We all have at least one friend who’s IMPOSSIBLE to buy for. Each year, their birthday rolls around, and you are left scratching your head over what to buy. Whether they are absolutely picky or have absolutely everything, Absolutely Fabulous kills two birds with the one stone (not that we would ever kill birds).

Centrally located in Woolloongabba (in that great street your friends are always chirping about!), Absolutely Fabulous, with its eye-catching window displays and bright red doors, lures you in from the get go.

The real treasures await you inside. Owners, Mary and Peta have created gift givers paradise; quirky gifts, cards and other novelties to present to your flock of friends, as well as furniture, glassware and kitchenware to make any bird’s nest absolutely fabulous!

What is most thrilling about this eclectic design outpost is the mix of old and new; while the gifts, cards, jewellery, kitchenware, etc are all new, the furniture, glassware and ceramics hail anywhere from the late 40s to the early 80s.

Mary and Peta have really created something special; a one-stop shop where all customers are welcomed like family.

And what are they most excited about for the new season? All of the goodies soon to be arriving in store! Now that’s something worth crowing about!

Corporate Culture is brimming with the cool clean lines of handcrafted Scandinavian furniture together with sexy Italian leather and rich textures of names such as Cassina, Poltrona Frau and Cappellini.

Whether it’s the iconic curves of Arne Jacobson‘s Series 7 dining chair – late of Stokehouse dining room fame – or a glimpse at a complete setting of Australian designer extraordinaire Marc Newson and Japanese fine china brand Noritake’s latest combined effort – Corporate Culture is where you’ll find it.

The cavernous warehouse of a showroom displays more than a hint of design museum, and staff say that, like this little bird, sometimes fellow Brisbanites fly through just to ogle and chat great design.

And part of what makes the selected designers stand alone in addition to their talent is their attention to detail, their commitment to craft and to socially responsible manufacture. 

Perhaps you’ve already saved your pennies for a purchase of this fine furniture, or perhaps sometimes all you can do is dream. But you can always join the cult.

It was a drizzly afternoon that took this pigeon into Paddington seeking a new perch. Tucked into Paddington Central just above the Woolworths, Decked Café & Bar brightened up the afternoon and will prove a happy nest for birdies whose hearts belong to the eighties.

The groovy glass-topped tables are each filled with different retro relics such as cassette tapes, smurf figurines, marbles, and tonka trucks and the walls are decked out (pardon the pun) with a skateboard, a turntable clock, and a car bumper – numberplate ‘DECKED’ of course!

Owner Collette has had the doors open at Decked for nine glorious months, with regulars coming back again and again for the Vivo coffee, freshly baked muffins, a range of sandwiches, short but sweet brunch and lunch menus, and don’t forget the sweetly bottled milkshakes!

The food will please the vegetarian flock and most lunch items are served with a lovely side salad (fans will appreciate the colourful mix of baby spinach, lettuce, tomato, carrot, capsicum, and red onion in lieu of the all-too-common handful of oily rocket).

The Arancini was a seedy, tender, textural dream and light enough to please any foodie. Not just for a rainy day, Decked will delight any birdy with its retro ruminations and tasty treats!

—Decked is a V.I.Pigeon venue and offers 2-4-1 coffee, complimentary upgrade from a small to a large, and 15% off food—

Shannon, the owner, makes friends with everyone from behind her piano counter where she spins crystal clear tunes through a record player. Shannon dishes out advice, recommendations and friendly chats to every street pigeon that walks in, no claws out from this chilled cat! From a lady who names her store in dedication to her black cat, this store is an extension of her love for music with framed tour posters, various band posters as well as 12-inch vinyl covering the walls.

In this tiny, ever-bustling store, you will find CDs, vinyl, band t-shirts and other merchandise from a wide mix of local, national and international bands. If you can’t find something, special ordering requests for the rare and obscure can be met via Shannon’s winning ways.

This place is for the locals where you’ll find all the coolest cats, who are all greeted by Shannon like a long-lost friend. Here you can enjoy a good tune, have a friendly chat, suss out some new local bands and generally feel incredibly cool.

