Bar Gusto — Restaurant in Brisbane City

I was very disappointed with my experience at Bar Gusto. The service was disorganized, unprofessional, and unsanitary.

At the time of booking, it was not made clear that there would be a limited menu due to the Ekka, which was another major disappointment. When we arrived, the staff member serving us was clearly in training and looked very confused. She did not know the menu items, could not follow simple instructions, and failed to explain the specials properly. We had asked for the family special, but it was never made clear that it only applied to house wines. When I queried the bill, she had to keep going back and forth to another staff member who appeared to be the manager. Eventually I was told that only house wines were included in the deal – something that should have been clarified from the beginning.

Unfortunately, the person who seemed to be the manager was also very rude and dismissive throughout the interaction. When I decided I no longer wanted the wines since they weren’t included in the special, he actually poured the wine from our glasses back into the bottle in front of me and other customers. This was highly unprofessional and extremely unhygienic.

To make matters worse, when ordering two Aussie pizzas, I specifically asked for one without pineapple due to a sensitivity. Despite this clear request, my pizza still arrived with pineapple.

Overall, the experience left me very disappointed. The lack of clear communication (both at booking and during service), the rudeness from staff (particularly from someone who seemed to be in a managerial position), and the unsanitary handling of drinks were unacceptable. I cannot recommend Bar Gusto and will not...

🧆 Arancini Pesto E Rucola- pumpkin puree, basil pesto, rocket, Grana Padano ($18) 🍕 Tartufo Nero Mozzarella Cheese Fungi & Cotto- truffle paste, cheese, mushroom, leg ham ($36) 🍝 Signature Black Squid Ink Linguine- Local Garlic Tiger Prawns, Fresh Tuna, Zucchini ($42)

☕️ Tiramisu- sponge biscuits, coffee, mascarpone cream ($12) 🍓 Panna Cotta- fresh berries ($12)

🍹 Masquerade Highball 🍹 Bramble Italiano

Review: The newly open bar gusto is located in the heart of Bowen Hills. Offering authentic Italian dishes with alfresco dining under the lit-up heritage listed fig tree. Been wanted to go here since I saw it open and finally got to go Friday night for dinner. We started with the arancini balls for the entree which were crispy on the outside and complimented by the creamy pumpkin puree and Grana Padano but thought it could’ve had a touch more pesto flavour. For the mains, we got the pizza and pasta to share and both were amazing. As a truffle lover, I’m very critical when restaurants say truffle and you can’t even taste it. This was strong and flavourful, pairing perfectly with the ham and mushrooms. Also loved the Wood-fired base which was light and not too dense. Surprisingly, the pasta was our favourite with a delicious amount of fresh tuna sashimi and huge garlic prawns. We ended the night with tiramisu and panna cotta which were both delicious. Great cocktail list as well. Staff were lovely and very attentive....

I was staying at the Rydges in Fortitude Valley and decided to grab something from the hotel restaurant to enjoy in my room. I ordered the Gnocchi all Amatriciana.

The food was ready quickly and packed in a plastic bowl with foil and plastic wrap, along with the chili flakes I requested. Unfortunately, no cutlery was included - I had to ask, which I think was just an oversight by a newer staff member. The more seasoned server I spoke with earlier was much more attentive and anticipated guests’ needs better.

As for the dish itself: • Pros – The temperature was perfect, and the sauce was lovely. It had a well-balanced mix of salty, tangy, and slightly sweet tomato flavour, with fresh basil leaves that brightened the dish. • Cons – The gnocchi was overcooked, and the pancetta was extremely fatty and chewy. I was expecting it to be fried and crispy, which would have elevated the texture.

I’ve had my fair share of Amatriciana pastas, and sadly, this one didn’t measure up. I would give it a 6/10. That said, the restaurant itself has a charming patio with a gorgeous tree lit up beautifully at night, which gives it a...