First Impressions: Barcadia @ Bulimba

Well this is a bit of a funny one, it's not really a first Impression because I've actually been to Barcadia a handful of times but I'm calling it a first impression because the only thing I ever eat there is the Buffalo Wings so I don't feel I've had enough of the menu to do a full post.

Barcadia is a rather new edition to the beautiful riverside suburb that is Bulimba. Sitting about half way down the Oxford Street Strip with a largely open air venue but does have ample indoor seating and a slightly more formal sit down restaurant section.

It's clean, fresh looking and has plenty of dark wood, metal and tiles which is almost everything you'd expect from a modern suburban bar these days.

There is 8 taps with mostly local and Australian beers and cider with local brewery Newstead brewing Co. featuring on at least 1 tap most of the time and usually a mid strength or two for the designated driver or light drinker.

The bottled and can range is where it's at for me with some great beers and breweries in the fridge although staff do occasionally require some direction as to which beer is which when ordering from the fridge but I've had several enjoyably fresh tasting cans of Pirate Life here.

It would be nice to see an IPA or two on tap but I realise this is still a novelty to most people.

The food is a mix of bar snacks likes wings, ribs and tacos with the sit down dining area offering up full meals of house made gnocchi and steaks etc.

For me it's all about the Buffalo Wings. Coming in serves of 6 ($9) or 12 ($15) they may seem to be a little on the pricey side but they are usually huge wings and it seems that if the chef thinks they aren't big enough you often get a couple extra per serve.

They are the perfect blend of franks red hot and vinegar with a great little bit of heat coming through after a few wings, certainly enough to give me a bit of a sweat after 12 of them.

The only other thing I've eaten at Barcadia is the pork rinds because pigs are the bestest most delicious of animals and I can't go past some scratchings. Coated in fennel and flour and fried these are pretty great and marry well with any beer but eating too many does seem to make a sort of gummy paste in your mouth after awhile but nothing more beer doesn't solve.

Overall I'm happy so far to have Barcadia as one of my local go to venues if for nothing else then crazy delicious wings!

[Edit] December 2015 - Since I wrote this the menu has become one single menu at Barcadia and they've kept most of the bar food the same but added a Burger and some other things so I'll endeavour to get back and get some shots of something other than wings! Maybe..