Tangalooma Island Resort

Only a mere 75 minutes by Ferry from Brisbane city, this island resort is exactly that. Here you can be drinking cocktails whilst basking in the glow of a tropical island sunset, feeling like you’re a thousand miles from home. It really is that good.

Sunset over South East Qld

Who would believe that over on the horizon, is the bustling metropolis of Brisbane! Here you really are a world away from the daily grind of life, sinking your toes into the crisp white sand, crystal blue water rolling gently nearby, whilst you stroll the lengthy beaches.

View from the main restaurant balcony

Activities available through the resort, range from free eco information talks on the local wildlife, through to quad bikes, snorkelling, helicopter rides and para sailing. Then of course there is hand feeding of the wild dolphins, a nightly ritual you will have the pleasure of attending once, should your accommodation have this inclusion. If you’re into activities whilst on holiday, there is definitely no reason to be bored here.

MiCat Vehicle Ferry arrives

Moreton Island itself, has the option of bringing your own 4WD if you would like to explore more of the island. There are numerous camping and other accommodation options spread over the island, for those not wanting the resort lifestyle. Keep in mind though, all the extra circular activities available through Tangalooma, are only available to guests of Tangalooma Resort.

The vehicle ferry departs from a different Brisbane wharf, to the Holt Street passenger ferry. Arriving onto the beach near the wrecks, the vehicle ferry drops a ramp for the drivers to exit their vehicles. Resort visitor and other foot passengers can travel on this ferry too, but you need to cart your luggage down to the resort, if that’s where you are staying, as there is no service between the two.

Kookaburras pose against the sunset

Accommodation at the resort, ranges from budget rooms and standard hotel rooms through to apartment style living. There is something to suit all budgets and tastes.

Standard hotel room with ensuite bathroom

The hub of the resort is the reception, bar, restaurant complex. An ideal place to meet for catch ups through the day or chill out at any time. Staff were helpful and willing to answer queries or assist wherever they could. Food quality was overall high, with some delicious options available.

Buffet BBQ (served by staff)

A general store exists too, close to the wharf where you disembark or catch the ferry. Next to this the photo shop and the interesting and informative Eco Centre.

View from the ferry towards Tangalooma Island Resort

Brisbane is lucky to witness some incredible sunrises with glimpses of beautiful sunsets at times too. From the resort, you can witness some amazing sunsets, as look across the bay to Brisbane and Sunshine Coast areas. The view from this direction is truely a wonderful experience.

An oil painting like sunset

Be sure to book your visit in advance, as the resort is a popular place. The option is there for day trips too, but consider taking a bit more time so you can witness everything this stunning location has to offer. Especially if you’re wanting to hand feed the wild dolphins, this is a night time experience only which is included with certain accommodation bookings, ranging from the standard hotel room. This is not an experience which can be purchased on its own.

Even on an overcast day, the view is still beautiful

Might see you there one day!

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Farm House, Kedron

Most Brisbanites, particularly those familiar with the Northside, will remember Farmer Joes produce store, which sadly closed its doors in 2009, to make way for the new road associated with the Airport Link Tunnel. Farm House is a tribute to Farmer Joes, using farm fresh, quality foods for their busy venue.

Have a bubbly brunch if you like, there’s alcoholic drinks, as well as coffees on the menu.

Like the majority of venues at the moment, you need to book in advance and you may be time limited. Weekends are exceptionally busy, so plan well ahead to ensure you secure a spot.

Order and pay with your phone

Farm House gives you a couple of ordering options. There’s the traditional method of presenting at the counter, or, order and pay from your phone whilst seated, if you do not wish to mingle.

We trialled the phone ordering system, which in itself is a great concept, but, unfortunately the internet is a bit slow in the area. If you’re patient you will be fine, if not, suggest you order the traditional way to save any frustration.

Freshness simply oozes from the plate

Meals were delivered quickly, much quicker than we anticipated. All were fresh as promised, nicely presented and perfectly tasty.

Fruit and flowers present beautifully

The staff definitely deserve a mention, if not more. All were friendly, helpful and more than willing to do their best to accommodate. At no point did you feel like you were in their way. They welcomed all patrons with open arms.

Now that’s a brunch!

This is a busy corner of the world, but most definitely still worth a visit. Next time, we might try a weekday to avoid the crowds of people. