Glossy dumplings, pillowy, pork-stuffed buns, silken, stir fried noodles – what’s not to love about yum cha? Literally nothing. And if your mouth is already watering at the thought, just wait til you hear that Surfers has scored a new location to get amongst this time-honoured dining ritual, as Yum Cha Chevron Renaissance joins its ranks.

Chevron’s Cantonese-style newbie is as legit as they come, brought to you by Marco Hau, a man behind oodles of the authentic feasting locations smattered from here (Robina, more specifically) to Toowoomba – the latest addition officially rounding out his restaurant count to a solid ten. Safe to say we can officially go ahead and surrender to those cravings, guys.

Expect that hallmark Yum Cha feasting experience, brimming with delicious dumplings delivered every way you can dream of – alongside steamed, prawn stuffed rice noodles, and crispy Duck Spring Rolls, with some inventive twists thrown in along the way.

By now Marco and his crew have got this traditional Cantonese biz down to a ‘dine’ art. Scoping out a solid ten of a location, positioned in the heaving heart of the Surfers action in excellent company among Chevron Renaissance’s array of top notch nosheries. A stalwart spot that will always have a special place in our hearts – shout out to 2 hours free parking, the real MVP.

The venue’s sizeable footprint is one that lends itself to gathering groups en masse, special occasions, et al. Spot the signature sky blue finishes, and you’ll know you’re in the right place (though more likely, your nose will alert you long before that). Backdropped by neutral terrazzo pops and cool blue hues, there’s a mix of indoor and outdoor tables and booths bathed in the ambient light of Chevron Renaissance’s alfresco piazza (which has the added perk of providing impeccable lighting for those of us who love snapping food pics).

With those details all covered, we can get to the best part – taking a big ‘ole a swan dive straight in to the menu. With several pages of enticing dishes to drool over, the classics – such as Congee, XO sauce simmered seafood and sticky, sweet-sour Pork Skewers, are all well and truly accounted for, along with some unexpected, playful takes. The Crescent Dumplings are meticulously presented to mimic a miniature carrot, while the Fried Prawn Cheese Balls are playfully served to look like a pile of lychees. Truly a feast for all the senses here, folks.

When it comes to this fine Cantonese convention, we’re about as confident as a boomer in a comment section that there are two Yum Cha camps. Big fans and those who are yet to try it, which means no matter which group you fall into, there are about 64 excellent reasons to high tail to Yum Cha Chevron Renaissance… and yes, we are solely referring to the total number of dishes on the menu we counted before we got sidetracked and started mentally preparing our order instead.

Where: Chevron Renaissance, Surfers Paradise Boulevard, Surfers Paradise
When: Daily, 11:00am to 2:30pm and 5:00pm to 8:30pm
Website: www.chevronrenaissanceshoppingcentre.com.au
Instagram: @chevronrenaissance

Words by Kellie Leader.
Images by Mathilde Bouby.

STORY SPONSORED BY CHEVRON RENAISSANCE.

Ordinarily, us Gold Coasters take great pride in uncovering the hidden gems, preferring to frequent the more secluded spots tucked away from the action – leaving the visitors to duke it out over the bustling tourist hotspots.

But every now and again, we have to give in to that specific, insatiable craving that makes navigating the crowds (and the parking) #ohsoworthit. And when we find out an old favourite has unveiled a new menu, we know we’re gonna NEED to get ourselves a pizza that action #pronto. Because you know when the BARITALIA itch hits, it is gnoc gonna quit until we get a slice of those mouth-watering eats – they’re always worth the truffle.

BARITALIA is Surfers’ very own Italian institution. Uniting locals and tourists alike over their insatiable appetite for top notch Italian food, owner Simon has spent the latter half of his career dedicated to a srsly impressive 15-year stint as a restaurateur. Sourcing both imported products from Italy as well as supporting locally sourced Queensland produce, his knack for dishing up modern and authentic flavours just keeps us coming back forever amore.

Surfers’ little taste of Italy is perfectly placed to watch the world go by. Surrounded in cascading greenery, settle in among the alfresco style surrounds complete with classic black, white, and of course – trademark Italian red accents. With a limoncello spritz in hand, the vibe is enough to have you momentarily contemplating if you need to acquire a Vespa.

