Dressed up for date night, coiffed, perfumed, accessorised. Should I pack my camera? It’s our fifth wedding anniversary and The Main Squeeze has managed to keep the venue a secret. “Be ready at 5pm,” was all he’d said.
I cast my memory back to our first date. Dressed up, coiffed, perfumed and accessorised, I’d anticipated an exciting evening with a man I’d known only a week or so, but really liked. Venue?
He took me to the Workers’ Club.
There. I’ve said it! His unit was just around the corner, but that was not the ulterior motive. He wanted to make sure I was not too snobby about food.
Risky! But I’ve always had a dining strategy for questionable situations that has seen me through. Choose the dish least likely to be stuffed up: toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches at pit stops in country towns; in this case a roast with salad. To this day I remember the new carpet, a most exciting visual experience!
Nine years later, a part of me anticipates disaster! Surely he wouldn’t…
Happy days! We pull up in front of The Little Plate. Marriage saved!
The Little Plate has been one of our firm favourites over the past few years, although the nature of blog writing precludes a regular hangout. It fits the ‘interesting food and good service, comfortable casual surroundings, licensed with the option of BYO’ scenario, which satisfies many diners.
Knowing it’s our anniversary, Gaynor and Liv send out a plate of Numus and two glasses of sparkling wine. Informed! Raw seafood (in all its guises) is one of my major food groups of choice! Champagne (at a guess Chandon)? Another of my major food groups! [For the uninitiated, numus is a ceviche-like dish where the raw fish is pickled using vinegar and/or lemon, with the added flavours of ginger, palm sugar, garlic, soy and chilli.]
I order a Pomegranate cocktail of blood orange, elderflower and pink grapefruit, kicked along by a dose of vodka. [Didn’t get one of those at the Workers’ nine years ago!]
Our entrées of Scallops with chorizo, pumpkin mash and candied raisins and Beef carpaccio with rocket, enoki mushrooms and truffle oil are testament to the fact that great fresh ingredients prepared simply are always a winner.
Flying by now, the specials are announced and I choose Honey lavender spring lamb… instead of Roast pork fillet…, picturing little cutlets with whatever…
OMG!
I’ve probably eaten enough already, and when my main arrives, it’s really generous in size! Served with EVO roasted potatoes, Greek salad and tzatziki, it’s a fresh mounded dish of delight.
Meal envy takes over as I taste the other main. The pork is served with crab meat, ricotta, asparagus, and a thyme wine cream reduction sauce. It’s elegant and rich, and when the tang of lemon myrtle hits my taste buds, I declare it a triumph!
He demurs: “I’ll leave you some, darling, and we can swap.” Now that is love! We take our time enjoying each morsel, even finding room for dessert. After all, it is a special night!
Delicious food, excellent service, and by 8pm we’ve finished our meal. A perfect anniversary! And the night is still young!
Shop 11/3 Deodar Drive, Burleigh Heads Ph: 0499 724 303
Find our other review of The Little Plate here.