09 Apr 2013
New and exciting Gold Coast dining opportunities ensure visitors a tasty complement to their next Queensland coastal escape. Having attracted prominent restaurateurs and operators from the southern capitals and around the world to progress this dynamic region, has ensured locations such as Main Beach, Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Coolangatta and the Hinterland remain highly regarded for their delectable choice of dining options. See below the latest from Australia's favourite playground.
WHAT'S NEW
- Helm Surfers Paradise Opens on the Gold Coast
- The Escarpment Joins Forces With Tamborine Cooking School
- The Oracle Foodies Guide
- Palazzo Versace Unveils Monthly Chef Master Classes
- Hanlan's Bar & Restaurant's Brand New Seafood Buffet
- New Tastes at Marine Village, Sanctuary Cove
- The Fish House Heralds New Era of Dining at Burleigh
- New Autumn Menus at Chill on Tedder
- Black Coffee Lyrics Launches Degustation Menu
- New Chef at Videre
- Prime Restaurant At Jupiters Hotel & Casino
- La Bocca at Currumbin RSL
WHAT'S ON
- A La Carte in the Park (21 April)
- Fox Creek Wine Night at Palazzo Versace (22 May)
- O'Reilly's Canungra Valley Vineyards Launches 2013 Events Calendar
AWARD WINNERS
- Tamborine Mountain Distillery Named Asia-Pacific Spirits Producer of the Year 2013
- Burleigh Brewing's Black Giraffe Earns Gold at World Beer Championships in Chicago
- Witches Chase Cheese Co Wins Gold at Brisbane Cheese Awards 2012
- 1two3 Dining and Lounge Bar Wins Major Award
WHAT'S NEW
Helm Surfers Opens on the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is abuzz with the opening of Helm Surfers, a new drinking and dining hot-spot from the folks at Helm Sydney. Renowned architects, pecvonhartel, the team behind Sydney's award-winning restaurant Jamie's Italian, undertook a massive renovation to transform the old Titanium Bar site into Helm Surfers. Now featuring a sleek, nautical fit-out inspired by its sister venue in Sydney, Helm Surfers promises to be a sophisticated addition to the Gold Coast bar and dining scene. With an easy-going atmosphere and sublime views over the Nerang River, Helm Surfers is the ideal place to kick back with friends and be tempted by the stellar assortment of food and drinks. Chef Nicolas Ash spearheads the kitchen team, creating an easy-eating menu packed with pub-inspired favourites. Share platters, freshly made pizzas and bar snacks are perfect for sharing with friends while sampling from Helm's tempting cocktail and drinks list. Otherwise tuck into a heartier meal at the bistro's communal table with a selection of expertly prepared pasta, salads and burgers on offer. Open every day from 12pm for lunch and dinner, Helm Surfers is a sublime spot for work or pleasure. www.helmbarsurfers.com.au
The Escarpment Joins Forces With Tamborine Cooking School
The Escarpment Retreat and Day Spa, a boutique luxury accommodation on Tamborine Mountain, has joined forces with Tamborine Cooking School to further enhance the Hinterland Food and Wine Trail. This is the first time that an accommodation provider on Tamborine Mountain has teamed up with a cooking school to produce a package that incorporates luxury accommodation and local cuisine instruction. The lush volcanic soil on Tamborine Mountain is unique to the area which is what makes the region so outstanding for food. There are already wineries, food schools, fantastic restaurants, a brewery and cheese factory, organic vegetable markets as well as local cottage industries making their own unique products. The Escarpment is heavily subsidising mid-week cooking class fees for guests that stay two nights. The eight-course classes are run by professional chef and experienced teacher Terri Taylor who uses local produce, including cheese, fruit, vegetables, meats, seafood and wine to produce delicious Mediterranean, modern Australian and Asian dishes. Guests then sit down for a sumptuous meal after the class. www.escarpment.com.au and www.tamborinecookingschool.com.au
The Oracle Foodies Guide
