Parc Restaurant

LOCATION
Overlooking the Roma Street Parklands, near Roma Street Station on the edge of the CBD.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Warm air sits softly on the lush greenery of the Roma Street Parklands. The chatter and song of birds provide a gentle accompaniment to the natural beauty of the view. We are just a few minutes' walk from the centre of the city, and yet a world removed. The vivid colours of flowering blooms sit like gemstones on a bed of vibrant subtropical green.

It's not the first place in the world that you'd expect to find a restaurant. But Parc Restaurant and Bar, overlooking this inner-city oasis from an elevated perch, isn't exactly a typical Brisbane restaurant. Instead of sitting aloof from the Parklands, this gorgeous little restaurant integrates itself smoothly into them. Much of the décor is wooden, with small trees placed carefully among the extensive outdoor seating. Parc takes a holistic approach, believing that the restaurant and its setting cannot be entirely separate, but must each complement the other.

The food on offer is similarly attuned to a natural theme. Organic and local produce are used whenever possible, and everything is home-made and prepared fresh. The menu is modern European in style, with the Parc duck a l'orange an original interpretation of the classic dish. The confit duck is served with rich Toulouse sausage and a light, zesty orange frizze salad. It sparkles on the tongue with all the same organic delicacy that the scenery lends the eyes.

Parc is a bar as well, and guests are more than welcome to simply stop by for a quiet drink, or an afternoon coffee and bistro lunch. Whether originally just visiting the parklands, or making the trip especially here for dinner, you're sure to enjoy the all-pervasive natural beauty. An oasis in an oasis, in the heart of the city.

Aran Ward Sell