Restaurants in the Gold Coast

Hey guys! This week, I’m exploring the Gold Coast with my friend Rebecca. We’re soaking up the sun, enjoying the sights, and of course, sampling lots of food. Here are my thoughts on the dining scene in this beautiful place.

Bad pub food, soggy sandwiches, pizzas that have been sitting on the heater all day long… I keep telling myself the food in Queensland has to improve sometime, but it’s like all the chefs have banded together for the sole purpose of proving me wrong. I don’t know why it’s so hard to find a decent meal in this city. When people visit the Gold Coast I have to tell them straight up that most restaurants are completely sub par.

There’s still a bit of hope, though. Here are a few places that won’t destroy your faith in local cuisine:

– The Marriott Hotel. They have a fun Tympaki place as well as a Benihara Japanese Steak House and Citrique. (And if those aren’t up to your standards, they also have a lounge bar where you can drown your sorrows at the state of Queensland cuisine.)

– Moo Moos Bar & Grill at Broadbeach. This is a great place for steak and chips – they’ll cook everything just the way you like it. Great atmosphere, too, with crazy lights and lively crowds.

– Broadbeach isn’t a bad place to eat in general, actually. There are exotic dishes at Chiangmai Thai and Cha Cha Japanese if you’re in the mood to expand your horizons, or if you’d prefer typical Australian you can head over to RockSalt Modern Dining, which serves exactly the kind of food as the name implies.

– Hellenika. They fire up the grill at 4, so get there early before the hungry masses descend and ruin it. Ever tried lamb cutlets or grilled octopus?

– Black Coffee Lyrics. One of the only places you’ll find vegan and vegetarian options that aren’t completely awful (this is Queensland, after all). They also make a mean espresso if you need a buzz.

In truth, if you’re looking for food cooked exactly how you want it,when you want it, my advice is simply to stay home and do it yourself. That way the quality of your meal won’t depend on the mood of some punk minimum wage monkey flipping burgers. If you’re totally adverse to the thought of picking up a skillet, you can always call me, Carmen. One of the perks of having a companion on your trip is that you don’t have to do everything yourself.