Melbourne hospo powerhouse opens stunning debut Brisbane venue

There’s a tiny part of Gareth Woolcock that’s disappointed about opening High Road.

“Because it’s exactly the place I’d come to,” Woolcock says, laughing. “I’d come with four or five mates, order a bunch of drinks, order a bunch of plates, and settle in. It’s such a beautiful space – they’ve achieved this balance of it feeling really open but also cosy and warm at the same time.”

“They” is Mulberry Group, the Melbourne hospitality powerhouse that on Friday will open High Road on the ground floor of Novotel South Brisbane. And Woolcock is right – High Road is a bit of a looker.

The fit-out is all dark timber panelling, marble-topped tables, vertical tiled surfaced, and burgundy and cream tones. Low kitchen counters add a sense of theatre to the place, and there’s a separate lounge area for guests wanting a more laidback experience.

Of course, Woolcock is selling himself short. Such a swish dining room would be nothing without food to eat.

Eagle Farm’s Beech Ovens has produced a 1.5-metre wide multi-level grill and custom-designed wood-fire oven that power much of High Road’s menu. It’s split into starters, steaks and items from the grill.

You might begin with a Mooloolaba prawn roll with umami mayo and cos; potato scallops with creme fraiche, black caviar and finger lime; or house-made yoghurt flatbread with Mount Zero olive oil.

The beef program features four cuts: a 220-gram pasture-fed eye fillet from Toowoomba, a 350-gram Black Angus flank from Mitchell Grass Plains in Queensland, a 300-gram Wagyu rump from Liverpool Plains in New South Wales, and a 300-gram grain-fed Riverina Black Angus sirloin from NSW.

Other mains from the grill include free-range half chicken with hot sauce and labneh; a 270-gram Oria pork cutlet with salsa verde; and 500-gram slow cooked Victorian lamb shoulder with salsa verde.

“It’s designed to be good, relatable food that’s had a lot of care put into it,” Woolcock says. “We have a signature burger that I’m really pleased with. We’re making the patties, the sauce in-house; we’ve tested about 15 or 20 burger buns to make sure we have that right … I’m confident it’s one of the best burgers in Brisbane.”

There’s also a bar menu that throws together a steak and a bunch of the starters with a couple of new dishes: karaage chicken with togarashi mayo, and flame grilled semi-cured chorizo with lime.

For drinks there’s a cocktail menu that twists the classics, alongside a wine list that favours Australian producers without getting dogmatic about it, and includes a decent by-the-glass selection.

“I’m really hopeful that what we can do here is really transform the hotel dining scene … I got into hotels about 12 years ago and at that stage, hotel restaurants were starting to lose their sheen a little bit.

“But we’re really lucky with the ownership group here at the hotel that they’ve really bought into the whole process.”