Social Eating House, Broadbeach, Queensland

Social Eating House is a newish restaurant, in Broadbeach on teh Gold Coast.  It focusses on a shared dining experience and offering a great range of small and large sharing platters with plenty of flavor.


As we were staying at Peppers on Broadbeach, the restaurant was conveniently located just downstairs on Oracle Boulevard.


We visited in December 2013 and were very impressed with our meal, drinks, the restaurant and the staff. We enjoyed:

  -  ½ Shell Hervey Bay Scallops, Red Curry, Tomato and Kaffir Lime
  -  1kg Boneless Salt Bush Lamb Shoulder, Slow Roasted In Sheep’s Milk Yoghurt and Lamb Stock
  -  Grilled Red Claw Yabby, Tarragon and Brown Butter Emulsion, Shaved Fennel, Jamon and Rockmelon Leaf
  -  Roasted Chat Potatoes, Caper and Lemon Mayo
  -  Green Leaves, Fennel, Peas, Feta and Mint

The lamb was by far the star of the show. Slow cooked, packed with flavor, moist and tender, melt in the mouth goodness. The green leaves, fennel,peas, feta and mint where there perfect friend for this huge piece of meat allowing us to ensure we finished the entire piece (it was slightly larger than expected).

We have tried a few slow cooked lamb shoulders at other restaurants however, this one is by far the best

This casual, relaxed and trendy restaurant/bar is a great place to catch up with a  group of friends. We will definitely be visiting again.

http://www.socialeatinghouse.com.au/

The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2014

SYDNEY

Two hats

Aria, The Bridge Room, Buon Ricordo, Claude’s, est., Four in Hand Dining Room, Gastro Park, Icebergs Dining Room & Bar, Longrain, Lucio’s Italian Restaurant, Marque, MoVida, Mr Wong, Ormeggio at The Spit, Pilu at Freshwater, Rockpool Bar & Grill, Spice Temple, Tetsuya’s

One hat

Aki’s Indian Restaurant, Ananas Bar & Brasserie, The Apollo, Arras, Balla, The Bathers’ Pavilion, Berowra Waters Inn, Billy Kwong, Bistro Moncur, Bistrode CBD, The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay, Bodega, buzo trattoria, Cafe Sopra, Catalina, China Doll, Clareville Kiosk, The Devonshire, Flying Fish Restaurant & Bar, Foveaux Restaurant & Bar, Glass Brasserie, Gowings Bar & Grill, Hartsyard, Jonah’s Restaurant, Kepos Street Kitchen, Monopole, Ms.G’s, Oscillate Wildly, Popolo, Porteño, The Restaurant Pendolino, Saké Restaurant & Bar, Sean’s Panaroma, Sixpenny, Sokyo, Three Blue Ducks, Tomislav, Uccello, Ume Restaurant, Xanthi

CANBERRA

Two hats

Aubergine (Griffith)

One hat

Courgette (Canberra City), Italian & Sons (Braddon), Ottoman Cuisine (Barton), Pulp Kitchen European Brasserie (Ainslie), Waters Edge (Parkes)

REGIONAL NSW

Two hats

Biota Dining (Bowral), No 2 Oak Street (Bellingen), Subo (Newcastle West)

One hat

Bistro Molines (Mount View), Caveau (Wollongong), Darley’s (Katoomba) , Eschalot (Berrima), Fins (Kingscliff), Flooded Gums (Bonville), Lolli Redini (Orange), Manfredi at Bells (Killcare Heights), Muse Kitchen (Pokolbin), Muse Restaurant (Pokolbin), Neila (Cowra), Racine (Orange), Restaurant Como (Blaxland), Restaurant Mason (Newcastle), The River Moruya (Moruya), The Stunned Mullet (Port Macquarie), Tonic (Millthorpe), Town Restaurant (Bangalow), Tyler’s Pantry (Mogo), Wharf Rd Restaurant & Bar (Nowra), Zanzibar Cafe (Merimbula)

BSKT Cafe, Gold Coast

In December 2013 we headed up to the Gold Coast for a few days.  Deciding to stay at Peppers Broadbeach, we took advantage of the bikes the hotel has for hire and took a lovely ride down south, past all the beautiful house, mermaid beach and had a beautiful lunch at BSKT Cafe.

