Deer Duck Bistro

This restaurant is one of my favourite places in Brisbane. The food is simple yet wonderful and I have never been disappointed. The staff are wonderful, they’re attentive but still make sure to give you space and let you get on with your meal. The décor makes you feel like you’re at dinner in your weird super cool grandma’s house and I Iove it. I encourage everyone to go and find out how truly special this little place is.

It’s not often that I’m blown-​away from a dining experience, but Deer Duck Bistro managed to do just that. I would certainly say this place is now etched into my heart as one of my favorite dining experiences — ever.
It’s hard to know where to start because I loved everything about this place. From the intimate yet charmingly grand ambiance to the exceptional staffers, everything was perfect from the moment we walked in to the moment we walked out.
Deer Duck Bistro took us on a whimsical 7-​course vegetarian journey of beautifully presented dishes with superb mocktail pairings. The hostess was aware that my date and I didn’t drink and she thoughtfully suggested that the bartender concoct unusually delicious drinks to go with each dish. It was truly a treat (both the drinks and the fact that they take great care of you!). Who knew that a drink could leave each of your senses satisfied!
Each dish of our 7-​course meal showcased the wizardry of the chef in the kitchen. Not only was everything beautifully plated and emphatically seasonal, the flavors were nothing short of delectable. I found myself eagerly awaiting each course with excitement and curiosity, not once being disappointed. Their attention to detail is obvious, from their homemade (and home churned) butter to their 63 degree eggs, everything was exceptional.
In short, if you’re looking to be impressed, Deer Duck Bistro does not disappoint.

What can I say… Situated along Milton road, in a little suburb known as auchenflower… Lies A beautifully decorated yet hidden away restaurant called Deer Duck Bistro. Upon entry, you get sucked away to an entirely different atmosphere… it reminded me of a pub in devon, england. Where paintings display the hunt, the thrill and the chase! Dont let that put you off through, as the mood and the table setting and décor are artistically placed…
The service was warm and delightful throughout the whole night. My date and I enjoyed a four course meal, planned by groupon. Upon seating, we were given the menus and time to choose what we would like for our mains and dessert., we each had a glass of bubbley champagne served, then The entrée came, named «Taste of the sea»… very intruguing to the textures of what was offered and the simple yet rich delicate taste.
The main my date chose was the lamb sirlion with a strong, bold flavours of vegetables. Where I chose the yellowfin fish fillet with cauliflower purée, beetroot slices and seafood on the base with a few strong but delicate vegetables. Both dishes were served on its own one of a kind plate, making it too lovely to eat! BUT we ate it anyways :-)
To nreak up the taste of our mains, a small fruit and cheese platter was offered. Italian blue cheese, dates, biscuits, grapes and a date like sauce… definitely cleared my tongue for more exsquiste taste to come, the dessert!
Both of us choose the warm chocolate fonduant… needless to say it was very small but powerful and very rich in chocolate and sweetness! Definitely romantic and full of wonders…
Althrough a bit pricey, the service, atmosphere and food is definitely worth going to, for a special occasion and with a special someone too :-)
REMEMBER: Booking is required as seats are limited!
We h

We had a special-​occasion dinner for my friends at Deer Duck Bistro.
The restaurant is almost hole-​in-​the-​wall because of its location and the décor was a little fancy old country home-​eque.
The food was great, but I’d like to point out something that many of us did not like: the owner/​manager. There was an older man in the staff, whom I was later told that was the owner, so we really couldn’t do much at the time. We all agreed that he seemed a little… drunk. He made inappropriate comments in relation to our race and kept interfering individuals by making small talks when we were enjoying each other’s company at the party, ‘testing’ out the cake (my friend brought in) that he was supposed to be cutting and serving, photobombing every other photo like a ghost in the back (I have a few!), and the list goes on. The other staff were doing their jobs but this guy… there was something off about him that many others in the party noticed.

There’s a stretch of Milton Road that is kind of a nothing spot. It isn’t Toowong and it isn’t Auchenflower. It’s a black spot marked but a row of rather destitute looking empty shopfronts. You’ve probably driven past in a million times. Surprise! This is where Deer Duck Bistro resides (Side note: they’re about to open a tapas bar just 2 doors up which excites me. Perhaps this stretch of Milton Road could actually be resuscitated).
Anyway, the fact that Deer Duck exists in this space is kind of fantastic. Walking in the interior is a rich, dark and has a very British «Honey, we’ve just gotten back from a day of hunting» atmosphere.
We dined there on a Friday night and there were only a handful of other diners around us. It was a set menu for $ 65 and they’ve now got their liquor license so are able to offer a small selection of beer, wines and spirits.
The chap and I enjoyed a stupendously large sharing plate for an entrée which was a selection of in-​house baked breads, cornichons (I just like saying cornichons), meats, cheese and a delectable smoked artichoke dip. For mains, he had the fettucine with mussels and I opted for the ocean themed fish. I’m not sure what a fish has to do to be ocean themed?
Dessert was the stand out for me. The chocolate forrest which is given it’s own theatrics with a jar of dry ice and liquid nitrogen and the textured pineapple which is small yet ample with it’s syrupy flavours.
I enjoyed dining at Deer Duck Bistro and perhaps it was the result of building it up so much in my mind (It had been on my «To Dine» list for almost a year), that I just felt a little underwhelmed. There was nothing at all wrong with our dinner or experience, but it just didn’t live up to my own expectations.
Deer Duck Bistro is wonderful though, and the service was exceptional — we never wanted for anything. It is more of a special occasion dining experience, but I’ll be back soon. There’s something about it that makes you forget you’re dining in Brisbane.

