Bellissimo

Lovely jubbly it is, them legs and post. That is the breaky special of bacon and eggs, buttered toast and roasted tomato for just under $6. Bargain. Not so the “Summer” breaky, poached eggs and raw spinach fine, but the 3 prawns are half the size of a regular thumb small, and there’s more egg than sweet scallop flesh, all lathered in a thick, creamy hollandaise that makes the plate rather heavy rather than seasonal light. Genorisity would make Bellissimo a little bit more dovely.


2.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? 11 Mooloolaba Esplanade, Mooloolaba QLD
What? Around $15

Hot Pipis

Holidaying in Mooloolaba isn’t exactly conducive to early mornings wake ups. But I’ll give you three reasons that will: the sound of a squeaky bed next door (presumably testing out the quality of the mattress), room service crashing through because the “do not disturb” sign was not on the door and a Hot Pipis breakfast.

The Sunshine Coast heat ain’t the only thing that’s hot on the esplanade, juicy meatballs picked up from the meat market at the local Surf Club the night before is packed with torn basil and oregano covered in a chunky “secret” tomato relish hinted with chilli that really sizzles. A seafood curry is 28 degrees, sunny and fine in a bowl of fresh prawns, mussels, calamari rings, scallops and chunks of snapper gently cooked in a fragrant smooth Thai red coconut curry balancing spices, herbs and chilli-willi.

So the quality of the mattress might not be high next door, but where you will find it on the Sunshine Coast is in a Hot Pipis dish.


3.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? Shop 11-13, River Esplanade, Mooloolaba, QLD
What? Breakfast around $15, Dinner around $30








Left to Right : Hollandaise Eggs, Meatballs and Polenta, Milkshake, Soft Shell Crab and Lobster Pannacotta, Duck, Seafood Curry

Beach Bakery

Food with awards to me is like 4-for-1 16 pack Cottonelle for bargain hunting career mums looking to squeeze savings on household essentials. Don’t let all the loaves, rolls and slices displayed at Beach Bakery along Mooloolaba’s esplanade lead you on, it’s really a front for all the pies that they are pushing. Just shaded for top prizes in the local competition, you could probably put it down to their literal interpretation of the “steak”. No mincey little bits in the fillings, just a few solid cubes of stewed down bovine in gravy infused with tomato and onion that makes pastry-to-meat mouthful ratio management difficult. Campbell’s Chunky meal in one hand.


2.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? Shop 105 / 101 Mooloolaba Esp, Mooloolaba, QLD
What? Under $5

Zana’s @ Montville

If the food doesn’t take you away at this quaint restaurant wedged amongst the Mount Dandenongs of the Sunshine Coast hinterland, you could take the quick route back to Mooloolaba… by jumping off the cliff.

That’s an extreme over reaction, but exactly what I wanted to do when I was presented the vegetarian option of ratatouille in an off-the-shelf tart shell. Double lime doesn’t quite work in the acidic dressing glass noodles but fine as a glaze on the duck shanks.

So it’s a bit of hit and miss menu for an intimate wedding reception, but mains of Woman’s Weekly classics such as roasted lamb rack crusted with pulsed almond, herbs and apricot and a beef rib fillet cooked to order wrapped in bacon topped with a tasty mushroom ragout more than makes up for the disappointment. Tasty enough to make a safe, sane and slow decent back to the coast.


3 / 5 yums!
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Where? 171 Main St, Montville, QLD

Siam Thai Restaurant

Thinking that Brendan Fevola would grow up, or St George Illawarra might finally win the big one. Just not a good idea. Neither is a having a thick, coconut creamy, rich, spicy curry in the warmer conditions of sunny lower Queensland. But so lovable, you can’t but help make the exception. It is the fruit’s extract that gives both the red and Massaman curry a velvety smooth texture, and carries the tasty combination of spices, lingering in the mouth to make it memorable. No need for Carlton decisions here, you can forgive yourself for relenting to the call of the curry.


3 / 5 yums!
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Where? 8/32 River Esplanade, Mooloolaba, QLD
What? Dishes around $20

Karma Waters

Is it the play on words, or the great value prices that make this alfresco café? I wouldn’t want to pay for crap food, so it’s a good thing they don’t disappoint with their standard café classics for 1st and 2nd meal times. For something light, choose a Caesar salad with a dose of crisp iceberg, bacon bits, cubed croutons and chilli garlic de-veined prawns. Fillets of barra do justice to the fish that’s been sacrificed, the exterior nicely seared keeping the flesh moist, served with chips, salad and a homemade tartare. You don’t even have to do something right to deserve this.


3 / 5 yums!
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Where? Shop 5, The Outrigger, 7 Venning Street, Mooloolaba, QLD
What? Around $15