Holiday Eats – Gold Coast

I promised Chris to only formally review a couple restaurants whilst we were in the Gold Coast (see the last 2 posts), then proceeded to drive him absolutely nuts by deciding to informally review everything else. So here it is: the shattered remains of my marriage, in blog form.

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Xi’an Famous Food

2 Elkhorn Ave
Surfer’s Paradise, QLD 4217
https://xian-famous-food-gc.square.site/

As it turns out, not all food in the main Surfer’s Paradise precinct is touristy rubbish. Just one street away from the main strip is Xi’an Famous Food, doing (you guessed it) some of the more well-known dishes from its namesake province. Though not as good as the likes of Biang Biang, it is nevertheless a very solid option.

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Kinoto
2/110 Laver Dr
Robina, QLD 4226
https://kinotorobina.web.fc2.com/

There’s a lot to like about Kinoto – the generous portions, the broad range of dishes, and the fact that it’s one of very few restaurants in the area. The food though? Pretty mediocre. But for the price (and location), it’s hard to complain.

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Matcha Therapy
5/129 Laver Dr
Robina, QLD 4226
https://xian-famous-food-gc.square.site/

Despite being weirdly located in a nail salon, Matcha Therapy is super popular. But I’m not surprised – this place is legit, with just 4-5 options on the menu, and all the drinks whisked to order. Their brew is smooth with a clean grassiness, but minimal bitterness. And for the less traditional, you can get your tea layered with the likes of strawberry, raspberry white chocolate, and banana bread (!!).

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Oakberry Acai
3/3 Caville Ave
Surfer’s Paradise, QLD 4217
https://oakberry.com.au/

Ok fine, Oakberry is not a Gold Coast special. But it’s my sister’s fave, so if I was going to try it, then it deserves a shout-out. And this is not a churro chip situation (funny story my sister was so hyped for me to try churro chips and when I did I was like eh and it absolutely wrecked them). The acai was light and fruity, without being heavily padded with banana like most other places. There’s also a wide range of toppings to customise to your hearts’ content, and whilst some incur a surcharge, the majority come included – I didn’t have to pay a single extra dime for this pretty little number.