Ma Pa Me — Restaurant in Brisbane City

Our latest visit to this restaurant was disappointing, however the problems lie entirely with the owners, and not the staff, who were welcoming, pleasant and very helpful, as always. Delightful. Recruitment of excellent wait and kitchen staff has obviously been a priority. HOWEVER...this was the first time we had been provided a friendly warning that meals ordered together may not arrive together. This friendly advice helps to explain, but not forgive, what happened next. Using the tablet ordering system is fine, and widely operated these days, but you must have the managerial organisation and staff support systems in place to provide a reasonable meal service to customers. Not a lot to ask for a restaurant which is not exactly cheap. We ordered two different small plates to begin with. Both ordered together, however one arrived 20 minutes after the first was delivered to the table. Okay, can't complain too much, we were warned about this. After completing the starters, we then we ordered two serves of the lamb ribs along with sides of rice and asian greens. The ribs arrived some twenty minutes before the rice, and the greens followed up after a further fifteen minutes. Well, we were warned! But how difficult is it to scoop out two small bowls of rice and serve them with the ribs? (not to mention the greens) I know deconstructed meals are a thing, but surely this is taking the concept a little too far. Please, owners and managers, get your act together and support your wonderful staff, who have a hard enough job as it is these days. I note the restaurant continues to get high review scores, but seriously, is this what Brisbane diners are prepared to accept as high-quality...

Ma Pa Me Southbank is an absolute gem and I would recommend it a thousand times over. Booking was a breeze and to our surprise, it happened to be Riverfire night which added a whole extra layer of magic to the evening. From the moment we arrived, the service was flawless. Staff were warm, attentive and genuinely seemed to care about the experience. Every dish arrived quickly and was beautifully presented, fresh and bursting with flavour. Not a single plate disappointed. Each one was a standout in its own right.

The menu is a fusion of Asian influences and the execution is top tier imo. We tried a variety of dishes and every bite was memorable. The flavours were bold yet balanced and the ingredients tasted high quality. You could tell the kitchen takes pride in what they serve. Even with the Riverfire crowd, the team didn’t miss a beat. Drinks were prompt, dishes came out in perfect rhythm and the atmosphere was lively without being chaotic.

The location is ideal too. Right on Little Stanley Street Grey st, it’s close to the river and perfect for a night out in South Bank. Whether you’re heading to a show or just want a great meal, this place delivers. It’s casual enough to feel relaxed but the food and service are absolutely restaurant quality. I’ll be coming back for sure and bringing friends. If you’re looking for a spot that nails flavour, speed, and service with zero fuss, Ma Pa Me is it. You can check them out on...

Dropped in on a whim for a light lunch/snack and got two of the small plates to share with my son:

Eggplant tempura, $14 - lightly battered crispy eggplant chips served with sesame & chilli caramel, fresh herbs & green onions Fried chicken, $14 - deep fried crispy buttermilk chicken thigh, served with pickled daikon, furikake & spicy mayo

Stood around for a while outside at the "please wait to be seated" sign but despite making (what I thought was) eye contact with staff inside, nobody came out. Got seated promptly after I ventured inside and ordered via the supplied touchscreen devices.

Our food came out within 15 minutes and the eggplant tempura looked way darker than the menu picture/typical tempura items, but was still an acceptable shade of golden brown and had good crispiness. They were also pretty huge pieces for "chips" but some may prefer it that way; by way of comparison the version my mum makes uses bite-sized slices of eggplant which I'm very much more used to. Anyways, very moreish sauce!

The boy isn't a fan of eggplant so he had most of the fried chicken. It was done pretty well, and he even had some of the spicy mayo to go with it - hopefully another step in building his spice tolerance / appreciation levels.

Pricing is higher than what I'd usually go for but with a 35% Eat Club discount made things more enticing. Will be keen to return another time with more people and try some of the large...