Right on the beach, the atmosphere is cool and laid back, the staff are friendly and helpful. BSKT has a good size menu with plenty of healthy, free range, organic, gluten free and vegan options.  Not only is the food good for you, but is tastes great (a combination others have tried and failed).

This visit we enjoyed:

• BSKT Burger - Ground Angus beef, wholemeal bun, beetroot relish, tomato, spinach, goats cheese, leg ham, fries and aioli
• BSKT Juice - Apple, berries and mint
• Hot chocolate
• Gluten free banana bread

The scenery is great, the staff are welcoming and the food was amazing. We had a bit of food envy with teh table next to us enjoying the DIY fresh spring rolls - raw veggies, fried tempeh, Vietnamese mint and satay sauce with light pancakes.  So that is on the list for our next visit!

We love this refreshing cafe, committed to providing high quality nutritious food at reasonable prices and have placed it on our list for the next GC visit.

Well done BSKT Cafe!

http://www.bskt.com.au/

Top 10 Aussie road trip stopovers

Save yourself the time and check out the top 10 Aussie road trip stopover suggestions. Some beautiful properties on offer from our friends at Stayz

Vanitas Palazzo Versace, Gold Coast, Queensland

As the fine dining restaurant at Palazzo Versace on the gold Coast, Vanitas does not disappoint.

It's a beautiful restaurant with five star service and fantastic food. It boasts a great view of the hotel's lagoon style pool,is dotted with tea light candles giving a romantic and relaxed atmosphere, and, as you would expect - Versace plates, cutlery, glassware.

On arrival the staff made us very welcome, nothing was a problem and they had a wealth of knowledge in relation to menu, wine and cocktails.

We opted for the sand crab tortellini with tempura of New Zealand scampi, aoli and herb oil - this was the best entree we have had in a very long time. The pasta was amazing and the dish was fresh, had beautiful flavours and the portion size was quite large.

For main the choice was easy - roasted duck breast with sweet potato purée, bok choy and coffee sauce. The duck was cooked to perfection, the sweet potato puree was silky and flavoursome and, as someone who is not a fan of coffee, the sauce was still fantastic.

The baby spinach in butter with garlic and spiced hand cut chips sides that we chose to compliment the dishes were tasty and the portion size generous, so generous in fact, that there was room for tea and coffee but not desert.

Highly recommended for a romantic meal.

Harbour front Restaurant, Wollongong

We had been to this restaurant years ago and been bitterly disappointed.  Seeing that it was still open, we assumed it had improved.  So, for the next birthday in the group we booked the Harbourfront hoping they would be able to change our mind and praying that we may uncover another decent place to eat in Wollongong.

Unfortunately, we are now left wondering how the place is even open at all.

We waited over an hour for our entrées, the mains were delivered in such a staggered way that from a table of 8 by the time that last person received their meals, the majority of the group had finished and were patiently awaiting the drinks they had ordered 15 minutes ago that had been sitting, unattended on the edge of the bar for 10 minutes.

The raised eyebrow and looks for attention from staff were ignored and it honesty felt like we were the uninvited guests sneaking into a wedding at which, we were not welcome.

So, onto the food.  The entrée- under cooked and over salted scallops. The main - being a seafood restaurant  we opted for a seafood dish (rather than the steaks etc they also have on the menu).  The John Dory with king prawns in a creamy garlic sauce was, whilst not a bad as the scallops, still not worth the price tag of $39.90. Don't get us wrong, we'd happily pay (and have done) well above that price, but you do expect to get quality food and ingredients.  This main was served just warm, the fish has no texture (leading us to believe could it have been previously frozen) and the sauce seemed to act as a cover up to the very average quality of the fish.  The king prawns were not that large and had little flavour.

After the first 2 courses being so disappointing, we did what we often do in these cases, pull back on the drinks, decline desert and ask for the cheque - why put ourselves through another painful course and further contribute to and reward what is, at best mediocre food and high prices.

With one of the best locations in town, the restaurant needs to do one of 2 things - reduce the prices and continue on, or, increase the quality of the restaurant, food and staff and try to move forward.  The place needs a good clean and refurb and the toilets are less than desirable.   The place is resting on previous reputations and could, with minimal effort (fresh local produce, a good clean of the restaurant, more and better trained staff) easily improve and we honestly hope that it does.  Having said that, we will not be the guinea pigs and will await some serious accolades before we book again.

Pullman Hotel, Olympic Park, Sydney

We had never stayed at Olympic Park before, and, to be honest, we didnt really want to.  We had assumed the hotels would be pretty average, catering for the one nighters going to events and providing 3 star service at best.

However, after deciding it was too much hassle getting to and from the city when we had an event at Olympic Park we decided to have a more detailed look at what was on offer,  and were so glad we did.

We found the Pullman Hotel initially on wotif and after reviewing the hotel website we decided to book what looked like a great offer - and it was!

The 'Shop til you drop package' includes:
1 nights accommodation in an executive room
Buffet breakfast for 2
Access to the Pullman executive lounge (including pre-dinner canapés)
$100 Westfield Voucher
2 glasses of champagne


After checking in, we enjoyed drinks in the executive lounge, which boasts pay tv, comfortable chairs, board games, complementary drinks and free internet access as well as great views.

It was a shame we were not able to make the most of the executive lounge privileges during our time at the hotel, due to having an event on that evening - however, we did try our best to get up there as much as possible during our stay.

 After our free drinks in the lounge we took a leisurely 15 minute walk to the DFO outlets shops.
We returned in time to get ready for dinner and decided to see what the quality of the 'pre dinner canapes' that are part of the executive experience, was.  After experiencing some very sad displays of what ever they had spare at other hotels as part of the pre-dinner display, we were pleasantly surprised to find fresh, tasty food that was of high quality on offer.  It was basically a selection of the restaurants entrees and they were beautiful.  They included a mix of seared yellow-fin tuna, fennel salad, ruby grapefruit, crisp lotus root, parmesan crumbed asparagus and vegetable spring rolls.

After enjoying the canapés , along with 2 vodka drinks and beers (all part of the executive experience and at no charge), we strolled down for our 6.30pm reservation at the hotels restaurant 'Bacar', and we have to say, this was on of the best hotel restaurants we have been to.

After indulging in a few too many of the free canapes in the executive lounge, we skipped the entrees and went straight to the main - seared beef fillet, celeriac puree, king brown mushrooms, braised red wine onions.  The steak was a good inch and a bit thick and cooked to perfection.  With a side of potato puree, garlic butter and  buttered baby beans we were in heaven - who would think this was a restaurant in a chain hotel.

At this point we were running late for our event but were bitterly disappointed that we didnt haven time to have a 3 course or the degustation that was on offer.

After our event had finished, we walked out of the stadium and straight into the hotel - there really is nothing better than walking out of the venue and practically straight into the front door of your hotel =)

Our executive room was large and modern.  The décor  and linen was beautiful and we had a great view across Olympic Park. The bathroom was well stocked with toiletries and towels and the bathroom itself was huge compared to most hotel, with both bath and shower.

In the main room was a Nespresso Coffee Machine, available free of charge =)

As a guest at the hotel you can also enjoy complimentary access to the hotel gym, pay

tv and access to the state of the art Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre

We encourage Accor to continue to keep this hotel as is.  Would hate to see it become a Novotel or Ibis.  It caters for travellers other than, no disrespect intended, families on a budget or young people looking just for a place to lay their head after a concert.

