Lock in Novotel Surfers Paradise’s seafood buffet for a decadent Christmas day.
Lock in Novotel Surfers Paradise’s seafood buffet for a decadent Christmas day.
For those of us in charge of creating the Christmas magic year after year, it’s universally understood that well before ‘eat, drink, and be merry’, comes ‘exhaustion, determination and be…gging for mercy’ as we duke it out among the mid-December shopping centre droves.
This year, consider a carefree Christmas Day with all of the cheer and none of the tears – because this December 25, Novotel Surfers Paradise is throwing a spectacular seafood buffet lunch for the merrymaking pleasure of you and your kin. And lbh, these guys are so skilled at pulling a sumptuous spread out of their chef’s hats, they could do so with their eyes closed (#Can’tRelate).
Lock in a lavish long lunch and luxuriate in a seafood buffet complete with three hours of premium beverages, live music and children’s entertainer – all without lifting a finger.
Make no mistake, Christmas chill style does not equate to a shortage of cheer: for the little ones 12 and under, Santa will be doling out a special gift, while the adults will be appreciating the free-flowing Beer, Wine, Cider and Non-Alcoholic options on offer. Sit back and settle in to the surrounds of the Grand Ballroom, making some magical mems with your nearest and dearest while Novotel’s expert culinary crew, headed by Chef Praveen Dutt, diligently dish up a decadent array of festive eats.
A seasoned pro more than qualified to take on our Chrissy day soirees, Chef Praveen’s resume reads more like a luxury vaycay itinerary – after spending over 17 years honing his craft among R&R heavy-hitters such as Q1, Mantra and Sheraton in Fiji.
Though Chef Praveen certainly has a flair for creating exceptional food, he’s also passionate about curating a welcoming experience for guests and families to come together through his crafted cuisine. And since this is the exact essence of what Christmas is all about – leaving our Chrissy day in those expert hands just got all the more enticing (and we haven’t even got to the menu yet).
Unsurprisingly, the culinary team has also applied an elf-like eagerness to perfecting the ultimate Chrissy feast, with the mouth-watering menu for the big day already locked in.
Go ahead and make yourself comfortable (read: discreetly loosen that top button), because this lavish seafood smorgasbord is the whole shebang (and good luck to us as we take on the impossible feat of attempting to summarise it.)
Seared, sautéed and roasted to perfection will be the signature selection of hot dishes including gourmet takes on the classics like Leg Ham (double-baked with bourbon and honey glaze) and Baked Spuds (chat potatoes with duck fat and rosemary).
Feast your eyes (immediately followed by your tastebuds) upon a tantalising seafood mountain stacked with spanner crabs, piles of tiger prawns, oysters and Tasmanian smoked salmon. And flavour-packed sides and salads such as Roasted pumpkin salad with spinach, pears, pine nuts, with lemon vinaigrette dressing are actually worthy of claiming that precious plate real estate.
Honestly, we could be here until Christmas unpacking this cracker of a menu – but if all that hasn’t already sealed the deal, decadent sweets such as Passionfruit Pavlova Roulade or Cascading Cadbury chocolate fountain (Spanish Churros, brownie, marshmallow) certainly will.
So it’s settled then. This year we’re swanning on into the Novotel like one extremely cool yule-cumber to partake in festivities infinitely more enticing than being holed up for days in a stinking hot kitchen. And we do mean ‘cool’ – because with the morning now wide open, a side quest to the beach for a pre-lunch dip could be on the cards.
Tickets start from $139 per child aged 5-12 (free for children 0-4 years), and hot-sip – full table bookings of 8-10 guests in one transaction and receive a complimentary 750ml bottle of Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut on the day. Cheers!
Tickets for all the Novotel Surfers Paradise festive celebrations here. (Please note that this event is hosted on shared tables to encourage a sense of togetherness and community during this special day.)
Where: Novotel Surfers Paradise, Cnr Of Surfers Paradise Blvd, Hanlan St, Surfers Paradise
When: Monday, December 25, 2023, Arrival from 11:30am; Lunch service from 12pm to 3pm
Words by Kellie Leader.