The Oracle in Broadbeach has taken little time to gain a reputation for satisfying all, with a host of restaurants, bars and cafes that are defined by their own personality and style. Bavarian Bier Café is all about pure bier, pure food and pure passion, serving premium German and Austrian beers and modern Bavarian cuisine. Guzman y Gomez introduces authentic Mexican food and Latin culture using the highest quality, fresh ingredients, while Asian dishes come to life at Noodle Broadbeach. Adventure starts at The Cuban with international chefs and a cultured approach adding a new level of dining experience, Crust introduces gourmet style pizzas, while it's a snapshot of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory at Max Brenner. Specialising in Hong Kong spicy crab and Peking duck, Sky Broadbeach redefines Chinese cuisine and you can't go past O-Sushi for authentic tastes of Japan. For a caffeine fix, No Name Lane is a Euro-inspired espresso bar, while Shingle Inn has you covered for iconic patty cakes, delicious coffee and decadent sweet treats. Rounding out the Oracle opportunities are Social Eating House + Bar (inspired by Matt Jefferson, People's Choice Chef of the Year) for lovers of sophisticated food and Mecca Bah, which delivers infusion cuisine from Morocco, the Middle East and North Africa. www.seenatoracle.com.au
Palazzo Versace Unveils Monthly Chef Master Classes
Palazzo Versace has unveiled its latest culinary offering for 2013, a ravishing range of monthly Chef Master Classes and an appetizing Master Class accommodation package. The fashionable cooking classes, incorporating a farmers' market visit, are held on the second Saturday of each month. Commencing at 7:30am with welcome coffee and pastries at the hotel, guests will be escorted by Executive Chef Geoff Haviland, or one of the hotel's dedicated chefs to the neighbouring Marina Mirage Farmers' Market to source the finest, freshest and most fabulous local produce. Upon returning to the haute hotel, guests will partake in a half-day Master Class before sitting down to dine on a lunch of their culinary creations while sipping matched wines. Palazzo Versace Executive Chef, Geoff Haviland has tailored each monthly Master Class menu for easy replication at home. With menu designs planned for different holidays, seasons and styles, Palazzo Versace's monthly Master Classes are sure to bring out the inner master chef in all students. www.palazzoversace.com.au
Hanlan's Bar & Restaurant's Brand New Seafood Buffet
Hanlan's Bar & Restaurant, located on Level one of the Hotel Grand Chancellor Surfers Paradise is now offering a brand new dining experience. Indulge in Hanlan's Spectacular Seafood Buffet which includes fresh and delicious prawns, oysters, crab and a diverse range of international cuisine including mouth-watering desserts. This exciting new dining option is excellently priced at just $59 per person for adults, and $29.50 per person for children 5-12 years old. Hanlan's Bar & Restaurant has been recently renovated to offer visitors and locals a modern and stylish casual dining experience. Hotel Grand Chancellor Surfers Paradise is situated in the heart of Surfers Paradise - conveniently located just a 150 metre walk to the beach. www.grandchancellorhotels.com
New Tastes at Marine Village, Sanctuary Cove
Brand-new dining spot Quay Street Café & Bar has just opened at Sanctuary Cove, offering a fresh new all-day dining experience in The Marine Village. Situated in Quay Street behind The Promenade, the café is open daily from 7.30am until late and offers delicious options sure to satisfy the spectrum of tastes. From all-day breakfast, light and flavoursome lunches, children's menu and a range of coffees to please all bean aficionados, there's something at Quay Street Café to suit every taste. The Marine Village offers numerous wining and dining options including renowned George's Paragon seafood restaurant, Black Angus steakhouse, Cove Tavern bar and restaurant, as well as a number of gourmet cafés and delis. A new Chinese restaurant will be a welcome addition to the Village, planned to open in the coming months. Visitors are invited to wander down the paved landscaped streets and take a look at one of the many designer fashion, jewellery, art, gift and home wares stores in the Marine Village. There are more than 10 fashion outlets for men and women as well as a children's couture clothing store. www.sanctuarycove.com/marine-village
The Fish House Heralds New Era of Dining at Burleigh
A renowned Gold Coast restaurant operator who has forged a reputation as one of Australia's leading restaurateurs has opened his latest dining destination in the fast revitalising heart of Burleigh Heads.
Simon Gloftis' The Fish House opened its doors late last year to its first diners keen to experience the latest creation from the successful business operator behind the popular Nobby Beach Greek eatery Hellenika. The latest foray for the savvy entrepreneur has seen the site of a former dilapidated beachside apartment block transformed into a suave, Melbourne-esque seafood dining institution set to be the next iconic dining spot for Burleigh. Mr Gloftis has taken a 20 year lease on the site opposite the beach on Goodwin Terrace, proof that he expects The Fish House to be around for a long time.
