Jan Powers Farmers Markets – December 11

These markets are famous around Brisbane for their fresh produce, variety of vendors, and plethora of treats. The markets are hitting the fair Gold Coast on December 11 from 7am to 1pm at The Oracle in Broadbeach. Grab some edible holiday gifts; stock up on olives and antipasti; and buy some fresh meat and produce for a holiday party.

Christmas Corporate Ladies Lunch – TOMORROW

The last Corporate Ladies Lunch raised over $3000 for the Gold Coast Hospital Foundation Children’s Ward. This time, help benefit Paradise Kids, plus enjoy a tasty three course meal and live entertainment. Tickets are $100. Email events@wiltshirelawyers.com.au for more info, or phone 07 5554 1555.

Gold Coast Food & Wine Expo – January 20-22, 2012

Okay, you got me: this last event has really nothing to do with Christmas at all. But it’s going to be so awesome that I figured you guys needed advance notice! Over 100 exhibitors will be at this year’s expo, showcasing gourmet food, wines, and the latest recipe and meal ideas. Held at the Gold Coast Convention Centre, confirmed exhibitors include Cedar Creek Cellars, Kingaroy Cheese, Sirromet Wines, and Bistro Tea. Check out the website for more info.

Simon visits the new deli-style shop inside the Hilton at Surfers Paradise.

To be honest with you, I initially wasn’t to sure about the idea of a deli placed within a hotel… but the more I thought about it, the greater my curiosity became about the delivery of the concept.  Over the years, I have frequented a number of “delis” around Brisbane and the Gold Coast, but those that have remained true to the ideal of a delicatessen have become fewer. Many of them have slipped into becoming coffee shops that happen to serve a selection of fancy condiments and imported goods, usually at overly inflated prices.
The concept of a “European Deli” has always been one of quality produce and products, sourced both from afar and, much more importantly, from local producers.  This however is something that is seen less and less now in Queensland, sadly enough.
So, I ventured to the relatively new (opened in Sept 2010) Hilton Surfers Paradise and was greeted by the lovely Chelsea.  After giving me a quick tour of Luke Mangan’s signature restaurant Salt Grill, and the mixologist Grant Collins’ stylish Fix Cocktail Bar, we returned to The Food Store.
The Food Store stretches the length of the lobby walkway, from the Hilton’s Orchid Avenue entrance through to reception, providing easy access to both curious public and hotel guests alike. Featuring rich dark wood paneling, stainless steel floor-to-ceiling chilling cabinets, and shelves of delicacies from around the world, ones’ eye is immediately drawn to it.  Whether you find yourself perusing the multitude of gourmet delights or taking a seat to savour a selection from the cabinets with a glass of wine, you easily slip into a little moment of indulgence.
I sat down with The Food Stores’ executive chef, Thomas Pirker.

As he stepped me through a beautiful selection of sliced meats, cheeses and antipasti, he went into great detail about each item on the board and how it had been sourced. Many of the products are produced by local farmers and suppliers established around  the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Byron Bay regions.  Thomas strongly believes that we have some truly incredible produce here in Australia, which he has gathered from as far north as the tablelands, west of Cairns, and as far south as Tasmania. All of these quality Australian delectables share pride of place with cheeses from France, ham from Spain, and sausages from Italy.
As my taste buds were seduced by the rich marbling of dried Wagyu beef, the gentle aniseed flavour of the fennel seed encrusted salami, and the smooth creaminess of Fromager Des Clarines (a french cheese), I was impressed not only by the quality of the food before me but also by Thomas’ passion for what he has brought to life.  The concept was to provide a place where people could select quality produce from an extensive array that is not readily available anywhere else on the Gold Coast.  The expert staff of The Food Store are enthusiastic about what they are serving and are incredibly helpful  when choices are to be made from the vast selection on hand.
Customers have the option of building a tasting board of cheeses, antipasti, meats and patisserie items to dine upon at the long communal table or to take away for a quiet night at home. For guests of the hotel, they can choose to have their selection delivered to their room with a chilled bottle of wine.  In addition to this, there is also a cafe-style menu of temptations – if you find selecting from the towering cabinets of charcuterie and cheeses a bit overwhelming.
Whether you want a late afternoon meeting over a cheeseboard with a glass of wine, a light meal complemented by some great coffee, or you need to collect some beautiful ingredients for a gathering of friends at home, The Food Store lends itself to all of these situations and many more.  It is this combination of fine food, passionate staff, and comfortable ambiance makes it a desirable destination for anyone who truly loves food.  I doubt it will be long before I find myself there again.

