Where will world leaders and delegates dine during G20?

KRYSTAL GORDON

Up market Brisbane restaurants are hoping to accommodate world leaders and delegates attending the G20 summit next weekend.

Next Door Kitchen and Bar General Manager Keith Nunns said they are expecting locals will leave the city but around 12,000 new people will come to the area.

“So even though we are going to lose clientele, we’re going to have a big influx of people who don’t normally come here so it’s a real opportunity for us to showcase what we do as a venue,” Mr Nunns said.

Mr Nunns also owns several venues in and around the G20 location and said there are rumours some of the world leaders and delegates could be coming to South Bank and dining at some of the precincts restaurants.

“It’s still rumours [at the moment], it’s still a case of confirming,” he said.

“Unfortunately a lot of the big players are going to be staying in their hotel as they’ve got specialist menus but a lot of the delegates who work with them are going to come out onto the streets I guess.”

Mr Nunns said there are a lot of food specials happening in South Bank for the G20 to appeal to our international guests.

“We’re doing up, down at one of the restaurants here a tandoori Indian style wrap, next day we might be doing an American style burger, next day were doing sort of a Russian take on a dish as well and of course Turkey,” he said.

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Regarding food safety Mr Nunns said everything at their restaurants is highly monitored and they are absolutely confident in the food they are serving.

For people looking for sweet treats during G20, Cowch Dessert Cocktail Bar in South Bank will be open for business.

Cowch owner Arif Memis said they offer a range of healthy and naughty breakfast options along with desserts and drinks.

“We’ve got like bacon and ice cream, our spin on a Canadian breakfast, it’s called a Canadienne Breakfast Waffle Bowl,” Mr Memis said.

Mr Memis said they are not sure what to expect over the next two weeks but they are hoping to showcase what they have on offer.

“There is a beer that Bacchus Brewing does and it’s an Obama IPA and we thought about putting that in,” he said.

For leaders and delegates hoping to try locally sourced products with international inspiration, Public in the Brisbane CBD General Manager Nathan O’Brien said they offer a fashionable shared grazing menu with iconic Australian style cuisine such as pork belly, lamb shoulders and seafood.

“We’ve got a food and wine list that sort of appeals internationally so we think it will be well accepted,” Mr O’Brien said.

“We’ve got at least six or eight strong seafood dishes on the menu, I guess the stand out menu item at the moment are our scallops and chimichurri prawns dish.”

Mr O’Brien said they also have an upstairs space called the Library and another private dining room which they hope will be utilised given the risk of opening during the summit.

He said there is industry speculation to expect clientele from the G20 but they haven’t had any official contact.

Next Door Kitchen and Bar General Manager Keith Nunns said on Saturday 15 November between 6 and 9pm, South Bank is holding an international cuisine event for 2500 delegates which is also open to the public where people can purchase tokens which will enable them to try a specialist item from each venue.