WELL TRAVELLED
VIBRANT VINCENT
Crystalbrook Vincent brings art, sustainability and a touch of Italy to inner-city Brisbane.
WORDS ZOE LISTER EXPERIENCING CHALLENGING TIMES of late combined with too much time couped up at home, my husband and I were in need of a getaway to energise our mind and soul. Just a short trip from Gold Coast, we ventured to a boutique Brisbane City hotel along the river. Our destination – Crystalbrook Vincent. Carved into the cliff under the majestic Story Bridge, let me tell you, this place was great for invigorating all the five senses. Crystalbrook Vincent is located within the trendy Howard Smith Wharves precinct, home to a number of entertainment and dining places. Formerly known as The Fantauzzo, the hotel was named after the well-known Melbourne artist Vincent Fantauzzo, with over 500 of his giclee prints and original art colouring the walls of the venue. Paintbrush and camera aside, as a trained chef with Italian roots, Vincent’s influence is apparent. A highlight of any visit would have to be the popular Fiume Rooftop Bar. Meaning ‘river’ in Italian, Fiume boasts unbeatable views of the meandering waterway.
60 covemagazine.com.au
– Issue 87
There’s a killer cocktail list and I was more than tempted to taste a few while taking in the city atmosphere. By night, you can admire a backdrop of stars and the bridge’s twinkling pink lights. In the same hue, there’s a cocktail named the Pink Koala, with some of the proceeds going towards supporting the charity, Wildcare – a cause I’m sure we could all toast to. My favourite cocktail was Crystalbrook Vincent’s take on the Espresso Martini which uses Wattle Toffee Liqueur. The liqueurs are sourced from Tamborine Mountain Distillery, with the distillery itself a leader in the way of sustainability. My husband enjoyed tasting some of the craft beers including one from the neighbouring Felons Brewing Co. The Crystalbrook Collection portfolio promotes an emphasis on responsible luxury and I was interested to learn more about what that really meant. One way they’ve adopted this philosophy is by ‘keeping it local’ and partnering with local businesses, groups and suppliers.
While enjoying the finer things in life, you can feel more at peace knowing that a large portion of the produce is sourced just a few hours away – like the grazing platter for example. Served on a wooden board, the antipasti were a delight for the taste buds. We indulged in assortment of cheeses, like Taleggio, as well as artisan salami, Mount Zero olives, Noosa mushroom arancini, Moreton Bay calamari fritti with fennel seed aioli – simply delizioso. I also loved the Bee One Third honey that’s derived from some of Brisbane's most unique city locations. The Polpetta restaurant embraces Italian food to share, creating a more sociable experience. A real fan-girl moment for me was seeing actor Asher Keddie. Perhaps not in person but in a towering 1.7 x 3m masterpiece – Fantauzzo’s award-winning painting of his wife and muse titled ‘Love Face’. If you’d like to rub shoulders with celebrities, you can almost live vicariously through the artist’s representations of Matt Moran, Baz Luhrmann and the like.