The Food Store
Hilton Surfers Paradise
6 Orchid Avenue
Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast
(07) 5680 8000

http://www.hiltonsurfersparadise.com.au/restaurant-the-food-store.html

Simon was a guest of The Food Store. Many thanks

Take it away Simes!

I must admit, this is the second time that I have been to the Frog & Turtle Cafe.  The first time was a couple of months ago when we had friends from Brisbane visiting us and we dropped into the cafe for a late-ish (2pm) lunch.  At the time, the service was good, and the food delicious, but the menu a bit sparse in its offerings.  I was going to do a review back then but time got away from me… thanks to life/work/etc.

Since then, the Frog & Turtle Cafe (or the FnT as they like to abbreviate it) have re-designed their menus, and gone online with a new website in an effort to share their cafe’s concept of “Your home away from home“.  Thus, I decided that maybe I should go back and make another attempt at writing a review.

This time, my visit was just before midday on a Saturday, where I was greeted by a friendly waitress quite promptly, in spite of the cafe being rather busy.  I was guided to a table in the outside area and informed that, even though the breakfast menu was closing in a matter of minutes (breakfast is from 7am-12pm), I was free to choose from either menu (the lunchtime menu runs from 12pm-3pm, but includes a smaller selection of breakfast dishes for the “all day breakfast” diner). After ordering a flat white, I spent some time perusing both menus, and generally absorbing the atmosphere.

The FnT sits just off the busy Gold Coast Highway in Burleigh Heads, with plenty of nearby street parking  (unusual in this part of the coast).  The noise from the passing traffic fades into the background of the outside area (thanks to the clear cafe blinds), and is further masked by the sound of people talking and generally enjoying their food.

The inside area is very cosy and unpretentious, with a couple of couches that seem to beg for you to sit down and relax.  The front counter is dominated by a glass cabinet that has an additional selection of tasty looking treats – definitely check these out before placing your final order.

The new menus are a big step up from their predecessors.  Breakfast options were extensive, with a definite emphasis that dishes can be modified to meet individual tastes, with prices ranging from $7 to $18.  I was immediately drawn to their “specialty” of Eggs Benedict, especially when it was described as “2 poach eggs, served atop sautéed mushroom and onion, on turkish, with creamy homemade hollandaise, with bacon, spinach or salmon“.  I mentioned to my waitress that it was a curious offering to have it served on “sautéed mushroom and onion”, and was quickly told that if I would prefer it differently, the chef would be happy to oblige.  As I sometimes attempt to be a bit adventurous and try new things, I ordered the Eggs Benedict with Spinach ($13.50), as it was suggested on the menu.

The Vivo coffee blend that FnT uses has quite a creamy finish, but is not as strong or full-bodied as I normally prefer my coffee.  However, it was a well made coffee and still made for a good cup, which inevitably led me to ordering a second one when my meal came out.

My Eggs Benedict arrived, looking almost identical to how they were pictured on the menu.  The eggs were beautifully poached, with clean intact whites around soft golden yokes.  The sautéed mushroom and onion, with the spinach mixed in, was tasty and well cooked, with all of this being positioned on top of a generous serving of turkish bread.  Unfortunately, the hollandaise sauce turned out to be quite bland, leaving the mushrooms to be the defining flavour of the dish.  This was a little disappointing as the presentation was great, and the other elements of the dish were definitely there.  I suspect that the issue with the sauce was not enough lemon juice in its preparation, but this may have just been the chef’s own interpretation of hollandaise sauce.

