Reef Seafood and Sushi - Brisbane

Family dinner for dad's birthday. Food well presented and reasonable value for the platter, albeit some items a little lacking in flavour. The scallops were exceptional. Unfortunately the whole experience went from slightly above average to below average. On arrival, the birthday cake was offered to Waitress A with the clear instruction that it was an ice-cream cake. Approx 3 secs later Waitress B arrived on the scene & interjected with "I'll look after this!". My impression was that A wasn't to be trusted with the task of storing the cake correctly so I felt comfortable that B was senior/intelligent enough to handle it or at least communicate with A.When it was time for the cake to be brought out after dinner, B arrives with a very sad looking thing on a plate & without any discretion, tact, explanation or apology, says, "you didn't tell me it was an ice cream cake" and walks off leaving us to deal with the semi-melted blob.A shame to leave with a poor impression from one staff member's carelessness but unfortunately, if you're happy to entertain people's special occasions and offer a cakeage service, you need to deliver on it.

Dom Perignon for $50 a glass and a huge fresh - that's fresh - seafood selection in boomtown Brisbane. Cranes all around nearby tell you times are indeed booming in Brisbane, and the young real estate agents in E class Mercedes' or other upmarket new cars give you the message too by their obvious presence - the 2.75% commissions they charge in the capital city of Australia's east coast north is the source of their high disposable wealth proudly displayed, and they are only bettered for display by bull necked 55+ men getting around in Ferrari or other expensive high end speedsters (do they have special lift chairs to get in and out?), and then there are places to eat and drink which takes us to Reef Seafood in upmarket Newstead on the edge of Brisbane's CBD. The Reef at the Gasworks is in a shopping centre, but it's mostly in the open, almost outdoors, facing a nice park with the skeleton of an old gasometer. You will get seafood you don't get anywhere else, the menu and display is huge, and you can have it done in an Australian or Japanese style, and a mornay is offered and very popular. The wine list is great and apart from the French wine, there are excellent Victorian wines (and other), and then there are the beers, many on tap, and a saki selection and other. Service is friendly, and the place is very informal: you order at the counter, are given a number and wait for the delivery to your table where you have planted your number. Booze is ordered at a long bar. Nearby there is also an independent bottle shop in the centre not related to the Reef, and you will get best attention if you look like a spender, I felt: I wasn't offered a tasting of a wine available to the punters: the "offerer" stood with open bottle, no doubt looking for expensive car key rings and I wasn't of a mind to show him my ring, but I can always get Panton Hill Winery wines shipped north (which I don't believe they have), and I can get a pretty fair Italian wine at bistros. The Reef is good to take friends to, as I did when a second couple in as many weeks visited from Melbourne (the first couple taking me to meet another couple living on the water at Kangaroo Point in a multi decked boat, who introduced me to many new wines as we cruised up to St.Lucia, and indeed named many cafes I need to try- stay tuned). Give the Reef a go; aint cheap, but it's fun. We all had grilled fish and excellent Victorian wines. Salads were excellent too, by the way.

Share platter for 4 we had between 5 people and rolled out so full! Fresh delicious variety of seafood did not disappoint and many hot chips on the platter which is always a win. Outside seating but with overhead heaters which made us forget about the cold. Friendly staff and happy social atmosphere, we will definitely be back.

After looking at the menu, we couldn't decide what to have so we went for a share plate for four. It was huge and really good. We finished most of the food on the platter, so we did well. My favourite was the scallops. So delicious. Would come here again

A great moment with my little family, fresh, good and quality seafood. Good atmosphere. But the mocktails are really rare and they don't GIVE water for drink except if you paid a bottle some water. You do paid separate for bar and the food.À beautiful seafood plater for 4 !