Mt Gravatt Pie King Turns Over Piefection to Newcomers

A popular piemaker in Mt Gravatt is turning over his 12-year-old business, Piefection, to two dynamic newcomers seeking to expand the gourmet pie business.



Matt Roman — regarded as Brisbane’s pastry king for supplying gourmet pies to various restaurants, grocery shops, and butchers — has sold Piefection to Pierre de Villiers and David Rogers. The newcomers are planning to expand this pie business, which currently has two outlets: Mt Gravatt and Coorparoo.

Mr de Villiers and Mr Rogers are eyeing a northside expansion but the details are still under wraps. The business partners also said that they want to learn what the customers want as they grow Piefection and offer new flavours. 

Photo Credit: Facebook

Mr Roman turned his pie business into a legendary staple, offering mouthwatering flavours like Jack Daniels BBQ Pork, the Guinness Beef and Mushroom Pie, or the Death by Chocolate pies. 

Piefection became popular through word of mouth, as anyone who has tried his tasty treats can’t get enough of it. In fact, lines of customers are a common sight at his stores even after all these years. The pies are made fresh on the site every day using high-quality and locally-sourced ingredients.

With Piefection’s sale, Mr Roman is redirecting his focus on Iris, the new Mediterranean rooftop restaurant at Fortitude Valley’s Hotel X. He is also preparing to lead the kitchen of Willow, a new cafe in Balmoral from Stone’s Corner restaurateur Adam Dartnell.

Meanwhile, pie lovers may follow Piefection on Facebook for updates on the latest developments, including store opening hours.



Upper Mount Gravatt State School: New Building Nears Completion

Construction of a new general learning facility at the Upper Mount Gravatt State School, which has been underway since October, is estimated to finish in May 2021. 



In October 2020, Upper Mount Gravatt State School announced that a new facility was in the works, setting itself up to provide the school with 10 new classrooms on top of shaded learning and play areas. 

The construction of the new facility, a general learning centre that would serve as an extension of the main campus, will be spearheaded by the project delivery company Wiley, who have been working on site since October. Completion of the project is expected to finish in May 2021. 

This new facility came about to replace the temporary classrooms the school had brought in using a crane following a fire on the 14th of June 2019 which ravaged the campus, destroying the books, possessions, and artwork of over 200 students. 

Through the combined efforts of six fire crews, the fire was under control in 90 minutes. Despite the swift response, much of the building had been destroyed, which led to the implementation of the aforementioned temporary classrooms to replace what had been lost in the fire. 

It only took the school two days to get classes up and running again. To this day, the cause of the fire remains a mystery, and both the police and the fire investigators have deemed it suspicious. 

The Upper Mount Gravatt State School is located at 1899 Logan Rd. For more information, visit their website here. Likewise, learn more about the project manager Wiley here. Follow the Facebook pages of both the school and Wiley for the latest updates and announcements concerning the new building. 

Mt Gravatt Vultures Club Receives New Mouthguards for Upcoming Season

The Mt Gravatt Vultures Football Club has received all-new custom-fitted mouthguards from Bupa Dental Garden City, to enhance their health and safety for the coming 2021 season. 



Dr Greg Thomas, the Principal Dentist at Bupa Dental Garden City, explained that providing mouthguards is the most direct and effective way they could support their local sports club. 

“AFL is a physical sport and players can be at risk from dental trauma as a result of collisions or other mishaps. A custom-made mouthguard is an essential piece of personal protective equipment that can safeguard against unforeseen dental injuries incurred while playing the game.” says Dr Thomas. 

Mouthguards play an important role in the safety of all football players, acting as shock absorbers for their mouths and teeth. If a player is hit in the face with a ball or through colliding with another player, the blow sends shockwaves through their teeth, jaw, and skull. A mouthguard effectively minimises the damage by capturing those shockwaves, diffusing them, and then dispersing them. 

The Bupa Dental team, which has sponsored the Mt Gravatt Vultures Football Club for three years, has also taken this opportunity to inform and educate its players and members of staff on some of the dental issues caused by sports drinks. These drinks have the potential to cause tooth decay, which in turn influences sporting performance and general health. 

With their new mouthguards, the Mt Gravatt Vultures will be able to protect themselves from potential injuries such as broken teeth, or mouth and tongue injuries.

The Mt Gravatt Vultures Football Club can be found in Dittmer Park, 40 Klumpp Rd, Upper Mt Gravatt. To learn more about Bupa Dental Garden City, visit their website or follow their social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates and announcements.

