customs House, which it recently acquired for $54.4 million

Existing building vsproposed building — Existing building vs proposed podium and tower form | Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au

Designed by Fender Katsalidis, the proposed 24-storey development aims to breathe new life to the existing structure with an A-grade standard design and a 5-star Green Star rating.

Fender Karsalidis building design — Diagrammatic Representation of Re-Use | Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au

The Urban Context report describes the proposal as “minimal in its impact on site and context”. It furthered that revitalisation will focus on enhancing the “appearance of the building within the streetscape” and providing a contemporary and highly sustainable boutique office.

The plans thus involve replacing the existing rundown facade of the building with a modern, high-performance facade; reinforcing the existing structure; removing the end-of-life cycle plant and equipment, and revitalising the ground plane and podium.

artist's impression of facade — Artist’s impression of the Podium | Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au

The proposed ground floor plan will include a lobby, a cafe space and business lounge. There will also be two levels of podium car parking containing 52 car parking spaces as well as 21 storeys of leasable office space, including a lower and an upper roof terrace.

The basement level will have a new end-of-trip facility which will be accessible via the rear of the subject building. The EOT facility will contain 157 bicycle spaces, 224 lockers and 12 showers (split between male and female).

“By re-purposing out-dated stock, we can provide an economical and environmental approach to our commercial building assets,” says the Urban Context report on the rationale behind the plan to refurbish instead of demolishing the building for a new one.

Parched? Check out Parched, the Newest Craft Brewery in West End

If you’re parched and in the West End area, check out Parched, Brisbane’s newest craft brewery!

Up for sharing cold beers during these hot summer nights, nibbling on some finger-licking bar bites when you’re feeling peckish, and reconnecting with friends you haven’t seen for some time?

Former mining engineer Carl Hallion is the brains behind Parched. Carl has long harboured dreams of running a bar where guests could chit-chat and reconnect over a few pints of beer, from the time he began brewing beer as a young adult in Adelaide.

It took a couple of years for Carl to hatch plans for Parched with his wife Pauline. Sometime in 2020, the couple found the right spot tucked along a laneway on Montague Road. Despite some hitches and amidst the havoc COVID wrought on the hospitality and construction industries, and their supply chain, they kept the faith.

Everything came together eventually, and Parched finally opened in mid-December 2021.

Parched interior — Photo Credit: Parched/Facebook

Parched is slightly bigger than Carl’s original ideas for a bar but the building had plenty of space for communal dining, the bar and taproom, the kitchen, the actual brewery, and the warehouse at the back.

Divided into two levels, Base Architecture designed Parched with a seating capacity for 200 people. Sometime this year, the deck should be built to accommodate more guests.

At the brewery section of the venue are two tanks that can make 2,000 litres a day. From the brewery, it’s straight to the 16-tap bar which stands out in the room because of its green tiling.

Drinks at Parched — Photo Credit: Parched/Facebook

Parched’s initial offering includes eight kinds of beer concocted by Carl himself:

Brave New World hazy IPA
Creaming Soda vanilla-milkshake IPA
Mi Amigo Pagara Mexican lager
Smiling Eyes Irish red ale
Sunset Sour wild pomegranate kettle sour
The Pilot mid-strength session IPA
The Old Enemy old English IPA
Tewy’s Misery Australian pale ale

Meanwhile, head chef Breanna Dent runs the kitchen and prepares the delectable pub-style dishes matching the beers. For dessert, craft has heaps of beer-infused cold treats from Lick! Ice-Cream.

Follow Parched on Instagram for store updates and offerings.

“Great beer, great service, the food smelt amazing, the ribs looked divine. I’ll have to have them next time. There are some strange reviews for this place but be assured the beer is excellent.”
Phil Heitt

“Had a great experience with a group of my friends. Everything about this place was great. The place was clean and smelled good. The staff was very nice and friendly. They worked as a team in bringing and cleaning up our food. The beers and the stories around them are awesome. Also, great varieties of beers and added values to West End. The food was fresh and awesome. Then we also had dessert and that was really good as well. I love Parched Beer Ice-cream. Great atmosphere with really nice people. We’ll definitely come back. Highly recommended this place.”
Nadeeka Silva

“First visit to the new brewery. Pomegranate sour was a favourite – not too sour and the pomegranate flavour was subtle. The old English ale and the red Irish ale were very similar in taste to traditional uk and Irish ales, which being a Pom I appreciated! Also tried the oatmeal-based brew which was well balanced; it had a bitterness from the roasted oats to compliment the sweetness of the beer, but it wasn’t overly done. Tried the tacos, which were the two veggie / vegan options – the dragonfruit taco was delicious with plenty of filling and sauce. The vegan cauliflower option needed a little more flavour although it was good to see so many vegan and vegetarian options on the menu. Great customer service with really pleasant staff, who enjoy talking about the beer. Dog friendly too which is a great addition. Looking forward to visiting again soon!”
Jen Foster

Community Sets up Fundraiser for King Ahiram Lebanese Cafe in West End

Help continues to pour in for the El-Masri family, whose iconic West End kebab shop, King Ahiram, was destroyed by a devastating fire earlier in January 2022.