All we have to say to Pullman Olympic park is 'thank you very much, we will be back, and please do not change'

Caveau, Wollongong

Thank you Peter Sheppard for bringing fine dining to Wollongong!

As Wollongong's only hatted restaurant, as awarded by Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2010, we had high expectations for this regional restaurant.

Located on Keira Street in Wollongong CBD, the layout is nice and simple - clean white table clothes and uncluttered tables.  A small an intimate restaurant with an upstairs dining room for more private occasions such as birthdays or dinner with a group of friends.  

Caveau has a decent sized, seasonal menu and the wait staff are friendly, knowledgeable and attentive.  The only complaint we have is that after over 3 visits to the restaurant and repeated requests, they still do not stock bottled still water =( 

On our first visit to Caveau we enjoyed the following dishes:

Seared scallops with sweetcorn puree, braised witlof, crisp potato - this dish was light, airy and had amazing flavours.

Grain fed beef eye fillet with potato gallette, creamed spinach, snails and herb butter - the snails may put some people off but they were actually quite tasty, the texture a little firmer than mushroom and taking on the flavours of the dish.  They were a great complement to the crispy potato.

Roasted breast and confit leg of duck with sauteed potato, walnuts, blueberries and preserved truffle - Delicious.  The two ways of cooking gave different textures and flavours to the duck and the accompaniments complemented the flavours beautifully.

Chocolate pithivier with vanilla bean ice cream - having experienced such lovely dishes for entree and main, we had great hopes for the desert.  However, whilst the vanilla bean ice cream was divine, the chocolate pithivier was ok, but not to the standard of the rest of the meal.

Visit 2

Sand whiting with scallop mousse, seared scallops, fennel and champagne veloute - beautiful flavours, fresh seafood, but a very small portion.

Australian venison loin with carrot puree, potato dauphinoise and boudin noir - This was amazing.  I was left wanting more, mainly due to the delicious flavours but also due to the small portion size.  Don't get us wrong, we are used to the smaller dishes served in degustation menus, but just another small piece of venison would have made this dish perfect.

Vanilla creme brulee with mandarin and passion fruit ice-cream - as we cracked the top and tasted the mix of crunchy brulee and velvety creme we knew this was the perfect end to a beautiful meal.

It is great to see a quality restaurant, producing great meals thriving in a regional area.  Obviously the restaurant has won the hearts and stomachs of loyal diners, wishing to support local talent and will hopefully continue plating up delicious dishes for a long time.  After a few visits we have decided we like the restaurant so much we have enrolled in one of their Sunday cooking Courses (post to come).

Sebel, Surry Hills, Sydney

For the bargain price of $145 a night for 2, including parking a breakfast, we decided to stay at the Sebel, Surry Hills on our last visit to Sydney.

The hotel is literally a stones throw from Central Station, a leisurely 10 minute walk to the markets and 20 min walk to the main shopping area it is in quite a good location for those wanting to spend time around the shops, Darling Harbour for those attending events the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Facilities at the hotel include:

• Undercover  car parking
• 24-hr reception
• Business centre
• Heated in-door lap pool
• Spa, sauna and gym
• Two restaurants

Part of the Mirvac group and winner of the AHA (NSW) Accommodation Division Awards for Excellence 2009, the hotel has large, light and airy rooms with comfortable furniture and modern bathrooms.  Our bathroom was without a bath, which didn’t bother us, but might be something for other travellers to consider and possibly check when booking.

For dinner we had made a reservation at Aria (post to follow) which was a short and relatively cheap ($10) taxi ride from door to door.

The staff on check in and in the restaurant were friendly and helpful.  Going down to the restaurant for breakfast, we were pleased to find that guests were seated immediately (nothing worse than queuing to be fed in the morning).  There was a decent choice available at the buffet style breakfast including hot and cold options and varied beverages.

