Bacchus Head Chef Massimo Speroni has welcomed Autumn with a new standout dish headlining the a la carte menu, called, quite simply, Crocodile.
Chef Speroni joined Bacchus direct from the 2-Michelin starred Ristorante San Domenico over two years ago, bringing with him an extraordinary cache of experience, having worked under owner-chef Valentino Marcattilii. Through Speroni’s flavour-lens, the menu features fresh, classically created dishes. Entering Bacchus is a special moment – the rich chestnut interior throws hues of deep mahogany, tobacco and marble, creating a welcome that is only heightened by Restaurant Manager Kevin Puglisevich, who is seamless in his command of the space. The wine list of more than 600 offerings celebrates the great grape growing regions of the world and is curated by Sommelier Andrew Giblin, himself an almanac of stories of ancient vineyards and colourful winemakers.
Bacchus is at home in Rydges South Bank, the premier lifestyle and cultural hotel in Brisbane and one truly embedded in the cultural, dining, sporting and corporate life of the city.
The crocodile is served with red cabbage puree, toasted macadamia nuts, macadamia nut cream and black sesame seeds. “My team and I have invested many, many hours creating this dish and to now be able to serve it to Bacchus diners is a real thrill for us. We are committed to creating dishes of flavour here at Bacchus and the crocodile certainly stands out,” said Chef Speroni. “We source the crocodile from the Northern Australia, and the meat is rolled and cooked sous vide which gives it an incredible consistency and flavour,” he said.
Another new dish for the Autumn a la carte menu is the Mushroom. And this dish looks, 
smells and definitely tastes like Autumn. It’s rustic, packs a flavour punch and is perfect for when the temperature turns a little cooler. Chef Speroni has called on his Italian culinary origins with this dish, using bottoni pasta (button pasta) filled with mushroom and smoked buffalo mozzarella and burrata sourced from La Stella Latticini. “The bottoni are served with a mix of mushrooms including oysters, shitake, wood ear and enoki as well as mushroom puree and marjoram. We finish the dish with a mushroom broth and red elk. It’s pretty amazing – try tasting this and not looking for an open fire and a glass of red wine!”
These two new standouts lead the Autumn a la carte offering which also features Quail (whole, deboned) served with pumpkin, mixed seeds and sage;
Kangaroo (strip loin) served with lemon potato, kale and fresh horseradish; Champagne Lobster in Chardonnay sauce,
and Lamb (backstrap) served with savoy cabbage, black garlic, leek and pickled mushrooms. A standout in the beef menu is the relatively rare cut, the Hanging Tender dish served with camel cheese and smoked eggplant, among others.
A perennial favourite, the Beetroot dish has been tweaked by Chef Speroni and now features goats curd and crispy amaranth.
The Dessert menu includes must-try dishes in Pear, Lemon, Chocolate and Herb Sorbet, however the dish called Coconut on the Beach is a true standout, featuring cheesecake, lime and butterscotch and plating that transports you directly to the Queensland coast!