STORY SPONSORED BY NOVOTEL SURFERS PARADISE
Imagine a Christmas Day that doesn’t involve an extensive grocery list, meal planning with your in-laws, food prep or cooking. Now, that’s an idea! Well, the Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach has beat us to that thought and one-upped us. They’re here to host a most extraordinary Christmas Day lunch, ensuring every dish and decoration is taken care of. These tickets are limited so jump on now and book and then all you have to do come Christmas is sit back, relax and let lunch be served. Whoever said Christmas is just for kids has officially been refuted.
Celebrate Christmas Day in opulence this year with a luxurious lunch inside the Grand Ballroom at the Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach. Don’t mind if we do! This year’s grandiose event has plenty in store for you and your loved ones, especially the enchanting transformation of the ballroom into a whimsical winter wonderland, making it pure ticket appeal!
Guests are in for a festive feast to remember! We’re talking a mouth-watering buffet selection of exquisite seafood and carvery, an array of starters, salads, and a wealth of traditional Christmas desserts and Australian cheeses. Don’t worry, we’re not about to skim the details- let’s dig into the extravagant Christmas lunch that waits before you!
Clears throat*. For starters and salads, we have freshly baked gourmet boulangerie, an extensive selection of antipasto, and artisanal salads including roasted cauliflower, cranberry and cashew and Persian feta, zucchini and sundried tomato. Then, of course, we have the classics with a Caesar, Niçoise and mixed leaf garden salad.
But wait, there’s more! Indulge in the freshest and finest selection of seafood with Whitsunday Tiger Prawns, freshly-shucked Pacific Oysters and Moreton Bay Bugs (to name a few highlights). For the hot varieties, standouts include pistachio and cranberry stuffed turkey, slow-roasted pork loin with that heavenly Christmas crackle we wait for year-long, and a twice-cooked lamb leg with red wine jus and mint jelly. And it would only be a proper Christmas lunch with carved ham, traditional honey-roasted ham, to be specific.
What’s Christmas without a little boujee booze? Are we right? To accompany the impressive buffet is a three-hour beverage package offering a selection of premium wines from famous winery regions in Australia, like Western Australia and New South Wales, including Cloud Street Chardonnay, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc, and Louis Pommery Brut Sparkling (from France). For beer, enjoy James Boags Light and Premium, and Hahn Premium Superdry. Keep things sensible (or not) with tea and coffee, and the kids happy with juice and soft drinks.
The treats don’t stop there (they just get better). End your feast with a variety of traditional sweet Christmas treats and decadent desserts, seasonal fruit and ice-cream. Then, feel the festive spirit take over with live entertainment from ‘Geed Up.’ This fun show from Brisbane blends hilarious comedy, soulful voices, and smooth harmonies with the biggest hits across genres. With a mix of energetic dance, DJ’ing, rapping, and vibrant light shows, ‘Geed Up’ is sure to get everyone laughing and dancing—a perfect fit for the holiday spirit! Watch little eyes light up with a special visit from Santa Claus himself.
Guests can bask in the warm and festive atmosphere alongside loved ones while seated at an intimate, tastefully decorated table of 10. You may even have the pleasure of enjoying Christmas lunch with some new and friendly faces (an underrated experience). For specific seating requests or dietary requirements note them under the “Special Requests” section of the ticket details page.
Tickets (including the three-hour beverage package) are $325 pp. Children aged 13-17 are $250 per ticket, and those aged 5-12 are $138. Children under 4 are free!
This event is destined to sell out so snap up your tickets here.
Where: Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach, Grand Ballroom, Level 1, Broadbeach
When: 12-3pm, Wednesday, 25 December 2024
Words by Chelsea Ipsen
STORY SPONSORED BY SOFITEL GOLD COAST BROADBEACH
Hold on to your Santa hats! ‘Tis the season to be jolly and indulge in some merry munching, and where better to do it than at The Star Gold Coast?
They’ve rolled out the red and green carpet for some tree-mendous festive feasting options so get ready to sleigh your hunger – Star Style!
Harvest Buffet
If you’re looking for a Christmas nosh-up that’s as bountiful as Santa’s gift sack, then Harvest Buffet is your go-to!