Just Cuts Mt. Gravatt Moves to New Location After 10 Years of Business

To celebrate their reopening on the 11th of March, 2021, barbershop Just Cuts Mt. Gravatt is offering free haircuts to 30 of their inaugural customers as they open their new venue on the ground floor of Westfield Garden City. 



Following the drastic changes to the business landscape brought about by the pandemic, the Mt. Gravatt branch of Just Cuts salon has decided to relocate. 

“We’re moving to a premium site right next to the food court,” says Michael Mercer, owner of the Just Cuts franchise. “It’s more attractive to me because our no appointments, just walk in business model suits higher foot traffic locations.” 

COVID-19 has been particularly problematic for local businesses based in shopping centres such as Westfield Garden City as people are keen to spend less time in public indoor areas. 

“Thursday night business has dropped 50% and weekends have dropped overall,” adds Mr. Mercer. 

Despite Just Cuts’ apparent decline in customers, their weekdays have also become busier as customers would prefer to get in and out of salons as quickly as possible to follow COVID-19 guidelines and safety measures. In order to adapt to the new environment, a change of venues was necessary to increase engagement with the Mt. Gravatt community.

For the first time since the salon first set up ten years ago, Just Cuts Mt. Gravatt will change venues in order to adapt while the Queensland economy recovers. There will be no shutdown period between salon transfers, and Just Cuts’ priority will remain on hygiene and delivering quality haircuts to their customers. 

“We want to maintain the confidence our clients have in our salon,” adds Mr. Mercer. 

With a team of eight local artists, Just Cuts Mt. Gravatt is expected to reopen on Thursday, March 11, 2021, at 9:00AM. The new shop will be located at Westfield Garden City’s ground floor opposite Boost & Kathmandu, near the southern food court. 

Follow their Facebook page for the latest news on deals, dates, and general updates. 

KFC to Rise at Site of Mexican Eatery Montezuma

Montezuma, Mount Gravatt’s popular Mexican eatery found on the corner of Logan Road and Lumley Street, could soon close to make way for a new KFC outlet following the filing of a development application with Council.



According to the plan (DA A005637253), Montezuma’s fitout will not be torn down. Instead, the structures will undergo refacing, modifications and installations as it rebrands into a KFC, the popular American fried chicken fast-food chain. 

Collins Property Development Pty Ltd filed the application in mid-January 2021. The plan also includes a drive-through section via Lumley Street.

Per the application, parts of the car park area will be reduced from 55 to 31 to accommodate a pedestrian pathway and a dedicated loading bay.

KFC
Photo Credit: PD Online/Brisbane City Council
KFC
Photo Credit: PD Online/Brisbane City Council

Meanwhile, a spokesperson from Mesa Australia Pty Ltd, which owns Montezuma, said that it’s still business as usual in their Mount Gravatt outlet, as they await the arrival of a new CEO by February.

The spokesperson didn’t reveal any relocation plans for Mount Gravatt. Montezuma has other outlets in Albany Creek, Capalaba, Taringa, and North Ipswich.



Montezuma has been a restaurant franchise since the late 1970s. As with other businesses in the food industry, the restaurant has scaled-down dine-in operations and has been offering takeaway options.

Vapiano in Mt Gravatt Braces for an Overhaul

Vapiano, the famous pizza restaurant with an outlet at the Garden City in Upper Mount Gravatt, is bracing for some changes amid this new normal. The eatery will soon introduce a new ordering system that will give the customers more control of their dining experience.

For the last decade, Vapiano’s stores across Queensland have had a familiar ordering system where diners line up at the food stations and then see the chefs prepare and cook their meals. 



The new process will incorporate smartphone technology and QR codes, as well as ditch the need for queueing. 

Diners may immediately secure their table once inside Vapiano and then place their orders from their smartphones. 

Photo Credit: Facebook

The idea is to keep customers comfortably seated whilst the waitstaff provides the service. They may also use their smartphones to pay for their meals so that no one has to leave the table. 

However, customers who come in without smartphones may still place orders at a dedicated but smaller corner in the restaurant, where physical distancing will be observed.

The kitchen’s operation will also be altered to reflect the new ordering system. 

Photo Credit: Facebook

Managing director Will Cooke believes that will keep the restaurant more efficient whilst maintaining the quality of its food and service.

Meanwhile, Vapiano will also bring in new tables and lighting to freshen up the ambience. The Brisbane City outlet is the first to make the design changes whilst the ordering system will be introduced at the Garden City outlet in Mt Gravatt before the holidays. 



