Piaf

I'll confess straight up that Piaf has long been one of my all time favourite Brisbane dining institutions and probably the single restaurant I've visited most in the city. For years they've consistently served quality French food at prices at least a few dollars less than what you'd expect to be paying anywhere else. There's barely a thing on the menu over $20.


Smack-dab in the heart of Southbank's array of multi-cultural restaurants Piaf is, as far as I know, the only  French restaurant of the lot (if you don't include their off-shoot cocktails/tapas bar Sardine Tin - just across the lane). Despite having the market cornered they remain affordable, delicious and casual yet classy. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week, there's always something on offer any time of day. Seating choices are plentiful too, with Piaf offering indoor, outdoor and casual bar-style seating to suit just about any mood or occasion (personally I prefer to do breakfast at the bar, lunch outside and dinner indoors, where you can sit beneath a minimalist wall mural of Edith Piaf's nick-namesake Sparrow and inexplicable motorcycle helmet - confusing but somehow it works).


The best thing about Piaf is the simplicity. A small but quality selection of exclusively French wines makes choosing very easy and the menu is broken down into fixed-price courses, each with only four or five options. It's a small choice but certainly not one I'd refer to as limited. I'm usually always stuck between at least two of the offerings, which change regularly. At least a couple of  variations on 'the big classics' of French cuisine are always available and I'm pleased to report that Piaf is not afraid to serve up some of the more challenging dishes; on my last visit delicious fried croquettes of lamb's brains with capers and a fantastic rich, smooth hollandaise derived sauce. Most of the menu is suitable for the less daring, however, such as the warm salad of confit-duck leg, wilted spinach, crispy roast potatoes, feta and macadamia nuts.


Though nice, instead of dessert I'd recommend trying one or two of the regional French cheeses available on the chalkboard. Again, the selection is small but wonderfully diverse and is served with classic accompaniments such as tart apple slices, fig paste and cornichons.


Stylish, a little sophisticated, slightly daring and undoubtedly French, Piaf is at the same time entirely relaxed, very simple and incredibly good value. Piaf does a service to the spirit of its namesake and remains one of my favourite places to eat in Brisbane.

Piaf
5/182 Grey St.
Southbank, Brisbane, Queensland
07 3846 5026
www.piafbistro.com.au