Top small restaurant takes on one of Brisbane's best dining precincts
Eating out Food
It's to join some star laneway neighbours in a larger space from an in-demand Emme and Pilloni designer. What won't change? The exceptional, produce-driven food.
Clarence is getting an upgrade.
Ben McShane and Matt Kuhnemann's little Woolloongabba restaurant that could has become a favourite among diners in the know since opening in 2022.
But in a 40-seat heritage tenancy in the old Shop Row building, there's an argument it's a touch too little and, given its quality, should be better known. Also, its location, at the Annerley Road end of Stanley Street, can be hard to travel to.
But a move to Fish Lane in 10 weeks is intended to change that.
Clarence will close on Stanley Street in late July and reopen in a new tenancy tucked underneath the Cremorne apartment development.
'I think we were looking for what the next thing would be,' McShane says. 'But it's obviously a huge commitment, something like that. So we were a little apprehensive.
'The last few years haven't gone quite as well as we'd hoped, so it can be hard to double down on [the concept].'
Fish Lane, though, is very different to Stanley Street. Over the past decade it's become one of the city's best dining precincts, second perhaps only to James Street. Southside, Julius, Maeve Wine, Hello Please and Lune all call the area home, among a bunch of others.
It's surrounded by stacks of residential apartments, has ready access to public transport, is just across the road from QAGOMA and the Queensland Museum, and QPAC is scheduled to unveil its new 1500-seat theatre towards the end of the year.
'There's everything here,' McShane says. 'There's residential. It's a little bit more eclectic than, say, James Street. It's a little more relaxed … but you're still very well-connected to everything.
'I don't think we'd fit on James Street. It makes sense here.'
You can understand how the building's landlord, Stockwell, got McShane and Kuhnemann over the line.
Clarence 2.0 will be a precisely designed open-air 60-seat evolution on its predecessor. Alkot Studio, recently celebrated for its work on Pilloni in West End and Emme on James Street, is overseeing a space defined by green and white tiled walls, globe pendants and banquette seating.
'I don't think we'd fit on James Street. It makes sense here.'
Clarence co-owner Ben McShane
The restaurant will carry over Clarence's distinctive green colour and also its open kitchen, this time with counter seating so you can get up close and personal with McShane and Kuhnemann as they go about their cooking.
Clarence's approach to food will remain much the same, with McShane and Kuhnemann continuing to leverage close-knit relationships with producers such as Tommerup's Dairy Farm and Neighbourhood Farm to power a menu that constantly evolves depending on what's in season.
'But then there will be a few more comfortable, accessible dishes that will stay on a little bit longer,' McShane says. 'It might be coral trout with new potatoes and a meuniere sauce, or something like a steak frites.
'It's great to have those vibrant, interesting dishes [typical of Clarence], but there will just be a few more things – objectively good dishes that everyone's going to want to eat every day of the week.'
Drinks will continue to be anchored by a tight all-Australian wine list that favours 'funky, smashable' drops.
'There's that population density here that means we can be that great neighbourhood restaurant,' McShane says. 'We can be part of your evening before the theatre, or after. We don't have that versatility where we are at the moment. So it's about adjusting what we're doing to suit that.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
New Telford micro-bakery after too much sourdough made for wife
A couple who accidentally baked more sourdough than they could eat, then reached out on social media for savoury snackers to help scoff the excess, have since set up a micro-bakery, such was the From Our Oven venture began after Mark Evans made too much bread for wife Jenna at home in months later and artisan cakes and breads are made in their kitchen for customers, with the goods handed over in pop-up locations - including a pub car one such site one weekend, they sold out of products in 22 minutes, the couple stated. Mrs Evans recalled of the project's origins: "[There was] far too much [bread] for us to eat, so we've got like a little community page in Doseley where we sort of asked everyone 'does anyone want some? We've got far too much'."As you can imagine, lots and lots of people did... Then they started saying 'do you do anything else'?"Actually we've always baked, [and] then we started getting asked for sweet stuff."Mrs Evans said they fostered alongside baking "and we're really passionate about good quality, home-cooked food [where]... you know what's in it". The goods are sold every week at either the car park of The Travellers Joy pub in Horsehay or Green Fields Farm Shop in Evans said she "just on the off chance" went up to the pub and asked "'can we use the car park?' because we don't really want people keep coming to our house".She explained: "[The pub] had some brownies and cookies off us to sell to... customers on a weekend and that's where it all started really and then a few shops got in touch... and wanted to have some brownies and cookies."She added that items on sale were not "gimmicky" or "full of lots of processed things"."It's just food you want to eat and I think that's what people want."They want food that they just... know where it's come from."Mr Evans said: "We want to have a small bakery where we know the customers and we know the people and once we sell out, we sell out. We don't want to be mass producing 100 loaves of bread a day." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
Working with stars like Brad Pitt 'a privilege' says film extra
A local film extra has described his delight at starring in a major Hollywood production alongside Brad Pegler, from Winterbourne Bassett near Swindon, appears in F1 the Movie as a race scrutineer and as a pit production, which was partially filmed at Silverstone during the 2023 Grand Prix weekend, sees Brad Pitt as an ageing racing driver looking to recreate former glories, having been forced into retirement years Pegler said that it was a privilege to appear alongside the stars in such a large production. "I stood next to Javier Bardem for one scene, and near Mr Pitt. I did say hello to him on a couple of occasions."(I was) fairly close to everything and everybody. "I think with people like Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise and the like, they've got a presence, and that was evident. And he's still a good looking boy at 60 something", he Pegler also described how the production was filmed in the midst of a busy race weekend."It's as everything's going on. Through race weekend, they're fitting all the scenes in around what's going on." In contrast to other films and TV shows he has been involved in, he said that the amount of money spent on the film was "crazy"."There were 60 background extras. We were on a reasonable whack for the film, and just that budget alone for the background is huge. "You can't possibly imagine the figures for the whole production."Mr Pegler says that he will watch the film, which has already been released in the UK, with a couple of friends at the cinema in Marlborough.
BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
Builder refuses to pay £500 fly-tipping penalty
A builder has accused a private enforcement firm of bullying him to pay £500 after he left building materials on a grass Brown was working on a house in Bye Pass Road in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, where he was issued with a fixed penalty notice (FPN) for a specialist solicitor has told the BBC that the FPN was incorrectly issued, as the building materials had not been discarded and were therefore not was issued by Waste Investigations Support and Enforcement (WISE) - a firm that works with more than 40 local authorities across England, including in Broxtowe where Mr Brown was working. WISE has not responded to a request for comment. WISE says it issues people with FPNs for offences such as littering, dog fouling and fly-posting, and it claims to have "an impressive 79% payment rate".Mr Brown said the FPN was "utterly ridiculous" and he would rather be taken to court than pay it."It's just bullying tactics," said Mr Brown. "It was as though he was waiting to pounce... he just didn't seem to have any feelings."It was really upsetting. My wife was really upset - we can't afford to pay this."Mr Brown said other people shared similar experiences when his wife posted about it on Facebook."I think these companies are out to make a quick buck and upset people," he said. Why was the FPN issued? Mr Brown was issued with the FPN on Tuesday 24 said he left two bags of sand on a grass verge just outside the boundary of the property he was working on, because the driveway was full with two cars and a Brown said he was working inside the property when an officer knocked on the window and asked him to go outside."I went out and he wanted my name and address," said Mr Brown."I was a bit reluctant to give it him but he said 'you could be in a lot of trouble'."Although the officer was working for WISE, Mr Brown said he was wearing a top that said "Broxtowe Borough Council".Mr Brown said the officer pointed to the two bags of sand and accused him of fly-tipping."I said to him, 'OK mate, I'm sorry if there's been a misunderstanding, I'll remove it now'," said Mr Brown. "But he said 'no it's too late'."The officer then issued a printed FPN asking him to pay £500 as an "alternative to prosecution". Is the £500 penalty enforceable? The FPN was issued under section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act claims Mr Brown committed an offence of Michael Orlik, an independent solicitor who specialises in highways, told the BBC that the FPN had been issued incorrectly."It has been issued because the builder is alleged to have deposited waste unlawfully, contrary to the Environmental Protection Act, but under section 75, waste means any substance or object which the holder discards," said Mr Orlik."Clearly the builder has not discarded these bags, so it's not waste."Mr Orlik said Mr Brown should appeal against the FPN."They should cancel it having found out their mistake," said Mr Mr Brown does not pay, he could be prosecuted and taken to court, where his case would be heard before a district judge, or two or three lay magistrates."That's where he would say 'I'm not going to pay it, I'm not liable to pay it, you've got to prove beyond reasonable doubt that this is an offence, and that I discarded it, but I haven't discarded it, I'm using it'," said Mr Orlik."No solicitor can ever forecast a judge, but I think it's most unlikely there would be a conviction, and the charge would be dismissed."Mr Orlik said leaving building materials on a grass verge could be an offence under the Highways Act 1980, but only the highway authority could enforce would be Nottinghamshire County Council, rather than Broxtowe Borough Council."A highway inspector could arrive on the site under section 149 of the Highways Act 1980 and say to the builder, 'please remove this, it's a nuisance'," said Mr Orlik."It's hardly a nuisance, because the photograph shows that there's a carriageway, a footway, and a verge, and people are unlikely to walk on the verge so it's not a nuisance." What has the council said? Broxtowe Borough Council has been using WISE officers to enforce fly-tipping and littering laws since April, as part of a 12-month trial a statement, the council said: "The council uses a third party contractor, WISE, for enforcement on fly-tipping and littering in the borough and are therefore unable to comment on individual cases."However, residents are able to appeal a fixed penalty notice by contacting broxtowe@ or call 0333 577 2949."The BBC asked the council for details about its financial arrangement with WISE, including how money from the FPNs is split, but the council has not responded to a press release issued in May, the council said income from FPNs "can only be allocated towards measures that mitigate fly-tipping incidents or support actions that will help to prevent further issues".Broxtowe borough councillor Tyler Marsh, ward councillor for where the FPN was issued, said he had spoken to Mr Brown and would monitor what happened."I have spoken with Frank and the relevant council officer and will be monitoring the progress of the appeal, as well as scrutinising the contract and current operations of WISE in Broxtowe," he said."WISE's contract with the council is currently in its trial period. As councillors, we will factor reports like this into our review process and determine whether this approach is working for residents."