Vapiano serves homemade Italian comfort food like pasta, pizza and salads with meals tailored to the customers’ preference. 

“Whether you come in for a cheeky after work cocktail in our bar area, or spend hours enjoying a meal with friends in our restaurant, we pride ourselves on serving only the best made-to-order pizzas, house-made pasta, hand-tossed salads and delicious dolci in a fun, relaxing atmosphere filled with fresh herbs at every table and live olive trees.”

To book a table with a maximum of six diners, visit their reservation page online.

Maa Kinn Authentic Thai Food Reopens In Mt Gravatt With Discounts And A Cause

Dine-in business has restarted for Maa Kinn Bangkok Street Food since mid-May but under the “new normal,” this Upper Mt Gravatt restaurant has been serving up more than just authentic Thai dishes for its patrons. 

Maa Kinn is also giving discounts for customers who will choose to shop online and pick up their food from the store on Logan Road in a bid to promote social distancing and no-contact transactions amidst this pandemic.

For July, customers who place orders on their online website and pick the items up themselves will get a 10% discount from the full-priced menu. 

The list of food includes a budget-friendly selection of spring rolls, puffs, wontons, curries, stir fry dishes, noodles and noodle soup, and house specials like Som Tum (papaya salad with tomatoes and peanuts), Red Duck Curry with a range of sauces, Kanaa Moo Grob (crispy pork belly with Asian vegetables), and Garlic Prawns. 

Photo Credit: Maa Kinn Bangkok Street Food/Facebook


Photo Credit: Maa Kinn Bangkok Street Food/Facebook

This month, Maa Kinn has also picked Micah Projects as its beneficiary for Charity of the Month. Micah Projects is a not-for-profit organisation that provides support for children and families who have been affected by social injustice.  

Customers of Maa Kinn have the option to donate to the cause when they place their orders and it will be matched by the restaurant’s owners. 

“Here at Maa Kinn, we believe that charity starts at home,” Maa Kinn’s statement read. “Therefore with the help of our customers, family and friends, we are accepting monetary donations to go towards purchasing dry and canned goods to go into Emergency Relief packs that are given out to individuals and families that are doing it tough during these unprecedented times.” 



If you’re keen to support Maa Kinn Bangkok Street Food check their store online or visit their Facebook page for the store’s trading hours. 

I have been looking for a great Thai restaurant on the Southside for sometime. There have been a few that are good and I ordered a couple times from them, but still kept looking for a really great one. There have been a couple that have been down right disappointing or they have changed hands. Last night we tried Maa Kinn for the first time, OMG! we have found it, the best Thai food on the Southside. The dishes were packed full of flavour, perfect protein:vege ratio, and we tried a dish we haven’t seen elsewhere, Ginger Stir fry we added prawns….. oh my goodness, it was delicious! My husband isn’t normally a ginger fan, but he was willing to arm wrestle me for the leftovers. Highly recommend Maa Kinn.

Trudy Radenovic, Google Reviews

“I popped in with a friend today for lunch. I had Thai green curry and it was fantastic. The people that served us were lovely – very friendly. If the rest of the food is as nice as what had today I’ll be a regular – thankyou!”

Peter Charles Dominic Shirres, Facebook

Mt Gravatt Kerbside Collection: 4 Simple Ways to Stay Clutter-Free

Here’s your chance to get rid of clutter at home as the next kerbside collection in Mt Gravatt and Mt Gravatt East is set for Monday, the 9th of March 2020. Time to get moving and gather up items the weekend before the scheduled collection.

Take note to bring out only acceptable items, such as sporting equipment, bath and laundry tubs, carpets and rugs, electronic waste, white goods, furniture, small household appliances and wood products less than 1.5 metres in size. If you need to get rid of bottles, glass, mirrors, hazardous wastes and other unacceptable items for kerbside collection day, you can make arrangements with resource recovery centres instead.  



Whilst kerbside collection helps reduce the clutter in your home, you can stay clutter-free by adopting these simple ways. 

1. Have a proper filing, organisation, and storage system.

Where does all your clutter come from? In most homes, the most common clutter sources are:

  • Bills, lists and documents
  • Children’s items
  • Clothes
  • Tools (kitchen, gardening, related hardware)
  • Electronic devices and chargers
  • Decorative stuff and knickknacks

If you are able to identify the source, you will be able to see what needs a filing, organisation, or storage solution. For instance, if you’ve got piles of paperwork at the kitchen counter, you might need a filing rack in that space to keep documents orderly. If you have gardening items, you might need a console or cabinet in the backyard so that these are not all over the place.

