Quan 55 & Bar
If you visit Quan 55 in search of a traditional Vietnamese restaurant, you might just be disappointed. Quan 55 is all that and more. Wynn Huynh, who owns Quan 55 with her husband Thanh Tram, is the first to tell us that she has never felt confined by expectations. So, you should expect the unexpected! […]
Ramen Danbo
If you thought that ramen was just a version of two-minute noodles, how wrong you are! There’s instant ramen (or two-minute-noodles) and then there’s ramen, a revered cultural dish. Hard to fathom, we know, so as we face the cultural divide, it’s best to talk to an expert. We catch up with Andrew Hosaka-Zaniewski, to […]
Helena’s Espresso
A couple of years ago, there was a little tranquil haven overlooking the lake at Royal Pines, a cute bakery and espresso bar named after its owner, Helena Jaffar. But times change. Despite its merit, Helena’s Espresso was subsumed by redevelopment. Now, eighteen months later, Helena has found a new site for her café in […]
Goccia Italian Pizzeria
There’s nothing more perfect than an Italian lunch – a little antipasti to start, a light pizza to share, washed down with a glass of chianti and maybe something sweet to finish. What could be better on a glorious spring day? That’s exactly what we find at Goccia in Mermaid Waters.Upload Files We’ve met Anna […]
Dim Sum Delights, Robina
Tucked away from the busy coastal precincts in a small suburban shopping centre, Yum Cha Delights is one of the Gold Coast’s favourite yum cha restaurants. Opened early in 2011 by the Lei family, its ‘all-day yum cha’ menu is loved by locals, many of whom the owners know by name. Its convenience, good food […]
The Cuban
The glamour of Cuba in the 1950s is legendary. In the favoured holiday destination of movie stars and celebrities, at chic bars and stylish restaurants, tables were laden with food and mojitos flowed. Socialites partied on in a haze of cigar smoke, their drivers waiting outside in Studebakers lined along the street. But trouble was […]
Krish Indian
“I’ve been told that this place has positive energies and a good aura,” Devi tells me. I look around at the two huge mandalas painted on the mirror-tiled back wall of the restaurant, a bronze goddess resting on a pedestal beside me, the accent colours vibrant and rich. I could use some ‘good energy’ right […]
Taboon, Robina
I’ve never been to the Middle East, but as we sit in Taboon feasting on its fresh salads and smoky grilled meats, I gain a little glimpse of its culture. Since its opening ten years ago, Taboon at Robina has established a reputation for fresh, vibrant modern Middle Eastern cuisine. Consistency has been the key […]
Tuk Tuk Thai
You know how it is. You’re hungering for those clean fresh flavours of Thai food – something with a bit of a hit, but not too bad for you; flavours that linger on your tongue rather than fatty fried food for a change. Tucked into the corner of Easy T Centre in Robina is a […]
The Island Boutique Hotel
There’s something special about heritage places, especially when they’ve been reborn. It’s as though those who’ve gone before have trod the floorboards, breathed the air and imbued into the building a sense of place. There’s all that and more at The Island. The original five-level tower, built in 1964 by Greg Graham and Bill Reichelt, […]