FnT may have missed me with their Eggs Benedict this time, but during my previous visit, my friends and I all enjoyed our selections from the lunch menu. Here’s the tasty burger we ordered last time:

The service at the FnT is sincere and enthusiastic, with the staff making every effort to cater to their customers’ needs, while the surroundings itself are laid back, comfortable, and inviting.  There is a lot of potential here, especially with their upcoming Nights@FnT, which look to include a curry night and a pasta night.

The Frog & Turtle Cafe is somewhere that I would definitely recommend trying – you may even find it’s a good home away from home.

The Frog and Turtle Cafe

1863 Gold Coast Highway

Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast

(07) 5576 3933

http://www.frogandturtlecafe.com

One thing I haven’t forgotten? The AWESOME OMG !!!!111!! YEAH seafood from Uno.

Seriously – the best seafood I’ve had in the sunshine state! The said seafood comes on a platter. You can share it with your honey (hi D!), or you can throw caution to those cholesterol-heavy winds and dig in all by yourself.

What I love about Uno’s seafood is the way it’s cooked. There’s no deep frying, batter-heavy stuff here. The seafood is fresh, grilled or flash fried, and is barely seasoned – the way seafood should be. If it’s terrific seafood, you don’t need to drown it in oil and spices. Let’s put it this way: I bit into a piece of calimari and thought it must have been a french fry, it was that tender. The platter is a bit exxy, but it’s certainly value for money, and comes laden with calamari, prawns, and other goodies.

Along with our seafood platter we ordered a margarita pizza – also very tasty with a nice thin crust.

The service at Uno is downright charming. This is probably because most of the waiters have very heavy Italian accents. I think even D was swooning.

It can be a bit of a gamble dining along the restaurant strip in Broadbeach, but I’ve dined at Uno a few times now and the seafood always rocks.

Uno

Restaurant

4/90 Surf Parade,

Broadbeach, QLD

Room 81 has a very extensive cocktail menu featuring old favourites like Mai Tais and Cosmos ($12 each), as well as unusual combinations like a lychee and rose martini or blueberry martini ($12),  or a sweet dessert drink modelled on banoffee pie.

D went off to the bar to order me a Curaracha Martini (vodka, mango, chilli, $10) and himself a Maple Julep (Markers Mark, Maple Syrup, mint, $12). Our drinks were taking a while to arrive, although I didn’t mind as Room 81 has some damn fine comfy seats. There are even day beds, so you can stretch out and imbibe in comfort.

After wondering where our drinks were, I asked D if he had ordered the right ones.

“Of course I did,” he said indignantly. “I ordered your curaracha and I ordered my youlep.”

Cue peals of laughter from me, and D frowning and looking confused.

“Youlep?? YOULEP?” I squawked.

Eventually, our drinks arrived with many apologies from the waiter who also warned us they were two of the strongest drinks on the menu.

My martini was fantastic – yes, it was very strong, but the combination of fresh mango and bitey chilli was amazing and something I’d never experienced in a drink. D’s Mint Youlep was not for the faint hearted – it had just a faint maple flavour, but I’m sure all die-hard bourbon drinkers would love the intensity.

Room 81 is quite the find: it’s cosy, comfortable, classy, well-priced, and has fantastic cocktails. Just try not to be blindsided by the menu as D was – and remember we’re not in Mexico. A J is a j, not a y.

Room 81

Cocktail Bar & Restaurant

Sofitel Hotel

81 Surf Parade
Broadbeach
(07) 5592 2250

Open Tuesday-Saturday

http://sofitelgoldcoast.com.au/room81-restaurant-bar/broadbeach-dining.html

But dairy + alcohol? Fail.