Serving up Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day lunch and Christmas Day dinner, sink your teeth into succulent roasts, jingle all the way with fresh seafood, cold meats, pizza, pasta, salads and soups, and top it off with a sleigh-load of delectable desserts.
Buffets start at $120 per adult and both Christmas Day lunch and dinner include a three-hour beverage package.
Garden Kitchen & Bar SOLD OUT
This is one Chrissie day garden party lunch that’s sure to leave your taste buds in full bloom!
They’ve got something for everyone (even those on the naughty list) like Hervey Bay Scallops in the half shell, Ratatouille with summer herb salad and jus, and Sticky Date Pudding with Guinness chocolate sauce and summer cherries to top it all off (literally).
We’re pleased to confirm that lots of love was (Christmas) puddin’ into this spread! $195 per person and a-la-carte bookings are available at dinner time.
Uncle Su
Christmas Day lunch just got a Cantonese style glow up! Executive Chef Song Yao Su, the Wok-star of Asian Cuisine, is dishing out a festive menu to guarantee a wonton-derful day!
Blending Mandarin and Cantonese ingredients like a Kung Fu master, you’ll enjoy a banquet featuring dishes including Chicken Shu Mai with truffle, hot and sour soup, Fried Live Coral Trout Fillet Zhou Chou Style and Deep Fried Porcupine Custard Bun.
And psst kids – Santa will be making an appearance so get ready for some ‘elfies! $165 per adult and a-la-carte bookings are available in the evening.
Kiyomi
No need for a sleigh ride to Tokyo, just head to Kiyomi for Christmas dinner where the only thing longer than Santa’s beard is the list of rave reviews!
Explore innovative dishes like Scallop Sashimi and Spanner Crab with compressed watermelon and Yuzu honey, Dengakuman Miso Glazed Toothfish, and Dry Aged Maremma Duck with charred witlof, sansho, and wasabi jus.
Still hungry? Tuck into a dessert and we recommend the Okinawa Black Sugar Parfait with umeshu and candied walnuts. Prices as per the menu.
Cucina Vivo SOLD OUT
If you’re dreaming of a Christmas in the Amalfi Coast and really, who isn’t, Cucina Vivo is the next best thing.
Picture this: you and the fam bam, a table laden with an exquisite four-course meal accompanied by a three-hour beverage package.
Think antipasti, a fintastic Seafood Platter, Borrowdale Porchetta and Ocean Trout Fillet share platters and for something sweet, Torta Al Cioccolato! There’s also live entertainment and the jolly man himself will be swinging by with plenty of loot for the small peeps. $205 per adult.
Christmas Hampers
Take the heavy lifting out of your merry munching with a delish takeaway Christmas Hamper!
Available for pick up on Christmas Eve, they’re decked out with all the festive faves like smoked ham, roasted turkey breast, Tasmanian salmon and much more.
Plus, you can make this Christmas extra spesh with optional seafood and salad upgrades and hold the bus sleigh, because there are even Beverage Hampers!
Hampers can be purchased for either two people or six and prices start from $260 per hamper.
Event Centre SOLD OUT
Perfect for those who can’t be stuffed putting on Christmas lunch this year, The Star’s beautifully themed ballroom will take care of the lot!
Enjoy a festive all-you-can-eat lunch, four-hour beverage package, live entertainment, and a special appearance from Santa.
With a seafood selection, antipasto and cheese station, cold salads, carving station, hot selection and desserts, it would be just rude-olph not to go. Prices start from $310 per adult.
For more information or to purchase tickets for any of The Star’s Christmas activations, go here
Where: The Star Gold Coast, 1 Casino Drive, Broadbeach
When: Various activations on Sunday 24th and Monday 25th of December 2023
Words by Bianca Trathen.
STORY SPONSORED BY THE STAR GOLD COAST
The Star Gold Coast practises the responsible service of alcohol.
As another silly season approaches, we’ve got the word on one venue ready to help us sleigh, sip and sashay our way to a ripper of a Chrissy celebration. Here to help us bid a big adieu to the year, the voco Surfers Paradise crew has an array of festive function options for all manner of advent antics.
