Concept Crazy

London has gone concept restaurant crazy. There’s a growing demand to experience not just fill our stomach with delicious food. For me, the theme and execution adds so much to the overall experience and is much more exciting than going down to the uncharacteristic Italian, Indian or Thai restaurant for a dinner date. Being a foreigner and knowing that such restaurants are years away from opening in Brisbane, I’m making the most of living in this cultured city and experiencing these culinary concepts and dining delights. Here’s a few that I have tried and tested:-

Dans Le Noir – A concept with a cause, this is by far the best concept restaurant I’ve been to. For all the non-french speaking folks (including me), ‘Dans Le Noir’ translated ‘in the dark’ gives a whole new meaning to concept restaurant. What makes it so inspirational is that the wait-staff are in fact visually impaired. You dine in pitch black and I mean pitch black- there is no eye adjustment. You choose meat, seafood, vegetarian or surprise before you enter and your blind waiter skilfully guides you to your table. You are then given you water (not poured), drinks and then delivered your courses.

As you pat the table to find your cutlery and use slow movements to find your glass, you’re experiencing life in a different light- exploring your other senses. Have fun guessing what you’ve eaten and be shocked when you’re told you had crocodile, not chicken. Wear your napkin as a bib (because you can), lick the plate (because you can) and enjoy a sensual experience like no other.

Burger & Lobster – A simple menu consisting of 2 choices, a lobster or a beef burger. Keeps the chefs happy and keeps the customers happier knowing that no matter the market price of lobster the meal will be £20. This restaurant is so popular that it has expanded to two new locations within 7 months of opening. I visited their original restaurant in Mayfair and had to add my name to a list and enjoy a drink at the bar for 1 hour. Since the new locations have opened their ‘strictly no reservations’ rule has relaxed and if you have a bigger party, you can reserve a table. Once at a table and have made that life changing decision of burger or lobster, you only have a few minutes to fasten your lobster bib before the juicy lobster or massive succulent burger is placed before you. Enjoy the experience and choose wisely.

Lobster, chips & salad

MEATliquor –  The meat smell is overpowering as you enter the restaurant. Themed to look like a slaughter house, the red butcher curtains and black and red harsh painting on the wall sets the scene for a massive meat fest. The America style menu consists of burgers, hotdogs, chicken wings, ribs and of course a chilli challenge (a chilli burger, chilli hotdog and chilli fries). I’d recommend arriving early as wait times can be long. Once you get to the front of the queue, you are allowed inside for a drink at the bar but still need to wait another 15-30 minutes for a table. The food is fast, fatty and fabulous for a greasy night out- well worth the calories.

Slaughter house that is MEATLiquor

Greasy goodness from MEATLiquor

Bubbledogs – Can you guess what they serve? Bubbles in the form of champagne and dogs in the form of deliciously decked out hotdogs. Honestly, at first, I thought the combination to be quite strange. It’s like mixing polo clientele with a testosterone fuelled football game. It actually works and is the perfect date location, boys love hotdogs and girls love champagne, sold! These hotdogs are very gourmet with perfect ingredient combinations that cannot be faulted. After waiting for nearly 2 hours for a table (in the cold), we decided to treat ourselves to two rounds of hotdogs. The restaurant only has 35 seats and the food comes fast but a bottle of champagne for 2 takes a while, hence the wait. I would recommend finding 6 friends for your Bubbledogs experience so you can book a table in advance and eliminate the wait.

Round one of gourmet dogs at Bubbledogs

Round two of gourmet dogs at Bubbledogs