New Autumn Menus at Chill on Tedder
The winner of many awards including Australia Good Food Guide's 2013 2 Chef Hat and 2012 1 Chef Hat, Chill on Tedder, is excited to highlight the superb selection of fresh seasonal produce with its new autumn menus. Try the entree of homemade goats cheese and basil tortellini with seared ocean king prawns, asparagus, toasted pine nuts, port soaked raisins burnt sage butter, crisp prosciutto (also available as a main), or a delicate and light japanese style ginger, star anise and dashi broth fresh spanner crab dumplings, baby corn, pak choi, shiitake mushrooms chilli, sesame seed oil. The wonderful flavours are only enhanced with an array of wonderful mains - meats and seafood cooked beautifully with a fantastic selection of seasonal produce. The pepper and juniper berry rubbed loin of venison parmesan gnocchi, caramelized pearl onions, oven-roasted baby vegetables thyme, shiraz pan juices is wonderfully rich and filling whereas the butter poached moreton bay bug creamed leek and green pea fricassee, confit potatoes, king prawn and braised salmon ravioli vanilla shellfish foam is tantalizing and sumptuous. www.chillontedder.com.au
Black Coffee Lyrics Launches Degustation Menu
Local favourite Black Coffee Lyrics has quickly gained a reputation for delivering speciality food, coffee and over 40 types of Australian craft beers in a retro, super cool venue. Now the young entrepreneurs; Mark, Nick and David have launched a degustation menu sure to tingle the tastebuds. Try the oven roasted crispy skin pork belly with coconut jelly, chili jam and pickled green mango or the Boudin Noir, grilled French style blood sausage with tea pickled pear, confit orange zest and bois boudran sauce. Located between Orchid Avenue and Surfers Paradise Boulevard, Black Coffee Lyrics captures the attention and imagination of passer-by's with great music, classic books, old school board games and an abundance of creative charismatic style. www.blackcoffeelyrics.com
New Chef at Videre
Sean Chambers, who perfected his culinary skills in Europe, has taken them to new heights, literally - bringing them to the upmarket restaurant atop the RACV Royal Pines Resort hotel late last year. Chef De Cuisine at the award-winning Videre restaurant, Sean has held senior positions in a number of upscale properties in Australia complemented by international experience gained in France, Belgium and the UK. The chef's table at Videre allows diners to enjoy their meals as a complete dining experience, gaining unique insights in to the kitchen operation. Sean's new modern cuisine offers fresh and exciting menus that complement both the season and the spectacular views from Videre. Just some of the special dishes on offer include: grilled Queensland prawns, summer tomato and lemongrass sugo, herb tortellini and shellfish oil or for main course: Cape Grimm eye fillet, pan fried artichokes, speck, potato and chive croquette, jus gras, or a dessert of: hot, cold and iced local pineapple, salted popcorn parfait, textures of bourbon. www.royalpinesresort.com.au
Prime Restaurant At Jupiters Hotel & Casino
Located on Level 4, Prime is one of the Gold Coast's newest dining experiences combining quality produce and the best cooking techniques to push your culinary limits to the unexpected and extraordinary. The ingredients driven approach of Prime will educate diners, with the opportunity to sample new foods and flavours, and an engaging service team willing to share the kitchen's intimate knowledge. The restaurant's signature dish, as part of its contemporary cuisine assortment, is the Tenderloin Cabbassi Rea 600-day grain-fed purebred Wagyu 180g, also known as the "butter knife steak" - a steak so tender it can be cut with a butter knife. Jupiters Hotel & Casino has also re-launched the property's Italian restaurant with Vivo opening next door to Prime. Vivo introduces authentic Italian flavour by honouring the traditional Italian craft of deceptively simple cooking with the purest of ingredients. www.jupitersgoldcoast.com.au
La Bocca at Currumbin RSL
Recently opened La Bocca is a collaboration of ideas and planning by the staff and management of Currumbin RSL. Created to offer traditional pizza, craft beer and specialist wine coupled with quality customer service, La Bocca, meaning 'the mouth' in Italian is a place for lovers of great food and wine. Using locally sourced and seasonal produce, La Bocca pizzas are different to what the standard Aussie pizza offers. They are skewed towards the scrumptious thin crust with use of tantalising gourmet ingredients for its taste and quality. These pizzas are deliciously fresh and gourmet and the beverages unique and thirst quenching. You will really taste the distinct flavours, special La Bocca sauce and the love gone into making each pizza. It's a little bit of country Italy, right in the heart of beautiful Currumbin. www.currumbinrsl.com.au/dining/la-bocca/
WHAT'S ON
A La Carte in the Park (21 April)
Foodies and fun seekers unite for A la Carte in the Park, an annual indulgence featuring dishes from the Gold Coast's finest restaurateurs and drops from the best labels. Guests can roll out a blanket for a day of food, wine and entertainment culminating in a sunset riverside concert of jazz, folk and opera. Experience the Chefs of Surfers Paradise as they provide cooking demonstrations that teach you the how-to of gourmet cooking. Sample foods straight from the growers, and grab a larger bite to eat from one of the many traders, all providing dishes under $10 a plate. And in the ultimate food and wine setting, grab a square of grass for a river side concert including the Royal Australian Navy Band, David De Vito and Liam Burrows. www.surfersparadisefestival.com
