Fish Lane Bistro

Top class joint in a obscure part of Brissy.
Great service very friendly Ruby is a gem!!!

I had one of the best meals ever at Fish Lane Bistro on Feb. 14^th (2016).
I have since returned home from my vacation, but that meal and posting this review was on the forefront of my mind.
I figured Valentine’s Day would be the worst time to show up for dinner without a reservation and as a single person, but no. The staff was so friendly and they were able to accommodate.
The drinks were tasty and the squid ink linguine the best I’ve had since Campagnolo in Toronto. I obsess over dishes if I feel they are worth it. The kitchen was also able to provide a delicious dessert, which wasn’t just fruit (I’m lactose intolerant). It’s fairly easy to skip dessert, but when I can actually have something, you bet I’m going to try it. I can’t remember what it was, but it was heaven.
My compliments to the kitchen and restaurant staff. The next time I’m back in Brissy, I will come back for seconds.

It was a rainy Saturday and the fiancé and I were looking around for a nice lunch spot before going to APT8 at GoMa for the second time.
We traipsed up and down Fish Lane looking for something that tickled our fancy, and after walking past some decidedly empty looking venues we settled on equally empty-​looking Fish Lane Bistro.
It’s fairly unassuming from the screetscape. Just a large building with an interesting mural facing out onto the lane, and timber french doors along the front.
The only thing that betrays what lies inside is a page cut out of a magazine and stuck to the door advising that their Duck dish has one an award as one of Brisbane’s Best Eats.
We entered to find a charming bistro complete with large bar and a window along the back looking into the kitchen. This place does «quirky» well and seems to whisper its unconventional nature unlike some establishments that feel the need to bellow it out with so much «unusual and interesting» clutter that it can be overwhelming.
It’s understated with natural timber tables that feature sunken metal holes for water bottles and /​or wine. Convenient but also slightly playful. The chairs are timber also but brightly painted with a bold black and white zig zag pattern across the back of the bench seating around the outskirts of the space. I LOVE a comfortable bench and I was not disappointed here, they even have cushions for ultimate cosiness.
The exposed brick is beautiful and works well with the polished concrete flooring. Industrial and practical. The ceiling gives the appearance of a whimsical chalk board complete with sketched images of food items while the matching brightly coloured exposed ceiling lights drape between them.
The bar tiles took my breath away in gloss white with bevelled edges laid in a perfect pattern to mimic the brickwork. But alas, I’m letting my inner Interior Designer get the better of me!
The service was friendly and efficient. We were seated quickly and presented with menus and asked for our drink order. We waited 15 minutes for those drinks — we asked for a mocktail and as there were none on the menu the waitress took a list of our favourite ingredients and promised she would make something special, so the wait was understandable.
What we were presented with was nothing short of perfection. Sweet, Summery watermelon cubes and melon flavours mixed with bubbly lemonade and ginger ale and a touch of lime to freshen. It was perfectly balanced and I recommended they put it on the menu permanently it was so delicious!
For food, I was immediately enamoured with the little «gf» symbols that dotted the menu. AT LAST a restaurant who advertises what I can eat!!! OH HAPPY DAYS!
Straight away I honed in on the duck and ordered (it was Crispy Skinned Twice Cooked Duck, Steamed Asian Greens and Orange Caramel). The fiancé went with the scallops (Scallops, Chorizo, Peas, Horseradish and Chervil in the entrée section) and we ordered Duck Fat Chips and Sea Salt to share.
We waited 30 minutes for our meals. Granted, they had just opened, but it was a long wait. If we had have been on a schedule that would have annoyed me. But, at least everything came out together.
The duck, I’m so happy to report, was nothing short of a TRIUMPH. If you’ve read any of my other reviews you might remember how much I love duck but being gluten free, I rarely get to indulge.
This was one of those rare food-​moments where I expected angels to land on the table and begin to serenade us in heavenly lifting voices. It. Was. That. Good.
The duck skin was crispy as promised, and deliciously salted. It was the perfect consistency sitting atop the soft duck meat. I had two generous duck legs on the plate and after I’d given them a whole lot of attention I remembered there were Asian greens hiding below!
They too were soft yet still with enough bite to give that beautiful soft crunch in the stalks.
And the sauce… Oh dear me, the sauce. It was salty and sweet and sticky and soft and just such a miracle! It wasn’t overpowering but orange enough that you could delight in the fragrance it bathed over the plate.
If you can’t tell, I really frickin’ enjoyed this duck.
The fiancé said his scallops were fresh and lovely with a great flavour. The peas were puréed (a preference for us both with this kind of dish) and he enjoyed it a lot.
The chips were a gluten-​free work of ART. They were thick and crispy-​crunchy with the distinct flavour of duck (from the duck fat). The salt was present but not overwhelming and there was a good amount of them, so once we were finished both of us were satisfied.
You best believe I will be returning to this treasure of a bistro, and I have already threatened the fiancé if he doesn’t get the duck I’m leaving him (spoiler alert, I won’t actually leave him).
I highly recommend this charming little place, especially on a wet weekend when nobody else is about. I have a feeling it might get a little busy during the week.

Delicious confit duck, pumpkin gnocchi with truffle oil, sand crab spaghettini — with attentive service by a French waiter. Will be back!