Little Valley
Fortitude Valley
LITTLE VALLEY HAS PERMANENTLY CLOSED IN 2020.
Little Valley is a stunning neo-Chinese dining hall and garden bar occupying the shell of an old Fortitude Valley warehouse.
With white-painted brick walls, parquetry floors and lofty ceilings, the dining room features a striking golden matrix of lighting whilst the mezzanine bar at the rear has an open roof traversed with beams, a striking backlit bar and plants scattered throughout.
The food is every bit as impressive as the setting, with a contemporary-meets traditional menu that takes diners on a culinary trip through Chinese provinces including Hunan, Yunnan, Guandong and Shandong.
From the Raw Bar, must-try are the cured scallops with spiced pumpkin seed and chilli oil and the heavenly Sichuan beef tartare with pickled veges.
Dim Sums are next and whilst all are delectable (think shiitake and water chestnut or chilli crab and pork xiao long bao), stand-outs are the Lobster and chive har gow and Prawn and truffle har gow.
Small Plates on offer include the likes of ‘duck egg noodle, strange flavour, pork and peanut’ or ‘fried tofu, cucumber, fish fragrant eggplant and sesame’.
From the Large Plates you can choose from delectable Half twice-cooked duck with fermented plum, Roast pork neck with char siu glaze and Rib eye on the bone with chilli black bean.
Meanwhile Sides include Zucchini, black pepper and jalapeno or Potato noodle, fermented chilli, carrot and Sichuan.
And this is one Chinese eatery where you should leave room for dessert, with options such as Toasted rice sorbet, grapefruit ice, mandarin and ginger or Salted chocolate parfait with almond pudding and oolong pear.
Little Valley has a cracking wine list of some 100+ drops to perfectly accompany their food (ask for suggestions from the knowledgeable wait staff), boutique beers and spirits.
Pull up a seat under the stars in the mezzanine bar and sip on some amazing signature cocktails such as the Beijing Sling (gin, house cherry vermouth & spice, pineapple & citrus) Grand Lychee Spritz, Waking Panda (vodka, elderflower, mandarin & citrus) or Silk Palace (Havana Club 7yo rum, orange blossom, coconut cream, vanilla & citrus).
Otherwise there’s Twisted Classics like the Aussie Mojito, Aussie Espresso Martini, Negroni, Mojito and Aperol Spritz to be enjoyed, and a bar menu of Dim Sum and Small dishes available to accompany.
Need to know – Entry to Little Valley is up to the rear of the laneway which runs alongside.
Nice to know - Open for Dim Sum post-midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. The considerable talent behind Little Valley are also the owners of leading Gold Coast restaurant Rick Shores.