The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen and quickly destroyed everything. This led Sanaa Wehbe and Diyana Bokhari, nieces of owner Walid El-Masri, to launch a GoFundMe campaign in hopes of helping their uncle re-establish his livelihood.

“My humble uncle and his family operate this local community business and work incredibly hard to provide an authentic yet affordable taste of Lebanese cuisine. They are committed to serving the locals and have generously contributed to various community outreach services and initiatives,” said Wehbe.

Before the fire, the establishment had been operating for over three decades. Best known for making some of the best falafels in Brisbane, King Ahiram is one of the longest-standing restaurants in West End.

“I am so deeply saddened by this news. King Ahiram was my go-to place for falafel kebabs and baklava. My thoughts go to the family that put their heart and soul into this establishment. King Ahiram is one of the few OG’s left standing at that intersection and I do hope that we as a community can bring it back,” a local donor shared.

The funds raised will be used to repair and replace everything in the damaged building, from the ceiling down to the cooking equipment. In less than a week since the campaign started, 60 donors raised over $2,450 out of their $10,000 goal.

West End Businesswoman Launches ‘Eye Contact’ App

Photo credit: Jep Gambardella / Pexels

A West End businesswoman has launched ‘Eye Contact,’ a new app that encourages people to connect and get to know each other the old-fashioned way.

One of the latest dating apps to hit the market, ‘Eye Contact’ is the brainchild of West End-based entrepreneur Eva Heyward. In creating the app, she drew inspiration from a friend’s personal experience.

Her friend was at a cafe and she saw a man she thinks she likes. After a few minutes of exchanging shy glances, the man left, leaving her regretful that she wouldn’t have any way of contacting him again.

Ms Heyward pondered on how difficult it could be for a woman to find a less conspicuous way of making a connection with a man; and so, Eye Contact was born.

This new dating app allows a person to find a potential match in real-time based on their current location. Without giving away too much personal information, single individuals can discreetly send signals to other people in the same room and get a chance to personally meet and know each other.

Ms Heyward hopes that her new app will be a game-changer and encourage single individuals to go out and meet new people the old-fashioned way.

Other Apps

Tinder aside, here are other dating apps that hopeful singles may find interesting:

Bumble – Bumble is like Tinder, but made exclusively for women. It is designed for women who have no qualms about making the first move. The app allows women to send the first message to a potential date, who would then have only have 24 hours to message back or lose the opportunity.

Hinge – This app is perfect for those who are looking for a long-term connection rather than a superficial relationship. It allows potential dates to get to know you more by making your profile a bit more interesting. Apart from requiring users to upload six photos, they are also prompted to answer three questions meant to reveal more about their personality.

OkCupid – Gender inclusivity is one of the features that make OkCupid a very popular dating site. The app has options for 22 sexual orientations and 13 gender identities. This can get confusing for some but there are those who love knowing the specifics about a potential date and being very clear about themselves from the onset.

Have you tried any, some, or all(!) of these apps?

Coming Soon! 7-Course Vegan Degustation Event at Grown West End

Photo credit: Grown / Facebook

Mark your calendars! Grown West End is hosting an amazing vegan degustation event this January, with a special focus on local spring produce.

Grown is celebrating the New Year with their first event for 2022. The January Seven Course Degustation will feature seasonal produce from the likes of Loop Grower, Little Acre Mushrooms, and other local suppliers.

Curious as to what their degustation menu will offer? If you haven’t visited them yet, here’s how plant-based dining at Grown looks like.

The brunch menu includes two slices of sourdough toast served with housemade vegemite or fruit preserves; seasonal fruit loaf with preserves and cream; oat porridge with poached fruit, crispy bits and custard; and roasted mushroom and silken tofu scramble with sourdough and sesame cashew cheese.

There will also be some housemade brioche french toast with dulce de leche, ice cream and seasonal fruit; and housemade hash brown with slow-roasted tomatoes, miso white beans, seasonal greens, avocado, and purple kimchi.

Avo Toast / Tofu scramble | Photo credit:Grown / Facebook

Their Shared Plates menu include fried potatoes served with paprika, garlic and shallots; baked pumpkin and capsicum empanadas with chimichurri; pilaf rice with a generous sprinkling of toasted nuts, sesame cheese and dried fruit; baked polenta; charred broccoli in oyster sauce and sesame; and grilled corn with cheese, coriander and chilli sauce.

For dessert, customers can choose between the beetroot and neenish cream tart with cocoa nibs or creme brulee with seasonal fruit.

Baked pumpkin and capsicum empanadas / *Fried potatoes* | Photo credit: Grown / Facebook

Grown offers plant-based dining with a seasonal menu which utilises fresh local farm produce from Brisbane’s surrounds. They also serve specially curated beverages for vegans, so you are sure that the wine and beer they offer are vegan friendly and where possible, are also locally produced and sustainably packed.

