Brisbane food lovers are in for a treat as an Italian restaurant by the Gambaro family and an Asian-Indian diner and bar prepare to open their doors at the $1 billion Brisbane Quarter development.
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Michelin-Starred chef Manjunath Mural, of Singapore's Song of India, will head Heritij, the new 'Asian-Indian gastronomy' venue.
The collaboration with Nick Pinn of Malt Dining and Sridhar Penumechu from the Gold Coast's Saffron Restaurant will deliver contemporary Indian food and the bar will include a range of wines and savoury cocktails.
Persone, an Italian restaurant by Gambaro, is all about authentic Italian food with every item on the menu personally tasted by Michael Gambaro.
A third restaurant, which remains confidential, will open at Brisbane Quarter in November.
Chef Manjunath Mural - Heritij
Experience: 20 Years
What menu item will be a real crowd pleaser? The masala-spiced fondue with lamb, chicken and fish kebabs for dipping as it is an unusual concept within Indian cuisine [and] is great for sharing too.
What is your favourite menu item? The Kashmiri lamb shanks that are slow cooked in a flavourful gravy of yoghurt and spices 'til extremely tender. This is a dish which has a traditional taste but I have refined the sauce with a tinge of saltbush in it.
What is your go-to pre-dinner drink? A glass of pinot noir as it complements my curry dishes.
Describe Heritij? The restaurant has a 140-seat main dining room, with four private dining rooms and an outdoor terrace with a fantastic view of the Brisbane River. The inside has dark undertones that are contrasted by the colours from the furnishings and the artwork from my Indian heritage.
What is your favourite thing about the new kitchen? The Tandoor oven will always be my favourite as I made my very first dish using it, which was a chicken kebab. I am very passionate and am attached to this type of oven.
What is the best meal you have ever had? A simple, home-cooked pulao rice dish with meats by my mum and grandmother during my childhood. But because it requires basmati rice, an expensive ingredient, we could only have it during special occasions and so as a boy I would always look forward to it.
When did you first know you wanted to be a chef? During my days as a trainee chef back in India, I was working at a Thai restaurant that was helmed by 2 female chefs. Their passion for food and the respect they earned from their peers left such a deep impact on me and inspired me to take on this profession.
Heritij will open on Monday with booking available from Tuesday.
Shane Veivers - Persone
Age: 33
What do you think will be your biggest crowd-pleaser menu item? The Pappardelle with beef and pork ragu and possibly the crumbed veal cutlet. I think our fresh, house-made pasta, in general, will be extremely popular.
What is your favourite menu item? It is a hard choice. Possibly the house-made Fiorentina – it will be a stand out dish for the quality of meat we get from Stanbroke.
What is your go-to pre-dinner drink? An Aperol spritz; it’s just so refreshing and delicious!
Your favourite item in your new kitchen? Hands down have to be the La Monferina P3 Pasta machine, it is an incredible piece of equipment and allows us to make all of our fresh pasta on site.
What does Persone bring to Brisbane? True Italian flavours with modern twists but will still stay true to traditional flavours that you would experience travelling throughout Italy.
When did you realise you wanted to be a chef? At the age of 16. I loved cooking at home and I wanted to experiment with cooking delicious food for my family and myself. From there my love affair for food was all I was focused on and it still remains the most important thing in my life.
What would you say to people who are coming to your restaurant for the first time? Enjoy the whole experience; from the chic restaurant setting and amazing wine list and cocktails on offer to the innovative menu and bold flavours which are relatable to everyone.
Persone opened with a private launch party on Tuesday.