We found the hotel to be clean, comfortable and at $145 a night including parking a breakfast was an absolute bargain, meaning we had more money to spend at dinner and shopping (always good). We would definitely stay here again and recommend to those wishing to stay in a good quality hotel for a great price.  

Meriton Apartments Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Australia

A last minute trip to the Gold Coast resulted in a hurried search for a reasonably priced, newish place to stay on the Gold Coast via wotif.

We found Meriton advertising a 1 bedroom apartment for $112 a night and thought great deal, book it!

The hotel has great facilities - parking, BBQ area, garden, indoor and outdoor pool, gym, security, a variety of shops underneath and food options near by.

If you are wishing to stay in a twin there is an additional $10 charge (assuming this is due to the fact that the kings are made up of 2 singles and the charge is for the time taken to separate and re-dress the beds). Another small charge was car parking  at  $10 per night.

The hotel is quite new in a spot close to Pacific Fair, Convention Centre, Restaurants and the beach.  However, if you are wanting to be in the thick of Surfers Paradise then it will be a good 40 minute walk.  If you have a hire car then you can get to the main areas of Surfers in 5-8 minutes.

Although the hotel has a variety of apartments with kitchenettes and full kitchens, if you fancy popping out for breakfast, lunch or dinner there are lots of restaurants and options near by.

The rooms have wall mounted air conditioning  units in lounge room and bedroom as well as ceiling fans, laundry with iron, washer and dryer, kitchenette and HD flat screen TVs.

The apartments are slightly smaller  compared to others on the Gold Coast such as Artique and Circle on Cavill.  But it is much better and has great facilities compared to the older style hotels and apartments that are still charging comparable prices.

On the whole we were happy with the apartment for the price.  It was clean, modern and well priced.

The loungeroom was furnished with 2 sofas, one converting into a double bed if required, a small dining table and chairs, a large TV and access to the balcony.  The bedroom gave good sized mirrored wardrobes, bedside lamps and access to the balcony.   The laundry was well equipped with iron and ironing board, laundry sink, washing machine, dryer and airer - always handy when you are staying for a while or when you have travelled on a budget with only hand luggage.

The only real let down was the bathroom.  The room had no window, which wouldn't have been a problem if the extractor fan was powerful enough to remove the steam - it wasnt.  The sink was too high, possibly the sink chosen was meant to be dropped into the vanity rather than sat on top.  The corner shower with 3 glass panels did not allow water to flow towards the drain, rather it went out under the door and soaked the floor.  The shower head was not great, it created a finer spray with rouge jets spritzing your hair whilst you are trying to keep it dry - not a big deal but a bit annoying and easily fixable with a decent shower nozzle.

When booking there is the option of city or sea view.  The city side will provide views over a road to the casino, convention centre and Pacific Fair.  The sea view - well thats self explanatory, however, due to other properties surrounding the hotel, the higher floors do have much better views.

This hotel would be great for families and offers value for money.  It seems to put in a regular appearance on trip advisor so check rates between booking direct or using wotif and you may be able to save a bit of cash.

We had a good stay with no major issues and would stay at this hotel again when visiting the Gold Coast for non-special events, if we could get similar rates.

Hilton, Sydney

The Hilton Sydney is a five star hotel in Sydney CBD that underwent extensive renovations in 2005.

The hotel is located opposite the Queen Victoria Building in the heart of the city, very handy for the shops and also within walking distance to Darling Harbour. The entry foyer is an impressive wall of glass and the staff at check in are polite and eager to help.

As with most Hilton hotels it comes with all the trimmings:

• Business centre
• Gym
• Pool
• Spa
• Restaurant
• 3 Bars
• Lobby cafe
• Wireless internet access

The rooms are clean, fresh and modern with remote control block out blinds,comfy beds, crisp white sheets, flat screen TVs and glass encased bathrooms with well designed lighting and all modern appliances.