Weekly instore free, all-ages gigs on Friday nights from 6.30pm by local bands attract a large and dedicated crowd. Last week’s offering of the gypsy folk band, The Mouldy Lovers, entices both fans and passerbyers from the streets into the store.

Listening to The Mouldy Lovers, with the sun setting, the lights dimmed, winding down with others to end the working week – this is what you want your independent record store experience to be.

—Opening hours are Tuesday to Friday 11am to 7pm, and weekends 10am to 4pm—

The depths of The Brunswick Social basement harbours the secret to perfect Hong Kong dumplings

Urban legend has it that basements are fearful places alive with monsters and creatures of the dark. Naturally, descending the steps of The Brunswick Social for the first time, a bird would feel their feathers stand on the back of their neck, but my apprehension dissipated when I met a burst of underground chic, an ambient, cool and sophisticated environment that is this dumpling house and bar.

I drooled on the delectable melange of authentic Hong Kong-style dumplings on offer, but I was gripped with indecision. Would I go with the prawn and bamboo, prawn and mushroom dumplings or classic prawn and pork siu mai? What about the all-time favourite, barbequed pork buns?

Suddenly, I remembered. Like a flash of divinity from the gods above, I recalled under my wing the key to ultimate power, a flash of gold and black, not your average piece of plastic: I held… a V.I.Pigeon Pass.

Thanks to The Good Guide, the unveiling of this hot little newbie entitled me to my third basket of dumplings for free. Talk about a hot offer if I had ever hawked at one. And this place is open until 3am on Friday and Saturday’s? Keep the cocktails rolling! How fabulous. Make that privileged AND fabulous.

—With a V.I.Pigeon Pass you are entitled to 3 dumpling baskets for the price of 2—

There is not an Eiffel Tower wall decal in sight, yet Pompidou Café provides all of the delightful things that France is truly popular for; great food, excellent hospitality, beautifully fresh country décor and a fabulous wine list.

A modest beauty that would not be out of place in Paris, the atmosphere in this delightful café is comfortable and unpretentious and similarly, the menu reads like a dream.

Open every day for breakfast and lunch, there are no greasy escargot or stringy frog legs in sight – just delicious, fresh, healthy, unique options with modern twists on the classics.

All produce is sourced locally where possible and meals are made on-site from scratch – even the nom-tastic French chocolate truffles that are so delicious, you will be left daydreaming in perfect French after just one bite.

Put off your European holiday for now and practice your ‘parlant français’ over a glass (or two) of French wine here at Pompidou Café because well, everything sounds better in French.

Taro takes painstaking care when crafting his ramen dishes because they are, as he so fondly refers to them, all his children. In his tiny noodle-making studio he skilfully blends a mixture of flour, powder, and water (and some other fun ingredients) into a cheesy-looking dough; the same cheesy-looking dough that he combines and presses many times to, just like goldilocks, make sure it’s just right. Taro demonstrates immense patience through a meticulous process of mixing, pressing, cutting, weighing, and cooking to deliver piping hot (and cold) ramen that makes your mouth water just by looking at it. And this ramen is served within 20 seconds of coming off the boil – now that’s service!

Taro’s ramen making process is just like a song. It has wonderful boiling crescendos and weighted lulls that climax in a steaming bowl of bursting authentic flavour. Taro is the composer; majestically commanding, yet equally persuading as if he were writing notes in a sonata, coaxing them into a pattern that materialises in the most delicious of dishes. It’s captivating to watch and even better to eat.

The bird’s word is that in Japan, everyone’s a ramen critic because it’s practically the nation’s favourite meal. Ramen is a serious business. But whether you’re a ramen connoisseur or easy to please, Taro’s got you covered.

Whether you choose to peck at Tsukemen (cold noodles – amazing), Vegetarian Dry Noodles, or Taro’s most popular dish, Tonkotsu Ramen, your tastebuds are in for a treat. They’ll probably self implode from overwhelming satisfaction.

Overlook the Story Bridge as you sip a green tea milkshake and munch on the best authentic ramen around.

