Biànca Restaurant — Restaurant in Brisbane City

Bianca; Laid back, yet sophisticated. Relaxed, yet refined.

With a light, airy and open dining area with sandy walls and tiled tables, everything evokes images of the Mediterranean. Circling the rooms overhead are countless wine bottles - all softly lit with nary a hint of harsh lighting, giving the whole place a cozy, warming vibe.

Despite taking our chances without a reservation late on a Friday night, we were found a table after a short wait and promptly had our drinks order taken; considering the myriad of tables full to the brim, service was never rushed nor pushy.

Within minutes, our Cocktails found their way to the table (‘Bawngourno’ and ‘My Masterpiece’ being our drinks of choice), and they certainly did not disappoint. ‘My Masterpiece’ was, as the name suggests, a masterpiece, being unreasonably delicious and easy to drink.

The food came out shortly after, with very little wait after ordering. Nonetheless, service didn’t at all feel rushed, with the servers taking time to explain each dish and linger for small talk, adding a touch of laid back nonchalance in contrast to the loud bustling patrons around us.

While the dishes were all of high quality and in each of their own ways memorable, a few stood out worth discussing -

Cannolo of Beef Tartare, Tuna dressing, White Anchovies - Whoever can up with this silly little idea needs a raise, stat. A crisp rolled pastry encapsulating a perfectly seasoned filling of beef tartare - relish each and every bite, admire the contrast of the tender beef with the shattering crunch of the canollo shell, along with the burst of saltiness from the half anchovy so precariously balanced on top. Utter perfection.

Kingfish Crudo, Chilli, Lemon - A personal favourite of the night. Whilst a raw Kingfish of sorts is unavoidable on just about any upmarket menu these days, this one stands heads, shoulders and fins above the rest. Served with wedges of lemon, the Crudo strikes a balance of equal parts zesty and acidic, spicy and bright, and light yet moorish. Push aside all notions of Kingfish fatigue and indulge once more - I promise it’s worth it.

Hand cut Tagliolini, Tropical Lobster - Being the 2nd most expensive item on the menu at $68, the price tag invites expectations of something truly memorable; sadly, it’s only the memory of how disappointed we were with the dish. Served in a light buttery sauce, the pasta was cooked to a suitable al dente, with small pieces of lobster meat peppered throughout the dish. With our hopes held high, we dug right in only to find the first taste being nothing less than underwhelming. The sauce was on the verge of under-seasoned - just begging for a touch more salt, spice, or damn near anything to invigorate the tastebuds! The Lobster was similarly underwhelming, with only tiny pieces throughout the dish and arguably more chew than one would expect - the only saving grace being it’s natural sweetness, which while enjoyable and expected, added very little to an already subtle (dare I say, bland) dish. The most disappointing part of this is simply that I know they could do better - is it a stretch to imagine it may be kept so simple for the flavour be approachable for anyone willing to pay that much without risking criticism?

Skull Island Tiger Prawn, Mussel Butter, Capers - Big ol’ succulent prawns. Butterflied, roasted and smothered with a compound mussel butter, these aren’t your stereotypical Aussie ‘shrimps on the barbie’. With juicy, sweet flesh complimented by the umami rich butter melting away on top, the prawns were unquestionably the best thing on offer that night. Order a round of sourdough to mop up any juices left behind, it’s good enough to savour every last drop. It would be a cardinal sin to leave these unordered on any visit.

But, I digress - let’s keep it simple. While the food was great, it wasn’t without faults; though if the worst I can say is that some menu items were too simple, or too bland outside of the others which are so close to perfection, I can’t help but still recommend Bianca...

Look I've really struggled to write this review and at times like this wish Google offered half star rating options. For me, Bianca would comfortably sit at the 3.5* mark because their food is actually really good; delicious. The prawn dish I highly recommend--definitely a winner. Their fresh bread and burrata was amazing, their pasta well seasoned and their cannoli a must.

The ambiance is cute but can get loud as the ceiling is rather low. I also agree with some other reviewers that the pricing is a bit high considering the portions but hey if it's great food then it's worth it right?

What really left a bitter taste in our mouth was the service we received by one of their staff. We have her name and don't want to publicly shame her but Bianca now is synonymous to that name and it's off putting to say the least. She made us feel so small, and unnecessarily remarked/questioned our menu choices, spoke to us like we were children and all around was unfriendly and unwelcoming. There were some "influencers" dining next to us on the same night and the way she treated them versus how she treated us was extremely different. We felt like we weren't good enough to dine there which is a real shame because I would assume being newly opened that they would try to impress all customers. And treat everyone who walks in on the same level.

Having said this, everyone else at Bianca, including one of their managers (guy with the long hair) was so friendly and welcoming and we purposefully tried to get their attention for any other orders etc. as we didn't want to deal with her bad attitude.

We dined there at the end of April so perhaps things have changed and I wouldn't say I wouldn't give Bianca another go. But for now, it remains as one of our top 5 worst customer...

We made a reservation today, but the whole experience was very disappointing.

First of all, the menu was complicated and hard to understand. When I asked the man with glasses (who seemed to be a staff member) about a menu item called “pepper,” his response was simply “just pepper,” with no further explanation. Only later, when a kind male manager explained everything briefly and clearly, did I finally understand that it was actually a side ingredient meant to be eaten together with the oven-baked bread. I wish the menu had been explained more kindly from the beginning.

The rudeness of the man with glasses continued throughout our visit. When we checked with him if our order had gone through, he said yes, so we waited for an hour. But no food came. Eventually, another staff member checked for us and realized the order had not been placed. They apologized and helped us get our food quickly.

When the food finally arrived, they immediately took away our plates as soon as we finished, which felt very rude. Later, when we went to pay, no one was at the counter, so we tried to find a staff member. We walked through a passage, and the man with glasses got upset and waved his hands angrily, saying it was for staff only. But as first-time visitors, how could we possibly know that? A polite explanation or simple guidance would have been enough, instead of making us feel unwelcome with such rude gestures.

I truly believe that for someone working in hospitality, showing angry gestures towards customers is unacceptable. While some staff were kind and apologetic, the man with glasses showed no service mindset at all. It was a very...