Cilantro Fresh Corinda | Must Do Brisbane

Cilantro Fresh at Corinda is a family friendly restaurant where everyone is made welcome by owner, Huong Misopapas. And the good news for families is that Huong is happy to adapt meals to suit fussy eaters.

Providing excellent value for money and a relaxed and casual atmosphere, Cilantro Fresh has something to suit all tastes. Vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free options are available and Huong will substitute ingredients to suit dietary requirements, where possible. All meals are made on site and no MSG is used in food preparation here.

Produce used at Cilantro Fresh is sourced locally: meat from a Darra butcher, fruit and veg from the Brisbane Markets and local growers and Vietnamese rolls (for the Banh Mi) from a local baker, handpicked by Huong.

Rice paper rolls and rice noodle salads are in high demand, along with hot dinner items such as Vietnamese Gravy Beef in Spices (beef stew with ginger, star anise, cinnamon, beef stock, tomatoes and cloves served with egg noodles, chilli, basil, sprouts and fresh lime) and Southern Style Braised Pork and Egg (cooked in young coconut juice and served with rice, cucumber and tomato).

Whilst Cilantro Fresh has an authentic Vietnamese menu, dessert sees the focus moving from Vietnam to Greece (where Huong's husband was born) and Greek classics, baclava and kataifi are on offer.

The drinks menu includes seasonal iced tea (brewed from Vietnamese green tea), homemade cold press juices, homemade lemonade, a range of soft drinks and bottled water. Also available is a selection of Mountain Fresh fruit juices from South Australia. These juices are made from 100 per cent Australian fruit with no added sugar or water and contain no artificial colours or preservatives.

Need to know - Cilantro Fresh has a take away menu and is also available to cater for small private functions.

Nice to know - Future plans at Cilantro Fresh include serving Vietnamese tea and coffee very soon and with the arrival of cooler weather, a winter soup will be added to the menu.

In a nutshell - Give this little spot a try - the food is top notch, the price is right and the service is fast and very friendly.

By Sandy Ludinski