Taro doesn’t ask that you call him an award-winning composer; he simply asks that you appreciate his ramen. And trust me, that’s not difficult whatsoever.

We, at The Good Guide, are all for Valentine’s Day, in fact there will be a few soppy celebrations this year and a lot of envy inducing romantic gestures (if you haven’t already come up with these, you know who you are). But there are those of us who will be joining the single wagon this year and to help us we’ve created a Valentine’s Day Survival Guide.

The Danger Zones

The Movies: Avoid the cinema at all costs (especially if a couple friendly movie is playing). Couples sip wetly at each other in the dark while you clutch an armrest for comfort (this is based on a true story BEWARE).

The Park: Unless you’re with a large group of friends don’t attempt this venture. Parks are the unofficial mating ground of all couples. Valentine’s Day your usually safe green oasis will be coated in bright picnic rugs with earnestly copulating romantics.

Restaurants: Unless you’re booking for a table of six don’t go to a traditional restaurant. Any surface – ie restaurant tables – that allows handholding and eye gazing is a red zone.

The Safe Zones

Dumpling bars like Harajuku Gyoza, Dragonfly and The Brunswick Social are havens for groups of singles. We recommend being loud and jovial so no one can be romantic around you. Dragonfly have even promised to put couples away in dark corners so you can’t see them. Perfect. Bar Alto is also promising a singles friendly night with a few reluctant romantic flourishes on the side.

Pamper yourself at one of the many spas, Bagua Beauty Boutique, Pho Thai Spa, Thann, Endota Spa, Orb Hair & Beauty, The Dome Retreat, Suzina Melina, Milk Studios Day Spa & Beauty, and Fringe Lily. Get yourself so scrubbed and plucked you’ll fall in love with yourself

And if you really can’t get over all the red hearts and roses lying in wait for you, head to Boxing Express to take out your frustration on things that can’t fight back – like boxing bags.

Follow our lead and head out with a group of friends for some feisty, loud, fun! It’s only one day, and with our help you’ll survive.

Smoked Salmon Pasta

Ingredients:

1 brown onion finely sliced
1 packet of Hot Smoked Salmon (herbed variety)
3 tablespoons capers
1 tub of Barambah Cream
Lime Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Linguette Pasta
Parmesan Cheese

Method:

Cook pasta until al dente (reserve a little pasta water)

In the meantime saute onions for a few minutes until translucent, be careful not to brown. Add smoked salmon and fry gently for 2 more minutes, add capers, cream and lime salt and black pepper to taste. Toss pasta through smoked salmon mixture and moisten if necessary with pasta water.

Sprinkle with shaved parmesan, serve.

Brownies with Cream

Buy a brownie from Spring Hill Deli, top with cream and enjoy a decadent desert. The brownies at the deli are enough for 2 people, but you’ll probably want 2 anyway as you’ll be craving them the next day!!

Roasted Quail with Jamon Serrano and Escalivada with Anchoiade

• 2 Tasmanian Rannoch Farm butterflied quail, cut in half*
• 4 slices Jamon Serrano Gran Reserva*
• ½ a large eggplant
• 1 zucchini
• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes
• 2 red onions, cut into eighths
• 45gms Ortiz Anchovies*
• 1 clove of garlic
• Colonna Extra Virgin Olive oil*
• Spanish Capirete Sherry vinegar*
• Murray River Salt Flakes *

Method

Slice the eggplant and zucchini and lightly salt them.

Wrap the quail tightly in the cured ham (secure with toothpick if needed).

To make the anchoiade, simply crush the garlic in a mortar and pestle and then add the anchovies – keep going until you get a smooth paste. Add some olive oil and a touch of vinegar to taste.

To make the Escalivada, char-grill all the vegetables for 1 minute each side and then put them in the oven. Approximately 5 minutes before the vegetables are ready add the tomatoes.

Meanwhile pan-fry the quail skin side down until the Jamon Serrano is crisp and finish them in the oven also.
To serve, share the vegetables between two plates, place one whole quail on top of each serve and drizzle the anchoiade over the top.

*Available from Black Pearl Epicure, 36 Baxter Street, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006