Gunshop Cafe Brisbane

Eating alone is is not my preferred option, but sometimes necessary if you are a stranger in town. My hotel was very close to the Gunshop Cafe and I made an impulsive decision to eat there, despite the five or so restaurants between my hotel room and it. (it was at least 100m)
Despite a storm brewing, I chose to eat outside as the light was bright enough to read by. I was only going to order a main, eat and go, but the menu tempted me with white asparagus with olive truffle butter.
Choosing a main was difficult as they all sounded good. I chose the steak, because the potatoes were cooked in duck fat....sad, but true. There was broccolini listed as part of the dish. Quite a welcome inclusion in these days of anything green being a substantial extra charge.
The wine list was excellent and not priced beyond the range of normal working stiffs such as myself. It was short, but interesting. Better still most wines were available by the glass (150mls as stated on the list)I chose a clare riesling to go with asparagus. It worked a treat.
It was delicious. Gentler in taste than the green, but turned into something great by the subtle flavour of the butter. A little woody on the ends, but I did have a knife and fork. It also worked well with the Momo Savvy blanc.
By now the rain had really started bucketing down, so I moved a little closer in, but was still outside, so I was able to indulge in the singular passion of watching other diners. Everyone seemed to be having a great time and service was casual, friendly but efficient. My steak arrived when I was around the corner perving on handbags. The obliging waitress had kept it warm, which probably explains why it was more medium than medium rare. Fortunately it was so good and still pink, that it was still extremely good. The potatoes were excellent (that is such a rare thing to say) and the brocolini perfectly cooked. The jus was absolutely superb.... lush. A 2004 Langhorne Creek Cab Sauv was a great accompaniment. By now the rain was fairly tropical and dampening the pages of my book. So I moved inside. It was pretty noisy, but I still felt quite welcome and comfortable.
The wait staff were really obliging, friendly without fawning. So I looked at the dessert menu. Hmm... I'm not really a dessert person, just like to have tastes of everyone else's. It was raining very heavily, so what else could I do? Order that lovely chocolate pot topped with persian fairy floss and an old spanish sherry to go with it. Well, that marriage was better than 95% of the human couplings I have seen! Sadly I couldn't finish, but I felt replete. Quite blissful really. The rain had eased to a gentle drizzle, so I ordered the bill.
I truly had a great night. That is so rare as a single diner. I wasn't invisible. I was not treated as a pariah, because I was on my own. I had read at least 70 pages of my book and enjoyed the rain. I had some good wines with some better food. All for less than $100. The previous week, I had eaten with friends at quite a legendary restaurant, had one course and a side dish, and spent about the same amount of money. I don't make a habit of spending that much each time I go to eat, but walking back to my hotel, wouldn't have called the queen my aunty!