Red Hot Cod

Simon Scott lives and breathes the ocean. Born and raised on the Gold Coast, Simon’s a keen surfer and fisherman. When he’s not out on the ocean, he’s in the kitchen cooking the catch. So, it’s understandable that when Simon and his wife Buffie opened a seafood shop in Burleigh it would be within sight […]

Lucky Bao

They say that the mark of great food is whether you remember when, where and who you were with when you ate it… Even the smell and sensation of texture can linger on… That’s not all I remember. Memories of my bao epiphany featured groans punctuated by exclamation: “Bloody hell! That’s the best damn bun […]

Tonic on Chirn, Labrador

With the village-like hub of Chirn Park a rising star in Gold Coast dining, Tonic on Chirn is a tried and true local hero, an establishment where we can recommend food, drink, ambience and service as being equally important and on point. Walk into Tonic on Chirn, and you could be mistaken for thinking that […]

Harajuku Gyoza Beer Stadium

Get on your ‘little Japanese dumplings of happy’ and get down to Harajuku Gyoza in the Broadbeach Mall. If the combination of beer and gyoza is not enough to put you into a spin, add the zany elements of ‘Harajuku’ and you’ll be doubly happy! The largest of seven outlets of the phenomenally successful chain […]

First Fruits Coffee Café & Roastery

It’s been almost two years since Daniel Smith set up First Fruits Coffee with a business partner in a tiny space in Ashmore. Visiting the Cotlew Street alleyway shopfront where they not only roasted beans but also sold coffee, space was at a premium. Sitting on coffee bags was almost an option! From the level […]

The Roost @ 53

It had been bucketing rain during the night but Mel had been up since 3am baking the Turkish buns for our breakfast. She didn’t know the buns would be for us, but we’d decided the night before that we’d score an early brekkie at The Roost@53 on the way to work. The Roost@53 is not […]

Euphoria Espresso Café

It’s a pleasant surprise when you don’t expect too much from a corner coffee shop and then find out that all the food’s made by the chef in the oven you can see, that the coffee’s great and the service friendly and attentive. Euphoria Espresso Café is a rare watering hole in the urban jungle […]

Frigg Café

The pizza arrives, a steaming plateful of cheesy topping dripping over the edges of the crust onto the giant-sized plate. It’s huge, far too big for my appetite, and this is only one slice of pizza! It’s lunchtime in Disneyland, the place ‘where all your dreams come true.’ Someone’s dreams, perhaps, but some of my […]

Two Wise Fish

After spending a lot of fruitless time fishing, I’m of the opinion that there are more than two wise fish in the ocean. Experience tells me that there are lots of fish who were canny enough to snatch bait from my line without being caught. From our past fish shop experiences on the Gold Coast, […]

Crab Carnival 2018 at The Balcony Bar, Byron Bay

“Are you sure you want to go out in this weather?” he asks. “Crabs!” I reply. Just one word. It’s enough to get us moving from the comfort of the lounge, out into a storm wild enough to blow crabs up onto the beach; not enough deterrent, though, to keep us from eating crabs with […]