Fox Creek Wine Night at Palazzo Versace (22 May)
Following the success of Palazzo Versace's 2012 series of winemaker dinners, the haute hotel has collaborated with McLaren Vale's Fox Creek Wines to host a special evening in Vie Bar + Restaurant on Wednesday, 22nd May. Fox Creek winemakers have matched their award-winning wines to an exclusive four course event menu from Vie Bar + Restaurant's talented chefs to bring guests a bespoke evening of wining and dining. Fox Creek has been producing quality wines for almost 20 years at their South Australian vineyard and has become most well known for their three shiraz wines; Reserve Shiraz, Short Row Shiraz and Red Barron Shiraz. Working meticulously with Vie Bar + Restaurant Head Chef Craig Wright, Fox Creek's winemakers have carefully tailored wine pairings to create a deliciously decadent epicurean experience. The Fox Creek winemaker's dinner is $95 per person and along with the delectable menu with matched wines, guests will also be met by Matt Murray from Fox Creek Wines who will provide detailed tasting notes throughout the dinner explaining each hand-selected wine pairing. www.palazzoversace.com.au
O'Reilly's Canungra Valley Vineyards Launches 2013 Events Calendar
O'Reilly's Canungra Valley Vineyards has a few tasty treats in store with the launch of the new 'What's On' calendar comprising of over 20 planned events for 2013. Located in the peaceful Canungra Valley, only a stone's throw from Brisbane CBD and Gold Coast beaches, lays the boutique family owned vineyard. This year O'Reilly's brings an exciting program for everyone, featuring live entertainment, the longest lunch, horizontal tastings, charity fundraisers and corporate days. Extending beyond the particularly favourable Vineyard visits, Mother's Day, Easter Sunday and the annual Charity High Tea, O'Reilly's is proud to launch a range of new events - including the Winter Jazz Weekend, Family Picnic Day and Melbourne Cup Corporate lunch. The program is about bringing people together and celebrating the simple pleasures in life. www.oreillys.com.au
AWARD WINNERS
Tamborine Mountain Distillery Named Asia-Pacific Spirits Producer of the Year 2013
Tamborine Mountain Distillery has been named Asia-Pacific Spirits Producer of the Year 2013 at the prestigious China Wine & Spirit Awards held in Hong Kong. Bronze, Silver, Gold, Double Gold and Trophy Awards were picked up by the Tamborine Mountain Distillery, which is one of Australia's most awarded and smallest operating pot distilleries. With the combination of rich red volcanic soils and fresh spring water, the abundant fruit of the mountain is fermented and distilled onsite. A small Pot Still is used to create the superb spirit which is the essence and foundation of Liqueurs, Schnapps, Vodka and Eaux de Vie. www.tamborinemountaindistillery.com
Burleigh Brewing's Black Giraffe Earns Gold at World Beer Championships in Chicago
Only weeks after hitting bottle shops and bars across Australia, Black Giraffe, the black coffee lager produced by Burleigh Brewing Co, has taken home GOLD at the World Beer Championships in the United States. Commenting on Black Giraffe, the World Beer Championships judges said; "Lush artisan roasted coffee and chocolate with nut aromas and a crisp, chewy, dryish medium-to-full body and a tangy, grilled fruit, chestnuts, and peppered arugula finish with a noticeable caffeine "buzz". The World Beer Championships are run annually in a series of style-based tasting sessions in a dedicated tasting lab at the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) in Chicago, and are one of the most professional and highly regarded competitions in the world. www.burleighbrewing.com.au
Witches Chase Cheese Co Wins Gold at Brisbane Cheese Awards 2012
It's not easy being a cheese maker and trying to handcraft award winning cheeses, but Witches Chase Cheese Co took home the Gold Medal at the Brisbane Cheese Awards 2012 for their Triple Cream Brie. Cheese maker Adam Papprill said he was extremely proud to win Gold Medal; "You enter these awards not knowing whether you will win, there are so many great Australian Cheeses out there and we are very happy that our Triple Cream Brie was awarded Gold this year." Witches Chase Cheese Co is open 7 days a week 10-4pm. Head up to Tamborine Mt and for the price of a smile you can sample their award winning cheeses. www.witcheschasecheese.com.au
1two3 Dining and Lounge Bar Wins Major Award
The Mediterranean style of 1two3 Dining and Lounge Bar has won over judges in the Savour Australia™ Restaurant & Catering HOSTPLUS Awards for Excellence. The Broadbeach venue picked up gold in the 'Best Small Bar' category beating off competition from Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. The Awards for Excellence program is considered the most dependable and authoritative industry guide to Australia's best restaurants and caterers. www.1two3restaurant.com.au/
Gold Coast Tourism is available for comment:
John Kaarsberg, Manager - Media Development
