If the name sounds familiar, it may be because the Three Blue Duck venues in Bronte and Bryon are now Insta-famous for their paddock to plate philosophy coupled with beautiful plating skills at the hands of celebrity chefs Darren Robinson and Mark Labrooy. The difference with the Brisbane venue is clearly its location – swapping the backyard farm for a nest with a view on a top floor of the new high-rise W hotel. Their motto of honest and local food remains, so expect plenty of Queensland favourites!
TBDs is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, so whether you’re having a staycation at the hotel or having a long lunch with your workmates, you’ll be sure to find something impressive to feast on.
Breakfast can be enjoyed buffet style, which also includes Single O coffee and eggs cooked to your liking. From their a’la carte menu, try a bacon omelette with confit onion and chives, or your choice of bread as avocado toast with basil salad and cherry tomato. Cold bowls include coconut chia pudding with honeycomb, and mango bircher with toasted nuts and seeds. However, we recommend eating out of your comfort zone with one of their hot bowls. If you’ve never heard of kedgeree, now is your chance to try this flaked fish, rice and egg concoction, served with toasted almonds and pickled ginger. Or perhaps the broccoli cauliflower rice with kimchi and puffed wild rice takes your fancy. But definitely try the teriyaki eggplant with creamed corn and seaweed – a savoury alternative to porridge that you may find quacking tasty!
Lunch and dinner are perfect for sharing with your flock, with small plates like tandoori quail, wood roasted haloumi, sashimi with pawpaw or spiced lamb with flat bread. Get fired up with their wood-fired maple glazed pumpkin, lamb shoulder or whole grilled fish. Or try something from the coal pit with their chargrilled king prawns, chilli-glazed roast chicken or 500g ribeye on the bone. And there’s always their seafood selection and the Ducks cauliflower cheese as a side!
As well as creativity and honesty, TBDs pride themselves on sustainability, with wine available on tap as well as an extensive list of organic and biodynamic options. That’s if you can pass on the cocktails, like the spiced mango mai tai, cinnamon maple old-fashioned, or the Swooping magpie with gin and pineapple paying tribute to our favourite bird of prey!
Get your flock into formation and migrate north (well, to North Quay) to enjoy a piece of the country in the city. Located at 81 North Quay in the W hotel, open 7 days a week for breakfast until 11:30, lunch from 12 to 3 and dinner from 5:30 onwards.
Words by Kat Gridley of Oats & Cheesecake