The first thing that struck me was the wonderful décor. Having lived in Paris, I felt like I was back in the French capital — absolutely wonderful and cosy. Even a little quirky with the somewhat mismatched styles, that worked a treat. Our meals were lovely. I wouldn’t say it is at the level of a top Brisbane restaurant, but it was tasty and the fact that we could BYO was a bonus.

This is a bit of a scathing review, so strap yourselves in.
Being a Friday evening we had but one choice — the set menu, which is set at $ 65 for 3 courses.
Entrée
” If I’d known I was going to get supermarket bought food that was put on a platter I would have stayed at home” …ouch! But this is verbatim what my partner said after examining the contents of the Deer Duck Sharing platter.
And she is right. Turkish bread cut straight from a packet, and water crackers that I stock in my own pantry is not up to scratch. The web site describes this plate as’ «A Beautiful Selection Of Hand Crafted Tastes, Terrine And Pickles With Breads To Share». It is certainly not Hand Crafted Tastes it is lazy at best.
Main
I had the Pork Belly and she had the Duck 3 ways. We shared a side of beans. Presentation was considered, although there is nothing innovative here. The portion size of the pork belly is at the amuse buche end of the spectrum, which given the richness of pork belly, is to be expected. I found the flavours of the dish overly rich and unbalanced — there was far too much honey or sugar in the sauce. Like most places that serve pork belly the skin was tough and chewy. Restaurants should stop serving this unless they know how to work with it. I tried the duck sausage and I’m pretty sure I could buy an equivalent from Coles or Woolies.
Desert
Okay, so here you are presented with a choice of 2 deserts or cheese for two. But… they ran out of one choice. So we we both had the Apple Pear Tart. I was somewhat expecting the tart to be apple/​pear flavoured, but rather it’s almond with… WAY TOO MUCH SUGAR!!! So there is a bit of poached pear on one side, and on the other side I think it was meant to come with an apple sorbet, but it had more of an artificial mint flavour.
Value
This menu is set at $ 65. Does this represent good value? Let’s see.
I would set the value of the share plate at $ 14. So that’s $ 7 per person. The Main, no more than $ 30. The Desert $ 10. So that gives us a total value of $ 47 and yet the price is $ 65. So I would say this does not represent good value.
Service
Fine, but the wait staff looked a little flustered at times.
Décor
It’s a bit too ‘dress up’ and trying too hard to be quirky.
Overall Reaction
Mediocre

BEST RESTAURANT IN WEST BRISBANE!
we went here with another couple (one who happens to be a chef) and OMG, this place blew us away! LOVE the décor! LOVE the design! and the food exceeded our expectations!
I don’t just give good ratings for good food — I’m giving this restaurant such a high rating because of their service — simply outstanding! LOVE the relaxed attitude of the waiters and chefs — we felt like we were at home!
We stayed there for hours! the waiters just kept filling up our glasses with wine and our bellies with amazing UNUSUAL food that I’d never thought of ordering! it was such a delight.
The set menu on Fridays and Saturdays is VERY reasonable for the standard of food that you get. Thanks Deer Duck we will be back and bringing more with us!

4 of us went to Deer Duck Bistro.
It is in an older shop, and the décor is nothing fancy, but it has a nice feel. Older and umatching crockery and cutlery give it a quirky feel.
The food was superb. The entrée’s were on the small side, but the flavours were all there.
The main course was average size, and was just stunning.
Pork belly was ordered by 2 of us, and it was devoured with relish.
The steak was cooked as requested, and melted in your mouth.
The restaurnat is booked out for months on Friday and Saturday nights, but worth the wait. It is BYO at the moment, and is good value.
Enjoy.