Check out is a little later than some other hotels in Sydney and greatly appreciated =) The hotel is the proud and well deserving owner of the "best re-developed hotel' award 2005.

Occasions: Perfect for couples wanting a romantic getaway in the middle of the city giving plenty of choices.

Best bits: The remote controlled block out blinds are fantastic if you need a 'Nanna nap' after too much pounding of the pavement or shopping, or if you have had a big night the night before.

Worst bits: The Hilton has a club 'Zita Bar' which, whilst very trendy can lead to large queues, at times blocking side entry to the hotel and requiring patrons to validate themselves to burly security guards.

Keep in mind: Please ensure you check the room you have chosen has the upgraded bathroom facilities as some of the rooms are lacking this - we were bitterly disappointed on one of five visits to be without the new sleek bathrooms

Ibis, Darling Harbour, Sydney

The Ibis is what it is.

A basic hotel for those who want a clean place to sleep, a buffet breakfast and a decent location at a reasonable price.

The rooms are very small (I'm talking only enough room to take in your hand luggage), very basic and we would only recommend booking if you are primarily in Sydney to spend your time outside of the hotel and mearly sleep and shower in your room.

These hotels are good for the business traveller or conference delegate or for those who really just need a place to rest their head and have faith in the large hotel chain.

The hotel shares facilities such as the pool with sister hotel the Novotel. However, guests will have to make a trek to get to the pool - not the nicest when you are dripping wet, looking not so fabulous in your soggy swimmers

Occasions: After a show at the entertainment centre, if you are intending on spending most of your time exploring and just need the basics but want the guarantees of a large chain hotel.

Palazzo Versace, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise QLD

OK so most people know about this hotel as it is currently (but not for long) the ONLY Versace hotel in the world (a second will soon be gracing the ever expanding Dubai shortly).

Lets not beat around the bush, the rooms are expensive. And, for the Gold Coast, where there are more and more serviced apartment blocks springing up, with modern facilities and decor, this hotel may not be for everyone.

At Palazzo Versace the entry level rooms are without balconies and the views may not live up to expectations. The entry level rooms are just that - standard rooms. However, the decor in the rooms is anything but your usual hotel trimmings. The marble floors & Versace products from floor to ceiling really make you feel you are living in the lap of luxury. The bathroom is opulent and the separate shower and VERY large spa bath are great.

Obviously the more you pay, the more you get. The rooms do go up in size and facilities with 72 condominium suites providing a much larger accommodation option equipped with full kitchen facilities as well as a plunge pool or spa.

The hotel has 3 award winning restaurants which provide great food with exceptional service to boot. One of the best buffet breakfast I have ever experienced. Big ticks for the made to order omelettes and pancakes.

The Palazzo Versace breakfast has an enormous range of options all of which are fresh and tasty - we've all been to hotels that had half a mushroom, some spaghetti and a hash brown stuck in the scrambled egg that has been left out so long it has a crust like a meringue - well not at Palazzo Versace (but of course you'd expect it to be fantastic).

Vie Bar & Restaurant is a great place which we have dined at a number of times. The view from the outdoor deck is fantastic. The food is modern Australian with a well designed menu full of options for most dinners. They know how to prepare & present food to the highest quality with the eye fillet steak cooked to perfection every time we have ordered it. They have an extensive wine list that would impress any sommelier, as well as a broad range of alternate drinks such as assorted local & imported beers and well made cocktails.

The pool is beautiful, designed to look like a small intimate beach on an island somewhere. The turn down service each night, with complimentary chocolates and Versace bath products is lovely. The staff are helpful and look after your every whim. They will take care of dinner and spa reservations, taxis and chauffeured cars and assist you with any plans you may wish to make during your stay.

