Palette

135 Bundall Rd
Surfer’s Paradise, QLD 4217
https://paletterestaurant.com.au/

Look, Surfer’s Paradise is hardly known for its quality dining, so calling Palette the best restaurant in the area doesn’t necessarily mean much. But Palette is genuinely good; at the risk of sounding like a snob, it’s Melbourne good. Situated in the HOTA (Home of the Arts) precinct, Palette routinely makes it onto the best-of lists for the Gold Coast, with its seasonal and creative menu, and suave service to match. I was hella impressed with my experience there, and would highly recommend making a day of it – catch a show, wander around the sculpture garden, then wrap it up with a long, multi-course dinner. That’ll get you a second date.

Rating: 15.5/20 – best on the gold coast.
Fun fact: kangaroo has just 2% fat! that’s half of chicken breast! that must be why they’re so good at boxing! (this becomes relevant later)

The Brisbane Valley Quail ($36) starts the meal with a bang. Riffing off beef wellington, the delicate bird is sandwiched with foie gras, truffle paste, then baked into a light buttery pastry. The result is decadent yet balanced, with a bright and playful Davidson plum sauce adding a touch of sweetness and acidity.

Comparatively, the Bangalow Pork ($26) is rather unexciting, though I will concede – it’s a very well-cooked piece of pork belly, with textbook layers of fat and crackling, classically paired with apples. The highlight was definitely the okra, which was unexpectedly smoky, and added a darker, more intriguing layer to the dish.

The Pixel Bakehouse Sourdough ($6) is actually a halfway between sourdough and baguette, which means it has the complexity of flavour of a sourdough, but also the crispy and fluffy contrast of a good baguette. And there’s a secret ingredient – a touch of 10-year miso mixed into the dough adds a subtle earthiness, which is showcased clearly against the mellow cultured butter.

I love that they have made a main out of Jerusalem Artichoke ($44) – a heavily underrated vegetable that doesn’t get enough love, even when in season. Roasted and piled high like nuggets of gold, the fluffy tubers have a nutty, slightly sweet profile, highlighted by dollops of stracciatella, and the tart burst of winter blackberries.

Tossing up between steak and kangaroo, I eventually settled on the latter, as I don’t have it very often. As much as I hate to say it, I kinda wish I went with the steak. Although both cuts of the Waroo Kangaroo ($56) – a grilled skewer of loin, and slow-cooked belly – were well-cooked, you just can’t get around the fact that kangaroo is a much leaner meat, and hence, less tasty and tender for it. I did appreciate their generous usage of beetroot as an accompaniment however, as its robust earthiness is able to stand up to the heartiness of the meat.

Ok the Sugarloaf Cabbage ($16) was bad planning on my part, as we really didn’t need a veggie side after the artichoke, especially not a cruciferous one. But who am I to resist buttery layers of slow-roasted cabbage, topped with breadcrumbs and a herb dressing?

I was so keen on trying their Tart Cart, but turns out the menu changed literally days prior to my visit. BOOOOOOOOO. But not to worry, because the Balloon Dog ($23) is here to save the day. And look at him – isn’t he just utterly delightful? Sculpted from yuzu-scented chocolate mousse coated in white chocolate, this wonderfully whimsical treat is one I won’t forget.

With that said: I’d like to meet the mousse dealer for the waitress who told us this was a ‘nice, light mousse’. Maybe if you share it between six; this thing is suuuuper decadent, even with the citrus to cut through the richness of the cocoa. This is not a criticism, but it is definitely a warning.