By the owners of Margarita Cartel.
By the owners of Margarita Cartel.
An Italian feast is always a good idea.
All that pizza and pasta and general feelings of comfort and love, what could be better? Perhaps a few Italian cocktails thrown in for good measure.
Luckily, the good people at Burleigh’s Margarita Cartel have you covered with the opening of their latest venue The Don Italian Kitchen, home of an Italian feast that you’re going to want to get involved in immediately.
The newbie opened recently just two doors down from the very popular Mexi-joint and in the same strip as much-loved eateries Commune Espresso and Light Years.
It’s a laidback space with plenty of outside seating, a wall length mural of The Don himself and a big old pizza oven that’ll make your dining dreams come true.
The menu is made up of comforting, modern Italian eats with a bit of an Aussie twist and owner Ivan is Italian himself, so he obviously knows what’s up.
Nonna would be proud.
The star of the show is The Don, a meatball pizza with meatballs stuffed into the crust too and it’s a treat let us tell you.
There are also small plates like arancini, Northern-style fish croquettes and a rolled chicken parmiagana that’s a quirky take on a dish we Aussies love.
For mains, there’s a range of authentic woodfired pizzas in many tasty flavours, handmade pastas and pillowy gnocchi stuffed with spinach and ricotta that’s absolutely one of the best around.
There’s an Eggplant Parmigiana too, but not as you know it. It’s crumbed and deep fried and a party in your mouth.
To sip, an array of Italian cocktails including a Limonchello Spritz that’s a little bit sweet and a little bit sour and the perfect tipple for the warm weather we’re all about here.
Of course, there’s an array of Italian beer and wine to choose from too.
Now if you’re the type of person who doesn’t mind a night of mixed cuisines, you’re in luck.
You can order anything from the Margarita Cartel menu while you’re dining at The Don and vice versa and there are plans in the works to add another venue to the mix.
The pair (for now) have been dubbed The North Burleigh Kitchens and we’re very excited to see what happens next.
If you like the sound of Italian eats with a little Aussie twist and a lot of flavour, The Don is your man.
Happy days Gold Coasters.
LOCATION: Shop 4, 1840 Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads
HOURS: TBC
Words and photos by Kirra Smith
Many curious Mexi-loving locals have been patiently waiting to find out what’s in store for Burleigh Heads since Margarita Cartel’s sign went up on the Lower Gold Coast Hwy a few weeks ago.
Well the wait is finally over with the new venue sliding open their doors this week to reveal an intimate, high vibe venue boasting an authentic menu filled with tasty variations of all your favourites and a cocktail list to rival any other.
Margarita Cartel has moved into the space where much-loved Willow Dining Room once lived and we have a feeling the newbie will be just as popular.
It’s every bit the Mexi-experience from the tall cactuses perched on either side of the entryway to bright seating, a stunning mosaic-style bar and a Sugar Skull mural painted across one wall. You need never pay top dollar to travel halfway across the world for a Mexican experience again.
Now as you know, there are very few people in the world who do not love margaritas so let’s begin there today.
The list as you’d expect, has quite the variety of margies on offer, from the Classic (made with orange liqueur though), to Coconut, Watermelon (five please), Cucumber and Chilli, Smoky Pineapple, Grapefruit and El Patron and we obviously suggest sampling one of each (maybe over the course of a week or so).
There is also a section of the list called Mexican Twist and that includes goodies like the Mexican Espresso (made with tequila), the Negronito, Sangria Bubbles and a Peppery Southside to name a few Mexi-infused favourites. Plus of course, you may indulge in the classics and an array of mojitos too.
You’ll need to visit a few times, see.
Eats-wise the dishes are being whipped up by none other than a Mexican and a Columbian-born chef so everything is absolutely flavour-packed with lots of char-grilled goodness incorporated and there are a few things on there we’re willing to bet you haven’t tried.
To start, we recommend the Coliflor – crunchy cauliflower with salsa cartel, Maiz La Parilla – char-grilled corn with queso fresco and cilantro salsa and Papas Y Chorizo – chunky skinned potatoes with chorizo and queso fresco. To die for.
Of course the taco versus burrito debate rages strong and Margarita Cartel’s selection won’t help with that. There are plenty of mouthwatering variations of both plus quesadillas and La Parilla – char-grilled meats in varieties like Black Angus Porterhouse, Chicken, Chilli and Lime Salmon and Agave Sticky Pork Belly. YUM.
So that’s about 45 reasons to book yourself in this very second and save a seat at your table for us pretty please.
LOCATION: 2/1840 Gold Coast Hwy, Burleigh Heads
HOURS: 5pm to 10pm
Words and photos by Kirra Smith
So it seems the best news of 2020 comes out of our very own Burleigh Heads and you guessed it, involves the very best of baked treats and a few familiar faces.
We’re talking about the opening of Tarte Bakery & Cafe, which is happening Wednesday August 19th and if there is one thing you absolutely must do this year, it’s head in there and eat absolutely everything.
Tarte is the stunning new baby of Gold Coast hospitality royalty Chloe Watts, former owner of Paddock Bakery and an absolute magician when it comes to creating a world-class venue. It can be found on a sunny corner block in the heart of Burleigh, where Vecchia Roma once lived and look, you won’t miss it, there’ll be hordes of people (socially distanced obviously) wanting to get in for the rest of time.
