Okay, I didn't post this review right after lunch, like I normally do. Blame it on the lazy sun and mild winter's day and general laid-back feeling we had at BearBrass.
This place is a bit strange inside. I think it used to be a Swedish restaurant, and the decor shows it. Kind of like a grooved-up Ikea display. Not very cohesive, mind you, but at least the food wasn't affected. We had some excellent main courses: my Sumac-seared Rare Tuna, which was marred only by being too salty on one edge, and Dave's Chicken and Vegetable Casserole, which was a lot nicer than its humble name would suggest. We enjoyed these dishes while lounging back on a low couch, basking in the sun and light breeze coming through the open door and large windows. Desserts were excellent too: Almond and Praline Cheesecake, which was too rich for me to finish, and a Chocolate Pudding, which Dave enjoyed but judged not quite as good as the one we had at Box.
Prices are reasonable for Southbank - mains were around $15 to $20, desserts around $6 to $8. Service, unfortunately, was as lazy as the day itself. We had to wait at the entrance and initiate an exchange with a passing waiter in order to get seated. Water was self-service, so I suppose they don't have to pass the auto-refill test (but they wouldn't). Thankfully, because of the mood of the afternoon, we didn't really mind the lack of service much.
The restrooms were in keeping with the rest of the decor - funky panelling, bold forms. No soap, however. Tsk, tsk.
All in all, the food was good, but the rest of the place could use some polishing up.
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Dave's summary: "I can't be bothered."
Probability that we will return: 28 / 42
Note that the probability rating is affected by the fact that there are hundreds of places to eat around here.