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When you talk Burleigh Heads, you're talking Gold Coast icon.
Surfside, you simply can't do better. It's a great family
beach, there's legendary surf, especially when the Burleigh
barrel is pumping, it's a cool place to hang out and it's
one of the places to be seen. And part of the charm
of Burleigh Beach Club is that it's right on the beach, it's
where it's at and you don't have to be a refugee from Tedder
Avenue to fit in.
Breakfast on the weekends is standing room only if you forget
to book... and why shouldn't it be when you're dining on a
broad terrace raised up above a sacred beach and can enjoy
a great view of the picturesque headland of the nearby national
park. Brekky is pretty legendary as well.
With dishes like Sandy Stack (three pancakes with pears,
ice-cream and maple syrup), Early Smoko (toasted muffin with
smoked salmon and poached eggs), or the massive Ironman Breakfast
(two eggs, two rashers, two sausages, minute steak, mushrooms,
tomatom chips and one inch thick toast), you can't miss.
Mind you, any ironman with that lot in his stomach would
probably sink. But, hey, for $10.50, you probably wouldn't
have to eat for the rest of the week.
With 3000 members, Burleigh Beach Club is always bustling
and it's interesting to note that 70 percent of those who
have joined are women. Perhaps the fact that it's got no pokies
to interfere with the convivial atmosphere aids its popularity.
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We popped in for a meal early in the week and the joint was
jumping... a work farewell party was grouped at the bar, an
extended family was celebrating a soon-to-be-teenager's birthday
and a ladies only clique was huddled on the terrace.
On our visit, we decided to share a serve of Coated Turkish
Bread ($5.90). It was bought in but enlivened with the chef's
own mixture of spices and sliced black olives, baked and served
with a tangy, spiced yoghurt dip. It served two well and could
easily satisfy one as a light lunch ... and it was quite delicious.
We also shared a serve of Golden Brown Calamari ($7.50).
Crumbed and crispy fried, the tender rings were served with
a tasty tartare sauce, salad garnish and fries. An icon seaside
dish, this one lost no points from us.
Mains lean heavily towards seafood, with steak another feature.
The 'Bull of the Day' was a one kilo rump - something of a
scary proposition to a mere mortal and one which our wait
staff assured us was seldom finished except by the hunkiest
of ironmen (if I'm ever drowning I want him to save me!).
The Burleigh Beach Club's Seafood Nights - the first and
third Saturdays of each month - are also legendary and feature
huge seafood platters bulging with prawns, crab, mussels,
calamari, fish, chips and tropical fruit. They cost $24.90
per person or $48.90 a double. But remember the golden rule:
Please book!
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We decided to go the seafood route on the night we visited,
opting for Seaside Marinara ($13.90). It was a generous dish
of mussels in the shells, prawns, calamari, baby octopus and
fish chunks tossed in a creamy tomato sauce and ladled over
fresh fettuccini.
It included a small dish of freshly-grated cheese on the
side and lemon wedges to squeeze over as desired. It was hearty
and very tasty, a real seafood lover's delight.
The Surfie Sirloin wasn't half bad either... 330 grams of
lovely, tender grain fed steak cooked nice and rare as ordered
with a not-to-rich mushroom sauce which complimented rather
than overpowered the meat. It came with crispy, chunky chips
and a nice, fresh salad with a wholegrain mustard vinaigrette.
The kitchen at the Burleigh Beach Club doesn't have days
off. Even in quiet moments, the staff are thinking up daily
specials like alfredo pasta, gourmet pizzas, vegetable lasagne
and chilli con carne and there's always something new on the
menu.
We aren't talking smarmy and sophisticated or nouvelle cuisine
- but we are talking top tucker at top prices in a venue with
unbeatable views and a priceless location.
Talk Burleigh Beach Club and you're talking about a winner.
- Elaine Wilson
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