Valentine’s Day. I’m not cooking. We have no reservation for dinner. Disaster! Time to think outside the square, off the strip, into the unknown. Frankly, we’re not off to a good start, but armed with our bottle of Black Chook Sparkling Burgundy, we venture out into the night. Kinoto’s a tiny shop lost in the...

CocoLuscious. The name says it all. Coconut milk based, this fully organic dairy-free ice cream is simply luscious! It’s the ice cream of choice of some of our top Queensland chefs, the accompaniment to fine desserts, but we prefer it on its own – its raw natural goodness a rich delicious treat. The story of...

There’s something Tardis-like about Stairwell Coffee. Landed smack in the middle of ‘Asian Alley’, Surfers Paradise, its smart fire-engine red frontage and clear vintage branding stand out against the surrounding Babel-like confusion of hand-written signage and dishevelled shop fronts. The Centre Arcade is one of the oldest and least aesthetic arcades in Surfers, commonly termed...

UPDATE: We’ve eaten several times at Social, including with vegans, gluten and lactose intolerants all at the same table! On every occasion our needs were gracefully accommodated, with Matt’s food surpassing our expectations. We give Social our highest recommendation for both food and service. —————————————————————————- Social Eating House + Bar takes ‘smart’ to a new...

What’s life on the Goldie without a cocktail by the pool? Longboards Laidback Eatery & Bar has one of the most spectacular views on the Gold Coast across an infinity edged-pool to the towering spectacle of Q1 beyond. Locals may have driven past the imposing iron-clad building on Garfield Terrace and assumed that it was...

There’s more than a touch of a French provincial town market in Ambarella Fine Foods. With its black and grey striped shop awnings, reproduction chandeliers, potted herbs and flowers accenting the displays, Mediterranean-influenced groceries for sale, a French patisserie and boulangerie, and even a kitchenware shop replete with Julia Child inspired cookware, it’s a lush...

We first came across Bačka Gourmet Foods at the Carrara Markets, while checking out the Farmers Market. Venturing inside, it was hard not to miss their stall: “…then we struck gold: Bačka Gourmet Foods, a stall stacked full of European smallgoods, all gluten-free, preservative and additive free, the smoky aromas drifting out into the market....

There’s a bit of dining competition around the Aqua building in Labrador, and it’s not hard to see why. From there you can cast your eyes over an amazing view of the sparkling Broadwater, follow the action of boats and seagulls, and take your pick from a few restaurants’ menus. So why does Café Gold...

Murasaki is one of the most popular teppanyaki restaurants in Broadbeach, conveniently located plump in the middle of the action on the corner of Surf Parade and Victoria Street. It’s Friday night and the family’s in town, one of them gluten intolerant. Japanese fits well – rice is OK, and teppanyaki fulfils the entertainment criteria....

My early culinary memories of the Gold Coast involve The Shell Bar on Cavill Avenue, Froggy and Woggy’s (Orchid Avenue) and Itoshin. Owner Tomy Ito and chef husband Shin opened Itoshin in North Burleigh about thirty years ago. My comments in the ‘Mietta’s..’ guide of 2001 were: “Sit in this funky restaurant and read the...