Freestylin'

Freestyle Tout @ 220 Melbourne St, West End Brisbane
A dessert establishment in the heart of West End. Presentation is impeccable and there is something for all tastebuds, but all I can think of are sweets and more sweets when I'm here.

Ambience
Tres post-modern, a little bit artsy, but you wouldn't expect any less from a restaurant in West End. There's sculptures, there's colourful paintings and most of the time a lot of people too. They have another store in the valley and we waited 30 mins just to attempt to get a seat. Lesson of the night, "book ahead".

The restaurant looks out onto the main road and situated between two main roads, there is always something to gawk at- crazy hairstyles, traffic shenanigans and so on.
It can be noisy but this just adds to the fun of it all. Having said that, it is a different atmosphere to three monkeys across the road as are the prices are too.

The vibe here is 'uppity yuppy restaurant meets quirky cafe'. It's a funny combination and it messes with your head while you eat your dessert. One of those places where the people you take with you sort of become your world for the next few hours (so choose your friends wisely). Still I couldn't help sneaking a peek at people across the room and eavesdropping on some dramatic conversationalists a few feet away (West End is full of such characters). Apparently they also have show and dinner kind of events where you get to dine with celebrity chefs/artists and the like during the week. Ooh la la.

If you are planning to visit on a weekend night with more than 8+ people, I'd call and try to book a table. I went with about 15 people on a Saturday night and was I glad I booked ahead. We had a lovely functional space reserved for us and we didn't have to feel bad looking at the hoard of people lining up to get in. They'll learn, book a head next time.

 

 

 

Food
Dessert is what you want to get here. Having said that, my crew ordered some mains too and overall were satisfied with their choices. Mostly burgers, pizza, pasta kind of offering on the menu and while it's not cheap, compared to their dessert prices which is around $16 per dish, mains were ridiculously underpriced. No other restaurant do I know of where dessert can cost more than a main dish.

Presentation, I can't say it enough, is of essence here. Every dish looks like a piece of artwork and thus you can excuse the fact that the taste falls a bit below the masterpiece mark. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with their dishes, but I always feel a little dissapointed when the outside doesn't match the inside -this philosophy applies to non-food variables too. eg. people -

Overall main means were all satisfactory.

Lamb koftas.

Roast pumpkin, onion & feta.

Rockmelon, prosciutto and rocket.

Beef burger & chips.

Chicken burger.

 On to the good stuff...

Mini croque-en-bouche

While I would like to give them props for trying, the mini croque-en-bouche wasn't all that mindblowing. Tasted like a custard filled profiterole from Coles avec fancy sides. Four little balls are also not worth forking over $15 for, unless they are 'brings-a-tear-to-your-eye' amazing, but they weren't.

Sticky date pudding.

It was rich, it was sticky and it was definitely a better choice than my dessert. The bread tasted a bit like banana bread though. It was interesting and overall, a keeper.

Lindt chocolate sauce pudding.

Chocolate pudding or something called that. Rich, decadent and chocolatey. For my tastes, too much chocolate, but if you are a lover of all things chocolate, this may be the dish for you.

Another hit with chocoholics- the brownie. It's rich and smothered in gooey sauce. Need I say more?

Churros.

I've always held a fascination for these stretched out Spanish donuts, and feel they are so much overlooked on the dining scene. They are really the perfect dessert. Sweet, sugary, warm with a hint of cinnamon- perfect to share with a loved one in Winter, or on your own. Beware though, they are encrusted with sugar, so it may not be such a bad idea to scrap some of it off if you don't want to overdose on your weekly sugar intake at one sitting. Otherwise, a fine fare!

Double vision of heaven- creme brulee.

Without a doubt my favourite thing on the menu, the creme brulee. I've had it on few different occasions and it's consistently good, which is a rarity these days.
Creme Brulee is an intricate dessert and although it looks so simple, you'd be amazed how many places don't get it right. At free style, it's served at the just right temperature, perfect balance of sweet and creamy texture, delicate yet sturdy shell gives way to a soft under layer that just dissolves in your mouth.....

Overall, there's so much on the dessert menu, there's bound to be something for everyone (so long as they're into sugar and chocolate, but who isn't?).