We were at Moo Moo, a Broadbeach steakhouse and funky bar, when we came to this realisation. We were just there for drinks (although the menu is massive, and looks fantastic), and I had ordered their signature cocktail – the Moooo Moo ($15). The Moooo Moo is a “smooth blend of four liquers, and ice cream”. It was beautifully presented in a martini glass, and was rimmed with rich chocolate sauce. I tasted a bit of Bailey’s, maybe some Kahlua, and a whole lot of creaminess. This cocktail was definitely one of the best I’ve ever had. It was milky and sweet, but with a bit of a kick. Definitely one of those ‘dessert cocktails’, but I live dangerously and do dessert in both solid and liquid form.

D had gotten a Blush* ($13 – gin, lemoncillo, cranberry, fresh lime), which was fruity and tasty, but promptly ordered a Moooo Moo once he’d tasted mine. Our drinks were brought over to our table quickly by the pleasant waitress.

Again, we proceeded to slurp on our creamy, rich drinks, trying not to froth at the mouth. Sure, it was a rich drink – but we could handle it, right?

Wrong. I could handle it. D spent the rest of the night clutching his belly.

“I’ve had too much milk,” he moaned. “Too much Moo Moo.”

I put it down to him just having a sensitive stomach. The Moooo Moo is freaking amazing, and it is a delight to enjoy one is such cool and chic surrounds.

Who said milk was a bad choice?

Moo Moo

Bar and Grill

Broadbeach on the Park

2685 Gold Coast Highway

Broadbeach, Gold Coast

(also in Brisbane and Fiji)

(07) 5539 9952

http://www.moomoorestaurant.com/

*my memory fails me. We’re sure D ordered the Blush, but we could be wrong. Moo Moo staff, if this drink doesn’t look like the Blush, apologies, and please let me know!

Such was the case during a recent visit to Manolas Brothers Deli in Broadbeach. This Deli always has an amazing array of cakes, slices, cookies, and tarts. The tart we were eyeing was the Pecan Maple. With dessert sorted (we also decided on the White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake, because damned if I’m ending up with a half piece of cake), we attempted to order lunch.

I say ‘attempted’ because again, there is an amazing variety of food on Manolas’ breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu. Burgers, salads, deli sandwiches, curries, and pasta are made to order, or you can peruse the deli cabinet for fresh salads and savoury baked goods.

I went with my standby – the Paprika Chicken Salad ($7.50 for a small). I’ve gotten this salad on nearly every visit and I always love it. Served cold, it’s packed with sweet potato, crisp snow peas, tender chicken, and shallots. Everything is covered in this fantastic sweet chilli dressing that always has me dragging my finger across the plate at the end.

D got the Tortilla Stack, which was a generous serve of a colourful looking layered creation. Strips of vegies, chicken, cheese, and tortilla were stacked up and made a delicious, hearty meal.

Not too hearty, though – we had some maple to get through.

The maple pecan tart was INSANE. They warmed it up. They sprinkled powdered sugar on it. They didn’t serve ice cream on the side (we primly said no. We’re not greedy). As soon as your fork cracked through the  nutty surface, gooey maple sauce oozed all over the plate. Oh my. We basically moaned our way through the tart, which had an excellent crisp crust.

Meanwhile poor ol’ Mr Cheesecake was getting neglected, so I begrudgingly started eating him. He was delicious, though – baked, but with a light and whippy texture. The two flavours contrasted nicely and made it a very flavoursome cake.

I love this deli, for the food, the range, the low prices, and the swift service. If they can find a way to incorporate maple into the savoury menu, or perhaps have Ryan Reynolds as a waiter here and there, I might be feeling more at home than I thought.