2. Chuck out things you “might” use one day.

Professional organisers have one rule of thumb: give items away if you haven’t been using it for more than a year. So, that bread maker sitting inside its box at the back of your pantry, which you only used once in three years, could be of a better use for someone else. Maybe a relative or a friend will want this unexpected gift. 



3. Essential items should have space in your house.

As soon as you walk in your front door, where do you put keys, phones, wallet? Where do you hang your coat, jacket or scarf? These are basic essentials that you always need when you leave the house so these must have an accessible and organised space in your house, such as a table, shelving or cubby hole by the door.

In the same way, your kitchen pantry or cabinet must have a special space for essential ingredients. If you use certain items more often than others, it must be stored and placed where you can easily see and reach out to it, rather than putting these all the way to the back of the storage.

Photo Credit: LouAnneClark/Pixabay

4. Get rid of old items if you bring home a new one.

Cycling through your items regularly greatly reduces the clutter. If you’ve got a new mop, there’s no use to keep the old one since you won’t use it anymore. You also don’t need to dump old items in the garage. Why not have a garage sale or donate your old stuff at tip shops?

Mouthwatering Cinnabon Opens New Brisbane Store in Mt Gravatt

Sugar and spice and everything nice. Southside residents, you’re in for a fantastic Valentine’s Day treat! Cinnabon Australia is opening its second Brisbane store at Westfield Garden City on Friday, the 14th of February 2020.

You can finally grab a fresh ‘bon in the oven at the Cinnabon store on the second level of the shopping centre opposite Stefan as early as 8:00 a.m. The U.S. bakery chain is famous for making a fresh batch of its ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls every half-hour so customers always get ’em hot and soft. 



To avoid the long lines on opening day, you may pre-order a CinnaPack online to be picked up at its Westfield Garden City outlet. This pick-up option will be operational any day of the week so you’re free to choose a convenient date beginning 14 Feb.  

Photo Credit: Cinnabon Australia/Facebook

CinnaPacks come in a box of four or nine (MiniBons) and you can choose from the following flavours:

  • Cinnabon Classics
  • Caramel PecanBon
  • Mixed Cinnabon
  • ChocoBon

Queensland company Bansai Group is responsible for bringing the famous cinnamon buns to Australia. The company opened its first Brisbane store at the Toombul Shopping Centre in Nundah just before Christmas in 2019. It plans to open 50 more stores all over Australia in the next five years.

As with its first Brisbane store, Cinnabon Westfield Garden City offers coffee, frappes and heaps of sinfully sweet drinks to pair with the food. Check the official site for its trading hours.



Top Christmas Events Happening at Mt Gravatt Plaza

As the days wind down until Christmas, Mt Gravatt Plaza has a few more activities lined up to warm up joy. Feel the spirit of the holiday by visiting this shopping centre on Creek Road.

Here are the Christmas activities you can expect during your visit until the 24th of December 2019.

Kids Christmas Craft

When10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Until the 21st of Dec 2019
Where Outside Chatterbox

Bring your kids to Mt Gravatt Plaza for a few hours of fun and enriching crafting activities. The children will be taught to make paper baubles or decorate their own gingerbread at this FREE event. There’s no need to book a slot, so feel free to drop by with your little ones.

Charity Gift Wrapping

When9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Weekdays)
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Weekends)
Until the 22nd of Dec 2019
Where Outside Coles

Since it’s the season of giving, you can take part in a charity drive by having your Christmas gifts beautifully wrapped in exchange for a gold coin donation. One wrapped present equals one gold coin donation. Proceeds will go to The Lions Club of Greater Mount Gravatt Mansfield Inc

Photo Credit: Mt Gravatt Plaza/Facebook


Gifs with Santa

When10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. daily
Until the 24 of Dec 2019
Where Outside Coles

The kids would surely love a Christmas keepsake with Santa Claus so head down to the Santa Booth for a photoshoot with the jolly old man. A digital copy of the moving photos (gifs) and still photos will be emailed to the parents. The children will also get a free photo book.

This is another FREE event and every participant has a chance to win a $200 gift voucher from Mt Gravatt Plaza retailers if they publicly share their gifs on social media. Use the hashtag  #mtgravattplaza to be considered for the draw. Winners will be picked on the 24th of Dec 2019.



While you’re there, you may also shop for ingredients for your Christmas Day feast. Mt Gravatt Plaza has two grocery stores, a butcher shop, a seafood market and a bakery. 

The centre also provides ample covered parking spaces for Christmas rush shoppers. The stores open at 9:00 a.m.