Firstly, let us re-introduce you to a (near unrecognisable) old friend – because voco signifies a multi-million dollar shake-up of the iconic former Watermark Hotel site. A funky R&R brand which has been servicing leisure seekers for some five years from their conveniently central Surfers spot.
Whether you’re rounding up friends and fam or toasting another year of toiling with some corporate-style cheer for the work crew, voco is a name that needs to be on your radar as you ponder the perfect festive season celebration for your fellow comrades.
This year, voco has arranged a fine array of four fabulous options primed for fun and frivolity a’plenty, so you can lock in a legendary party to go down in office history. Whether you’ve been handballed the party planning thanks to your organisational prowess – or (despite a total lack thereof) you somehow continue to be relegated to the role, prepare to tick this ‘ole chestnut off the to-do list. The voco team has got you covered like a Christmas present.
Social House Cabana
At only $25pp the Social House Cabana venue offers incredible value. We’re headed straight to the VIP-vibing surrounds of the voco Cabana – available for groups of 20+ to revel in the semi-private industrial luxe terrace and raise a glass to the year.
Guests can luxuriate between a selection of themed food stations, including an Oyster Bar with dipping sauces, Gourmet Slider Station, and Greek Station featuring Pull-apart slow cooked lamb with feta and tzatziki – this option just keeps getting feta, no?
A full drinks menu inc. expertly mixed cocktails is available for purchase at the bar, as is the option to add on a bar tab.
Cocktail Party at Kingfisher Marquee or Brolga Room
Santa’s drink of choice may well be a glass of milk, but for many of us sashaying through the silly season cocktail in hand is where the true Christmas magic happens. Ergo, the Cocktail Party option at voco is sure to be one gift very graciously received by your guests.
For groups 30+, $69 pp includes a 2-hour beverage package and hot and cold canapés, backdropped by your choice of two of voco’s prime pozzys. Choose from soaking up sweeping Surfer’s views while mingling alfresco style under the Kingfisher Marquee, or the allure of A/C and your own private bar in the comfort of the indoor Brolga room. Either way, a Chrissy cocktail party = a sure-fire smash hit rivalled only by Mariah’s ‘All I want for Christmas is you’.
Clifford’s Grill & Lounge
There are myriad reasons to opt for hosting your festivities at Clifford’s Grill & Lounge, (retaining your rightful rep as ‘Event Queen’ or ‘Logistical Kris King-le’ rating pretty high on the list #sleigh) – but we certainly wouldn’t blame you if it was the excuse to partake in that famous Clifford’s fare that ultimately sealed the deal on this little Chrissy party conundrum.
A stellar spot well known for dishing up communal dining deliciousness (with the reviews to prove it), Clifford’s is one of those venues that’s sure to impress the whole office. Even Brad from accounts will be rapt with the array of contemporary shared dishes, including their renowned 1kg T-bone steak that practically melts in your mouth.
To really put the ‘fancy’ in fancy-free, sizeable soirees (40+) hosted Sun to Thurs night, can secure this swanky space in its entirety, while groups sized 12+ can lock in their spot for good times galore.
Waves Buffet Restaurant
What could be more befitting of an end of year celebration than the classic Christmas ritual of stuffing ourselves silly after going a few rounds with a mouth-watering buffet? For the ultimate Chrissy #crowdpleaser, lock in your large get-togethers of 50+ at Waves Buffet Restaurant for $135pp.
Gleeful guests will enjoy a 2-hour beverage package and, as an extra special treat, functions held Thursday to Sunday will be treated to a special festive themed buffet.
For those needing to feed an advent-sized army, exclusive use is also available for 190+ guests.
So go ahead and draft up that company-wide memo, because it’s office-al – Christmas is all wrapped up. Cheers to you holiday heroes Blitzen this Chrissy party business (it’s giving ‘employee of the year’). Check out all the options here.
Where: 31 Hamilton Ave, Surfers Paradise
When: Various venues and times available
Words by Kellie Leader.
STORY SPONSORED BY VOCO
