Restaurant review: The Crosstown Eating House

I went to The Crosstown Eating House at Woolloongabba with a lot of anticipation. The once unassuming suburb was building a reputation for great new eateries and I was keen to try the latest addition.

The Crosstown, formerly an antiques emporium, has been cleverly converted into a bar and eatery where the dishes are designed to share. With this in mind, I caught up with two guests for a late lunch.

When we walked in you could feel the energy in the room. There was lots of chatter that echoed throughout the establishment courtesy of the high ceilings and wooden floors. The room was simply designed, with a number of seating configurations to create a sociable and laidback atmosphere.

We were greeted by a friendly waiter who explained the menu in detail. In keeping with the décor, the menu was uncomplicated with a mix of old fashioned offerings such as cauliflower and white sauce, with some modern and creative touches like barramundi in a bag.

After much deliberation we chose the prawns and white anchovy mayonnaise as our entrée, followed by the lamb cutlets and chilli jam; potatoes and greens; beetroot, manchego and speck salad; meatballs and sauce; iceberg and capers; and steak and horseradish.

The prawns were a little disappointing. They were very cold as if they had just been defrosted, but the anchovy mayonnaise was a revelation (for someone who hates anchovies) and proved the perfect accompaniment.

The main dishes came soon after and didn’t disappoint. The meatballs and sauce was surprisingly one of the highlight dishes. The sauce was so tasty that you could be forgiven for ordering some bread to mop up the left overs. The potatoes and greens and beetroot and manchego salad were also delicious, and the lamb cutlets were succulent and paired nicely with the chilli jam. The sharing concept of the dishes worked well for us, with each dish offering something new to enjoy that complemented the others.

Luckily we had room for dessert and ordered the mini ice-cream cones, trio of tarts and chocolate pear pot. While they sound simple, they were presented with flair. The ice-cream cones were served with honey granola which proved popular, but for me (a chocoholic at heart) I couldn’t go past the chocolate pear pot. It was divine, but be warned—it’s extremely rich.

The wine list was adequate with a good range of labels to suit any budget.

The Crosstown lived up to my expectations. The design elements in conjunction with the simple menu all contribute to a relaxed eating experience and one that is to be recommended.