The space has been entirely redone with the front façade being pulled out and put back in again to create a Soho, West Village (NYC) vibe that’s perfectly at home amongst the surrounding greenery. It’s all cool whites and calming blues with a huge open window overlooking the street, perfect for that Parisian-inspired people watching we all love while sipping coffee and downing baked goodies.
As you’d expect from Chloe, the space is beautifully put together – an antique bench was brought in from a rural NSW movie theatre (circa 1940’s), the door handles are over 100 years old, a luggage rack from an old train holds the bread behind the counter and Chloe’s Dad built a bench seat at the back.
Our favourite detail are the little gold cups Chloe bought from a London flea market years ago when she first decided she wanted to open a café and has been saving for this very moment ever since. Oh and the fact that she (and her builder) hand-chiselled 5,000 tiny black tiles into the floor. A labour of love indeed.
We could go on but let’s chat eats shall we?
First things first, the sweet baked treats will absolutely blow your mind. Every single one of them.
A Gold Coast first is the Cookie Cup which is indeed a cup made out of cookie mixture and served with warm vanilla bean milk (cold in summer). Yep, that’s a (very amazing) thing.
There are also Chocolate Praline Tartes, Cannoli with whipped ricotta and choc chips, a Rhubarb Custard Tarte, the list goes on. Many of the items are vegan and some are gluten-free but all are absolutely mind-blowing. We’ll let you discover the rest for yourself.
In terms of cooked dishes, there are some life changers and you’re going to want to sample them all. Starting with the Turkish Eggs with whipped Greek yoghurt, two poached eggs and Turkish spiced butter and served with white sourdough. Chloe has wanted to put that one on her menu for a while now and we are so very happy she did. There’s also Miso Scramble, a packed Breakfast Burrito and BAGELS in many epic flavours.
You should also sample the Roasted Grape Tartine, the Toastie (best in the world) and Cauliflower Burger because they are all some of the tastiest things we’ve ever eaten, hands down.
Every dish on the menu is thoughtfully created and balanced with intricate flavours and look just really yummy honestly. Best get down there and try them all for yourself hey.
Tarte Bakery & Cafe is sweet and sophisticated, warm and welcoming and the absolute perfect addition to Burleigh’s dining scene.
Things are looking up Gold Coasters, how good.
LOCATION: 2 West Street, Burleigh Heads
HOURS: TBC
Words and photos by Kirra Smith
Getting your Italian fix of flavours on the regular can be a task in itself these days. Busy schedules and life’s endless little list of chores unvaryingly tend to get in the way of things. Until now, it seems. An Italian eatery that just so happens to coinhabit one of Burleigh’s busiest shopping centres has just opened its doors. It appears running errands and treating yourself to pasta and pizza is now a firm reality. Say hello to Rustica Italia at Treetops Shopping Centre, folks.
Offering seating inside and out, the restaurant’s visual nod to tradition is hinged on the red brick exterior and walls in its outdoor seating area, helping create a feeling of Italy even before your very first bite.
The menu itself is a twist on Italian flavours. While it isn’t designed to be wholly dedicated to the old country, the focus is on aiming to satisfy an Australian palate that will leave diners more than satisfied. All in all, the double-sided menu has more than enough plates for you to have a light bite or to indulge yourself in a much longer lunch. (Which we can certainly get around!)
Like any good Italian eatery, pasta and pizza are the mainstays. But work your way through some of their smaller plates, like their Pork and Veal Meatballs in nonna style sauce or melt in your mouth Mozzarella Sticks, and you may, in fact, not need anything bigger!
You’ll discover seven different style pasta dishes ranging from the more traditional Carbonara to a succulent and irresistible Slow-Cooked Beef Cheek with porcini mushrooms and red wine sauce. All sauces are available with either linguine, pappardelle, or penne pasta, meaning you can effectively choose between 21 different pasta dishes.
No corners have been cut with the pizza side of things either; as a pride of place in the heart of the kitchen, you’ll be able to spot an imported Stefan Ferrari pizza oven all the way from Naples. Although the oven hails from the very home of pizza, the crew here are cooking their pizza in a more universal style and we ain’t complaining!
Rustica Italia pizzas are cooked in a Roman-style oven at a slightly lower heat and for a little longer. Expect to bite your way into an assortment of red and white-based pizzas with delectable inclusions like the Diavolo with spicy hot sauce, pepperoni and mozzarella or a milder signature Rustica with pork, fennel sausage and potatoes with caramelised onions. Oh yes!
Other sections of the menu include hand-rolled gnocchis and slow-roasted meat dishes, a healthy selection of sweets such as Limoncello Ricotta Cake and of course, the little ones are catered for with their own mini pizzas and pasta dishes.
Besides incredible food, the restaurant is serving a great selection of Australian, New Zealand and Italian wines and Italian beers and sparkling waters. When in Rome, right?
Rustica Italia is the easy-going and enjoyable taste of Italy awaiting you at Treetops. And with a daily $20 lunch special of pizza or pasta with a glass of wine or beer, there’s no excuse not to pop by!
Hours: Every day 11 am — 9 pm
Where: Treetops Plaza, 7 Classic Way, Burleigh Waters
Words by Alex Mitcheson.
