The Wine Barrel

Coast dwellers now have a new reason to cross the highway, as The Wine Barrel opens its doors for breakfast. Besides our love of ‘the village’, The Wine Barrel holds a special place in our hearts. Nothing about it has been ordinary from the start, nor is it now. Their new breakfast menu is a […]

Yamagen’s Friday Lunch by Asahi

Yamagen’s ‘Friday Lunch by Asahi’ is an introduction to delight; a finely nuanced mini-degustation of the best of the best. I’m a huge fan of the long lunch. There’s no better start to the weekend than the Friday afternoon ‘flex’. As you leave work early to slip away for a sneaky lunch, there’s a hint […]

Caffe Republic, Bundall

For the first time in several years, the crunch is on for eateries with almost as many restaurants closing as opening.  In 2018, cafés and restaurants are facing stiff competition for the food dollar. Prepared foods from grocery and convenience stores and meal delivery services continue to attract busy consumers who seek convenience over experience. […]

Le Café Gourmand

A display of brightly coloured chairs on the Cronulla corner of the highway in Mermaid Beach marks a little French café / restaurant! The bright attitude is obvious. “Here I am!” the chairs exclaim: Le Café Gourmand! One of our fondest memories of France is wandering through little country villages, ‘discovering’ a café to enjoy […]

Black Sheep Bistro

If there’s an unsung hero of the northern dining scene, it’s the Black Sheep Bistro. Located not far from the Oxenford turnoff, the Black Sheep is a local favourite, especially for its weekend breakfasts and lunches. To Australians, ‘black sheep’ carries the connotation of a stray, or disreputable family member. However, my New Zealand childhood […]

The Milkman’s Daughter

We love pretty spaces and pretty food but, even more, food needs to taste great and be good for us. It’s the fuel we choose, after all. Sometimes these factors don’t all come together. Sometimes Instagram leads to unrealistic expectations and, in the ‘flesh’, the food experience disappoints. Opened by the very creative Morgan Walsh […]

A Sweet Plate of Tapas

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. Owners Colleen and Shaun Measday have embraced the venue’s heritage, building its sophistication […]

Scoring a deal on lunch

When you’re on holidays or retired, lunch can be the main meal of the day. It’s a cost-saving choice of travellers as lunch deals abound, as well as a good health move to eat lighter at night. But sometimes finding the deals is harder than it seems, especially if you’re looking online. Here are some […]

A Food Journey to Cambodia

Cambodian-born Bernie (Bunnath) and his wife Ivy are the owners of the Gold Coast’s only Cambodian restaurant, Bunnath Kitchen, where they serve traditional Khmer dishes, modernised just a little for the Australian palate. The distinctly exotic flavours and aroma of lemongrass, turmeric and other herbs hand-pounded into a paste known as ‘kreoung’ distinguishes Khmer dishes […]

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 […]