During our stay we came back to our room one night and found we had been treated to a plate with hand pipped 'Happy Birthday' and beautiful chocolates and strawberries as we advised on booking it was a special occasion. This is what you pay extra for - the staff are friendly and attentive and although your every need is met they manage to do it without you even noticing - seamless and effortless making the stay relaxing and much less pretentious than most would think.

When staying at the hotel you do not need to leave for anything - and why would you want to. Casually stroll downstairs after six and you will find the lobby filled with candles and a pianist, a lovely casual and relaxed atmosphere perfect for pre or post dinner drinks or late night hot chocolates (always a favourite) .

While it is quite hard on the hip pocket, I believe you should stay here at least once. It is a unique hotel, so even the rarity alone is worth the try. You would be hard pressed finding a more luxurious & professionally run hotel in Australia. Go on, give it a try!

What to wear: A lot of people will be put off with the grandeur of this hotel. However, in our experience, the is little to no evidence of the pretentiousness that can be found even in hotels of lesser quality. Dress however you like, but do take note that a lot of people do dress well there, especially if you are attending one of their restaurants.
How much: Basic rooms start at around the $475 - $550 per night mark, depending on the season. Condominiums start at $1200 and go to $1900 per night. If you are feeling extra wealthy you could always go for the Imperial Suite which fetches $3000 - $4000 per night.
Appropriate occasions: Romantic getaway, birthday surprise, anniversaries.

Radisson Hotel, Sydney

There are two Raddisson Hotels in Sydney and having stayed at both it is absolutely IMPERITIVE that you do not get them confused. One a 4 star near China town, the other a 5 star near circular quay.

The Radisson Plaza on O'Connel Street near Circular Quay is by far and away the best of the two hotels. It's a short stroll to Circular Quay and not too far to the shops.

The breakfast is fantastic. I awlays love a buffet breakfast that allows guest have made to order omlette and pancakes - big tick there.

The facilities of the hotel are great, of course they have a fitness centre, pool, and restuarnat all of which are good. The rooms are decent sizes - some quite large and are clean and comfortable and the large marble bathroom with separate bath and shower are quite a luxury.

The 4 star Radisson Hotel and Suites Sydney on Liverpool Street near Darling Harbour was very dissappoiting. After staying at the Radisson Plaza I was expecting a similar level of hotel and service. OK I understood this was a 4 star property but based on my experiences here i would rate it at 3 star. The room we were allocated smelt like stale cigarette (although it was designated no smoking) and our view was the less than desirable sight of an alley way and dierectly opposite looking at me, looking at them, some tennants of a shabby looking apartment block. The bathroom was average, the whole experience was average to be frank. I mean I wasn't expecting anything grand but just a clean and fresh looking and smelling room would have been good.

My advice - if staying at the Raddison be sure to check it is the one closest to Circular Quay

Artique Resort, Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast

Artique resort is a 4 1/2 star resort of serviced apartments in Surfers Paradise.

The resort is well looked after and having stayed here 6 times in total we have always found it to be excellent. The rooms are airy and full of natural light, the furniture, although varies from room to room, is always modern and fresh. Having the convienience of apartment living on the Gold Coast is great and you will struggle to go back to the old hotel rooms after staying here.

The resort is run as a serviced apartment facility which is serviced every seven days. If you are staying less than seven days be prepared to wash your towels unless you enjoy reusing them). This is still no drama as each aprtment has a washer and dryer as well as adequate balcony space to use the airers provided. Having these facilities also means you can pack light as you can wash and wear your clothes.
The resort is fairly new, only a few years old, and is very modern in design. As mentioned previously, the furniture varies due to the fact that the apartments are investment properties and rented out seperately. There is also the odd few people that actually live there. (I'm quite envious)
The apartments boast water views of either the river or the beach, some can see both. We recomend trying to get an apartment on the south east corner of the property on a high level to ensure the best view. From the resort it's a 5-10 minute walk to the centre of Surfers (just enough space to keep the late night partiers from disrupting your sleep).
The resort is located on Enderly Avenue, approximately three blocks from the Cavill mall. It is also just back from the beach which is very handy for all the holiday-makers. I would recommend this resort for people that want the convienience of having a kitchen and a little more space to relax in than a hotel room. Some of the fantasitic facilities include:

• Gym
• All rooms have full kitchen, washer & dyer, vacuum cleaner, ironing board
• Virtual Golf
• Pool
• Spa
• Sauna
• Free undercover Parking (available for all guests)

On the whole we would highly recommend this facility. Prices vary according to season, so check out the website.