I first saw Deer Duck Bistro mentioned in the Good Food Guide Awards 2012 list — they were awarded the Dan Murphy’s BYO Restaurant of the Year (though this fact had slipped my mind by the time I dropped in last night, and had to duck back out and down the street to the Chalk & Cheese on the corner). So yes, they are still BYO, and it’s still being delivered with the addendum «for the time being».
From Tuesday nights through to Thursday nights, the dinner menu is a la carte. On Friday nights and Saturday nights it’s a set menu (with choices still to be made for mains and desserts), though with a couple of «to share» items on the set menu, it’s a little alienating for a solo diner. There’s also a ten course degustation menu available throughout the week for $ 120pp — no matched drinks menu available, of course, though you’re welcome to BYO attempts!
There are three separate dining areas at DDB: the small front room looks onto the road, the main dining room is down the hallway and through to the back, and there’s also a third area, upstairs, used for functions (and overspill on busier nights, I expect). I’d gotten hopes up of sitting at the window in the front room, but I didn’t speak up when I was first ushered in, and I ended up in the far back corner of the main room — but that was fine.
I arrived quite early in the night and had the whole dining room to myself for almost an hour, when two other parties arrived. To be honest, although the emptiness may not have been good for business, I’d been enjoying the quiet soundtrack of the Rat Pack and Fred Astaire classics, and my lovely evening was shattered when one of the other parties started noisily discussing The Shire. Really, guys? Could you just… not?
The service was polite and prompt. The menu was appealing and I was pleased with my choices. The menu may seem «horribly pretentious» but I got to experience a new idea the owner had floated with the staff of having one of the chefs bring out the meals, so ingredient details could be given, or any questions could be answered. The fun thing about the quiet night was that sounds carry through the restaurant more than some would think, e.g. «But I’m in my whites, I’m all grubby, I don’t look nice!» and «Which way does the plate go on the table?» Having said that, it was actually a nice touch, as long as the chefs have time to do it without impacting their roles in the kitchen.
My three courses were all delicious, but I think the highlight for me was the «textures of carrots» dessert. The name made me a) confused over why carrots were on a dessert menu and then b) giggle, but I like a food adventure and I’m so glad I went there. I won’t spoil the surprise.
Now, get thee to Deer Duck Bistro. Park on Grimes St, and grab a bottle of wine from Chalk & Cheese down on the corner if you’ve forgotten to BYO (heads up, corkage is $ 10). I’ll be heading back soon with friends in tow, to give the degustation a run for its money!

Milton Road isn’t where you’d expect to find a hipster/​fine-​dining paradise, but it’s exactly where you’ll find Deer Duck Bistro. This ambient little restaurant may wander down that well trodden path of op shop-​style décor, but it’s the food and service that really sets it apart from other hotspots. My beloved and I visited for a pre-Valentine’s date night and found it to be the perfect location for some romantic wining and dining. It’s BYO at the moment (however this is likely to change in the future), and once you’ve handed over your bottles to your waiter that’s the last you’ll need to think about them. Our glasses were refilled regularly and unobtrusively and we were never left wanting for anything. The menu of the night was a set three course extravaganza including a shared entrée of cured meats, olives, and breads, main course choices such as pork belly and wagyu fillet, and a beautiful panna cotta dessert. The meals were fantastic, and the unique table settings really did add to the atmosphere of the night. The only issue we experienced was a very cold air conditioner which seemed to creep down to arctic temperatures despite the staff adjusting it several times. Highly recommended for a romantic meal for two, or a fun group dining experience!

Now this is a place I didn’t expect to find in the unassuming nook of Auchenflower. I fell for Deer Duck Bistro. I fell really hard. I can’t help but say that it’s taken over as my new favourite restaurant in Brisbane. It’s incredibly unique and offers patrons an entirely different dining experience that I guarantee you won’t get anywhere else in Brisbane.
I was immediately swept off my feet by the incredible interior design. Each table setting is individually designed. There is no uniformity in the arrangements. Chairs of different styles and eras find themselves sitting together around a table. You’ll find yourself picking up knives and forks that don’t come from the same set. You’ll either be sitting under lamp light, or by candle light. You may find yourself touching knees with two other guests along a couch, where the other three guests who sit across from you are sitting in most courtly looking chairs. The art on the walls is mostly deer themed and it ties in with the rest of the setting perfectly. It is a masterfully executed fusion of elegance and quirk.
If you appreciate subtle but hands on service, you’re going to be delighted by the Deer Duck Bistro staff. Your wine is promptly opened upon your arrival, and you won’t ever have to fill your water or wine glass. They work quietly not interrupting your dinner conversation (unless you want them to join you, in which case, they are more than happy to). There’s no awkward silence while napkins are placed into laps, and water is slowly poured into glasses.
The menu is seasonal. I would suggest ordering an entrée, main and dessert for each party. I had the «confit ocean trout with thai pesto, squid ink aioli, pork cracking, parsnip remoulade, ceviche scallop and finger limes ($ 23). Yes, it sounds horribly pretentious and fills one with questions like «how did they extract the squid ink?» and «what is remoulade anyway?” — but, it is a ludicrously tasty dish. The servings are modest, following fine dining tradition, but you won’t complain. The flavours delicately unfold onto your tastebuds and you really get to experience the complexity of your meal. For my main, I had the venison loin with cauliflower purée, white chocolate crumble, baby beetroot, sour cherries, radish, baby leeks and orange blossom glaze. The combinations on paper, seem odd, and at times outright disgusting, but open your mind, try something new and be surprised. I’m not usually willing to call people like chefs ‘artists’, but– Mihn Lee (the chef) — that title goes to you.
I can’t think of anywhere else that I’d suggest taking someone on a date. It doesn’t matter who it is– your mum, your best friend, a lover– find any excuse to go there. It’s a unique experience in every way possible.