As cute as the interiors may be, it won’t take long for your attention to start drifting to sampling BARITALIA’s menu, once you catch those unmistakable aromas wafting from the kitchen. While normally the latter half of the day is where Italian food shines, don’t skip the breakfast here because they are starting the day stronger than an Italian coffee (and that’s saying something). The coffee machine is ready to serve Allpress Espresso from 6.30am. We’re faced with the age old breakfast conundrum: savoury or sweet? In this case, you truly can’t go wrong with either a pizza-oven toasted Croissant or breakfast Bruschetta – zucchini, Meredith goat’s cheese, garlic, mint and EVOO.

Though if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in the BARITALIA vicinity as lunchtime approaches, treating yourself to house made Panini is an absolute must – eggplant, mushrooms, olives, capsicum, pesto, rocket or prosciutto, rocket, artichoke, fior di latte will not disappoint.

The new dinner menu features what feels like every Italian dish we’ve ever known and loved. Grab yourself some antipasti to start while you ponder a fully stacked, authentic fresh pasta, gnocchi and pizza menu. It’s impasta-ble to narrow down a lineup that’s a perfect 10 – but if the Veal Scaloppine – Northern Rivers milk-fed veal, white wine, mushrooms, onions & garlic in a light creamy sauce with broccoli & potatoes doesn’t say indulgent Italian feast, we don’t know what does.

Okay, okay – so maybe just a House Made Tiramisu to finish. Aaaand now it’s officially an indulgent, Italian feast.

Bellissimo!

Where: 3240 Surfers Paradise Boulevard, Surfers Paradise
When: Thursday – Sunday from 7am-2pm then 5pm-9pm, Tuesday and Wednesday 7am-3pm.

Words by Kellie Leader.

STORY SPONSORED BY CHEVRON RENAISSANCE

Feeling a little ho-hum over your usual sweat sesh rotation? Or maybe your rickety rig has been feeling less like a temple and more like a ‘fixer upper’ of late?

Whether you revel in any reason to get the ole’ bod moving, or the thought of exercise bores you to your very core – having some exciting new options to throw in your trusty repertoire can never be a bad thing. So without further ado, here are 10 unique exercise experiences on the GC to try your hand at. Because, y’know, variety is the spice of life, and all that.

Retro Fit
Sweatbands, sweaty bods and lairy leg warmers as far as the eye can see – no, you have not stepped back to a simpler time when Aerobics Oz Style dominated our pre-dawn tele viewing (#NostalgiaAlert). We are, in actual fact, referring to Retro Fit, an assortment of 80’s themed aerobics sessions where you get to strut your stuff to all your favourite bygone bangers… so basically, the most fun one can have while working out. Held at The Junction in Burleigh Heads, there’s different types of sessions going down several times a week, so there’s really no excuse not to get down and… get physical [gyrating intensifies].
Where: 14 Junction Rd, Burleigh Heads

Lights Out and Dance
For the rhythmically challenged among us; if the chance get your groove on under the cover of pitch black darkness sounds a dream, get on down to Lights Out and Dance and ‘dance like nobody’s watching’ (literally). Get those endorphins flowing while you lose yourself to some sweet dance beats in what is basically the most unintimidating group setting you can get. The intuitive-style sessions are held in a dark room so you can work up a sweat shaking what your mama gave you without a care in the world; and have stacks of fun in the process. Post-workout glow, incoming!
Where: Broadbeach Cultural Centre, Hooker Blvd &, Sunshine Blvd, Broadbeach Waters and Runaway Bay Youth Centre, 379 Oxley Drive, Runaway Bay

Puppy Yoga
No, we haven’t gone barking mad – Puppy Yoga is very much a thing… and yes, it’s exactly as amazing as it sounds. Picture down-dogging ’til hearts content, whilst being overrun by a sea of cute puppies! Hosted by the mindful fun and animal snuggle purveyors at Karmably, there’s various, oxytocin-boosting pop up dates held at Flow St8 throughout the year. Plus, we get to feel extra good knowing we’re helping socialise the pint-sized participants while we get our sweat on! Yep… it’s paw-ficial the perfect workout really does exist.
Where: Flow St8, 10 Fifth Ave, Palm Beach