The January Seven Course Degustation event happens beginning 6:00 p.m. on 27 January 2022. Tickets cost $95 per person with an option to order matching wines for an additional $65. This is a limited-seating vegan degustation event so be sure to book early.

Stay updated by visiting their website or their social media account.

Grown | Shop G03/21 Buchanan St, West End QLD 4101, Australia

Community Leader Bags Queensland Local Hero Award

Photo credit: Video still - Australian of the Year Awards / YouTube

Community leader and Mu’ooz Restaurant and Catering – West End founder, Saba Abraham, has been awarded Queensland Australia’s Local Hero.

The 2022 Queensland Australian of the Year Awards saw Ms Saba or “Mama Saba” being recognised for her community leadership and social entrepreneurship. The Brisbane Community Leaders Gathering, which she chairs, helped mitigate and limit the spread of COVID-19 in Queensland. Their initiative allowed culturally and linguistically diverse communities to receive public health messages in their own language.

Ms Saba likewise runs Mu’ooz, a not-for-profit restaurant and catering business. Since establishing her social business in 2003, she has provided female refugees with employment and vocational training opportunities.

“That’s has provided more than 200 refugee women in Queensland with vocational training and job opportunities,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

The 2022 Queensland Australian of the Year Awards ceremony was held 11 November 2021, ahead of the national Australia Day awards ceremony which is scheduled to take place in January.

Apart from Queensland Local Hero, other awards given out include the 2022 Queensland Australian of the Year which went to Sue and Lloyd Clarke —.parents of Hannah Clarke who, along with her three children, tragically died due to domestic violence. The Clarkes established Small Steps 4 Hannah in honour of their daughter. Their foundation aims to put a stop to the cycle of domestic violence.

Saba Abraham — Photo credit: Australian of the Year Awards / Facebook

One the other hand, Australia’s first Indigenous police officer, Dr Colin Dillon AM APM, was awarded the 2022 Queensland Senior Australian of the Year whilst Hand-n-Hand Peer Support founder Dr Tahnee Bridson is the Queensland Young Australian of the Year awardee.

Premier Palaszczuk said that all four award recipients were recognised for their outstanding endeavours to improve our communities, our state, our nation and the world. She added that the awards once again encourage everyone that “a brighter future is always achievable with hard work, devotion and compassion.”

“All nominees in each of the four categories deserve our gratitude and admiration,” she said.

Saba Abraham, Sue and Lloyd Clarke, Dr Colin Dillon AM APM and Dr Tahnee Bridson will represent the State at the national awards next year.

Montague Road Site in West End Could Become Broadcasting Centre for 2032 Olympics

A 57,000-sqm international broadcasting centre extending to the South Bank Parklands across the river could become part of the preparation for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, if plans to purchase the Visy Glass site along Montague Road in West End push through.

The Visy site is being eyed as an ideal location for the broadcast centre as it is a short distance to at least five Olympic venues, including the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and The Gabba.

In early 2021, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner confirmed that they have been in talks with the inner-city factory and are now awaiting approval from the management and board members of Visy Glass.

Council has set aside a budget of $250 million for the 2021-2022 financial year as the deal will not earn state support, per Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick.

Cr Schrinner added that if closed, Visy will still have several years to transition to a new site while the West End plot will be prepared for the Olympics.

After the Olympics, the site will be transformed as an extension of the South Bank Parklands, aligning with the Kurilpa Riverfront Renewal Masterplan that intends to open the riverfront land to the public and provide the locals with a lasting legacy.

New Biryani Restaurant To Open In West End

Photo credit: alleksana/Pexels

Chef Khalid Ahmed’s biryani has a loyal online following. Now, he is excited to finally bring his signature dish directly to West End diners at his own restaurant, Biryani Place.

Read: Well-loved Gold Coast Day Spa Is Coming To West End

Biryani Place, located at Browning St, will serve Chef Khalid’s signature Indian dish, curries, naan, and his version of mandi, a traditional dish from Yemen that combines rice, meat, and spices.

Biryani Place is preparing to open on 10 December 2021.

It will be an intimate, 40-seat restaurant that will also have outdoor seating for those who prefer to dine al-fresco style. Whilst the place will be dominated by black, they will be featuring lots of greenery and Indian monument paintings, to brighten up the space.

As the name of the restaurant suggests, the star on the menu will be biryani, which will be offered in four varieties: chicken, goat, lamb, and vegetarian. Chef Khalid, who has more than a decade of experience cooking biryani, makes sure his signature dish will only be made of the best local ingredients.

What sets his biryani apart from other restaurants is the technique of cooking and the quality of ingredients. Chef Khalid is planning to source only the finest ingredients for his biryani, including rice, meat and saffron.

Chef Khalid will be teaming up with business partners Haseeb Khan and Anwar Syed as well as his wife Ameena who will be helping him in the kitchen for the curries, which include goat curry, dahl, butter chicken, and korma (meat/veggie braised with yoghurt, cream, and stock) in chicken, lamb, and vegetable options.