Manolas Brothers Deli

Deli and Cafe

Shop 17A / 19 Albert Ave
Aria Building
Broadbeach, 4218

(07) 5538 8223

http://www.m-b-d.com.au/index.html

Picture this: Seven giggly, shrieking females. One just giggly female (I am not a shrieker). Glittery confetti thrown all over the table. A blow up doll resting on a seat. Cupcakes with marzipan penis’ on top, presented to the waitstaff for safe keeping and eventual plating up. Loud descriptions of way too much information about a certain Bride to Be’s personal life.

Welcome to a Hen’s Night.

Alto, a restaurant and bar at Broadbeach, handled this with gracious aplomb. Penis cakes? No worries, they’ll even draw a chocolate penis on the plate. A blow up doll? It’s cool. Confetti? No worries. Shrieking females? Well, we didn’t bother the waitstaff, but I must apologise to a few diners for our enthusiastic behaviour. The service at Alto was stellar, and the cocktails were to die for.

I started with a Pad Thai ($16, right), a very creative drink with Malibu, Bacardi, coconut milk, fresh lemongrass, coriander, and lime. This was so refreshing – there were actual chunks of lemongrass in the drink, and the flavour combination was perfect. Some of my pals got the Crying Baby Jesus – oddly named, but again a tasty drink. The award of the night went to the Alt-Oreo ($16). This. Was. Insane. Dessert in a glass, with a kick. Creme de Cacao White Liquer, Creme de menthe, cream, milk, oreos, and ice cream were all mixed up, delivered to my mouth, and awarded a round of applause by my tastebuds and belly. It tasted more like a Mint Slice than an Oreo, but the chunks of Oreo cookie all over the top made up for that. Alto have a really terrific cocktail menu – there’s a huge range to suit all sweet, tangy, creamy, and traditional cocktail tastes.

Most of our meals were good, and I thought they were excellent value. My Antipasto Plate ($19, below) was huge. Two massive hunks of cheese – one a very good blue – were accompanied by pancetta, prosciutto, fetta, bocconcini, grilled and sun-dried vegies, and crusty bread. This was an absolutely enormous plate, filled with high-quality products.

I tried some of the pizza (from $17.50), which I loved – the crust was light and crispy, the toppings piled on. Another friend raved about her pasta dish, and the thing was so huge she barely made a dent in it. Unfortunately another friend’s meatballs (‘Nonna’s Meatballs’, $13.90) were unevenly cooked, and she had to abandon her dish halfway through. We probably should have let the waitstaff know as I’m sure she would have been compensated, but still – it shouldn’t have happened in the first place.

The Alto menu is terrific for groups – it’s huge, and has a large amount of platters, as well as mains, sides, entrees, and snacks. The ambiance is very cool too, and is a welcome change from some of the harsh venues of the Gold Coast. It’s dimly lit, decorated in a modern and chic way, and has lots of seating  yet still feels cosy.

So, thank you Alto, for a damn terrific cocktail and for patiently putting up with our onslaught of estrogen. I think they’d even let me eat my peas any way I wanted.

Alto

Restaurant and Bar

Shop 47, The Oasis Shopping Centre

Broadbeach Mall, Gold Coast

(07) 5539 0377

www.altocucina.com.au

What up? I’m A-dawg. I started blogging at www.eatdrinkbrisbane.com, EDGC’s bigger sister. I started EDGC because I frequently visit the fair coastal strip, and like to see how much I can eat before I’ll sink in the salty ocean.

Remember, I studied advertising, not culinary skills: so take whatever you read on here with a grain of salt. I always give a fair opinion, and I always try not to express my views on something I’m not educated in.

I always welcome love mail (don’t be hatin’), so email me at eatdrinkgoldcoast@gmail.com if you want to get in touch. You can also visit the sophisticted eldest sibling of the EatDrink family, www.eatdrinkmelb.com

Update: March 1, 2011. I have temporarily moved back to Canada, but am committed to keeping EDGC running! As such, I’m always on the lookout for guest reviewers to keep the site shiny and new while I’m away. Email me if you’re keen!