Run Clubs
If your typical cardio rotation consists only of running away from your problems and jumping to conclusions, the various iterations of social run clubs that call the GC home will make a runner out of you yet. If you’re looking for a supportive environment where you can slide on in at snails pace without so much as a second glance, Parkrun is a perennial fave. With community events held weekly from Coomera through to Kirra, participants are welcome to walk, jog, run, or simply spectate. Or for a little extra incentive; we’d recommend checking out clubs that strategically plan their routes around our fine assortment of local watering holes, such as Unfit Run Club and Good Good Running.
Where: Assorted clubs/locations across the Gold Coast

Aerial yoga
If you’ve seen one tree pose, you’ve seen them all, right? Well, not necessarily… If you’re looking to shake up your usual stretch-and-breath sesh, Aerial yoga is where its at! Experience yoga from a whole new perspective, with an invigorating workout that involves performing poses gracefully suspended from a mix of hammock, silk and ring style contraptions. And the best part? You don’t even need to be a card-carrying yogi to get in on the fun! A variety of beginners classes mean people of all ages and abilities can learn the moves ‘on the fly’. Go on, why not give it a whirl!?
Where: Hapy Studio, 9/5 Traders Way, Currumbin

Therapy Fitness
When it comes to changing up the same ol’ workout grind, spin is hardly a revolutionary (geddit, heh) concept – but hear us out, because what we’re proposing is anything but your typical cycle class. At Therapy, Mermaid’s multi sensory fitness studio, the immersive ‘therapy’ sessions are all about boosting mental as well as physical wellbeing… and who doesn’t love a to-do list two-fer?! Combining music and movement, each of the fully integrated studio spaces have been optimised to get both the mind and the bod feeling fab. You’ll be glowing from the inside out in no time.
Where: Cnr Markeri St &, Southport Burleigh Rd Q Super Centre, Shop D2/D3, Mermaid Waters

Pound Fitness
Alright so remove any expectations you might have about what this entails and get excited for an extra fun time… because this workout ROCKS. Get ready to bliss out with ‘ya sticks out – fluro green drumsticks – that is, with the exhilarating full-body cardio jam session known simply as Pound. A rockstar-worthy workout that combines sweet beats with pilates inspired strength training and the sweat-dripping fun of drumming. What a time. Now this is the kind of exercise we could really ‘drum up’ some enthusiasm for! *ba dum tiss*.
Where: Various locations across the GC

Pole dancing
Does the thought of yet another yoga or pilates sesh low-key have you yawning? Why not step it up a notch and have a pole lot of fun challenging and contorting your core in ways you never even knew possible! Even if you’re not typically the flexy type; the pros behind some of our local studios promise there’s no previous experience or even coordination pre-requisites to give it a go! So really, we’ve got nothing to lose, and a whole lot of flexibility, and strength to gain. Sounds pretty badass to us.
Where: GCPOLEFIT, 87 Griffith St, Coolangatta and Rokh Fit Studio, Unit 2/19 Township Dr, Burleigh Heads

Cold Nips
What the heck is Cold Nips you ask? Well, basically, it’s a club dedicated to the art of starting your day with a nippy sunrise dip, that’s what. Promoting wellbeing and positive mental health, the national wellness initiative is all about finding joy and discomfort while connecting with like-minded peeps in nature, and how can you argue with a mood-boosting ritual like that? And to ensure they’re always keeping things fresh, each week’s mystery beach location is only revealed the Sunday night before.
Where: Locations vary weekly, check socials for deets.

NBHD HOT
If you’re in the mood to be challenged by more of a slow burn style workout – never fear GC, we gotchu… or at least, the Coast’s first infrared hot room does. Do not let the low impact movements and stretch-based routines deceive you – with German made infrared heating panels designed to heat your body from the inside out, a NBHD (or neighbourhood training) sesh will have you sculpting, strengthening and sweating like never before.
Where: 2582 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach

Words by Kellie Leader.