Do you remember my new wine-making bestie, Paola? I frothed over her chardonnay so much that I tracked it down to a wine bar in West End called Pour Choices.
I would have gone purely for the wine, but next time I’ll return for the whole shebang – Pour Choices has a unique vibe and delicious menu that is a grand setting for Paola’s Robert Channon Reserve Chardonnay.
On arrival
I was kind of expecting dark wood and stuffed armchairs, but Pour Choices is smooth and schmick. I wasn’t surprised when lovely waitress/bartender Shannon told me that it’s very popular with the West End after work crowd on a Friday night.
After ordering a bottle of my beloved chardy, we settled into the funky, warehouse-exposed- brick atmosphere and waited for the chef to do his thing.
Dinner
This is not your standard pub fare, and it’s not one of those slightly unsatisfying tapas places either. I can never say no to duck, and Shannon recommended the lamb neck for my partner in crime – it’s supposed to serve two, but said partner gobbled up most of my share while I was taking photos…
The Lamb Neck was flavoursome and succulent, with a side of fresh salad and buttery blue potatoes that set off the juicy lamb to perfection.
My duck main looked like a work of art, and I snapped a hundred photos before I took a single bite. The smoky, rich flavours of the duck breast mingled with the toasted velvet of Paola’s chardy in a mouthful that was pure bliss.
Dessert
When there’s something called “Chocolate Garden” heading up a dessert menu, is there any point reading onwards? As soon as Shannon mentioned “peanut butter log” I was sold, and the dessert outshone my wildest expectations.
Mint sugar glass, moussey chocolate goodness, and a drool worthy peanut butter log were every bit as tasty as the photo looks; it would be worth coming back for the dessert alone.
Vibe
These mouthwatering dishes are presented to a standard you’d expect in a fancy pants restaurant, yet the vibe in Pour Choices is super chill.
I feel like anyone could enjoy a night out here and feel as fancy as they pleased, and this is the unique atmosphere that will lure me back to this up and coming West End hotspot.
Emma Lee is a Brisbane native but lives to travel. She is also a big fan of food, good books and browsing at markets.
Since graduating from Griffith University with a Communications Degree, Emma has put her writing skills to good use in jobs ranging from Media Rep for a rugby team to Marketing Manager for a Japanese ski resort.
Emma dreams of publishing a novel one day and wants to live in a luxury camper van that never stays in one place for longer than a week.
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