Samuels, Thirroul

This is a pretty white oasis surrounded by fairy lights in the town of Thirroul near Wollongong.

The restaurant is small an intimate and with a decent sized menu offering plenty of sides. Staff are friendly and make you feel comfortable. Due to the size of the restaurant its almost as if you are at a dinner party with friends - very relaxing and pleasant.

The décor is clean and fresh – wooden floors with crisp white linen. Fairy lights adorn the trees outside - always a favourite. Indoor and outdoor seating (weather permitting) is available.

Not quite up to the better Sydney restaurants but definitely one of the best in the Illawarra - well worth a visit

Type of food: Modern Australian
What to wear: Smart casual
How much money to take: for 2 people $100 - $150
Appropriate occasions: All occasions

Best bits: Small and intimate

Worst bits: The toilets although clean, are outside the resturant in a renovated 'outhouse' building. Couldnt find direct website for the restaurant

Wildfire, Circular Quay, Sydney

We have frequented this restaurant a number of times since its opening in 2002, the year in which it received the 'Best New Restaurant' award. The restaurant has a great website with a copy of the current menu and wine list which gives you a good idea of what you are in for prior to dining, which is always very helpful.

For the purpose of this blog we will discuss our last visit at which we opted to try the churrasco. The churrasco comes with a mixed tapas style entrée and the main consists of fire-roasted meats, poultry, homemade sausages, seafood and seasonal green vegetables, served with a variety of sauces and salsas the meat and seafood are spit roasted or wood oven baked. This is Wildfires signature dining experience.

The meats are cooked to perfection……. and they just keep on coming, yes that's right it is basically all you can eat of these fire roasted delights. The staff are knowledgeable, helpful and very attentive. If you like your meat well done they will ensure you get the outer meat when they carve, alteratively if you prefer rare they will come to you when the meat is closer to the centre of the spit. If you are planning on ordering the Churrasco please allocate at least 2 hours for your dining experience.

The decor is impressive, but do not let this and the grandeur of the restaurant put you off – it is by no mean pretentious and I have dinned there in outfits ranging from a suit to jeans and polo shirt.

For pre-show nibbles the restaurant also serves a tapas menu at the Ember bar- no reservations required. The restaurant has an excellent wine list, comprehensive cocktail list, and if it’s not in there they will often still be able to make it for you – just ask

The restaurant is not well suited to dining with children. There are no 'kids meals' and with meats on giant metal skewers probably not the best place for them to be running around.

There is an area of this restaurant that is currently (but did not used to be ) below par and that is the toilets. In my opinion they need renovating and more regular checks for cleanliness. It is not sufficient to have them cleaned at the start of the night and expect a restaurant with a 300 person capacity at any one time to remain clean throughout the entire service.

In summation this restaurant is recomended for those who want a full dining experience in a comfortable atmosphere with a great view of the Opera house (be sure to check when you make you reservation that no ships are in port as this will compromise or eliminate your view)


What to wear: Smart casual, you can be dressed up or in jeans with collared shirt
How much $: for 2 people $150- $220
Occasion: All occasions. If you are on a first date or dining with someone you feel conversation may run dry then I recommend you request seating at the seafood bar. Here you will sit next to not opposite you dining partner and have the seafood chefs preparing all manners of meals in front of your eyes – entertaining and gives you something to chat about.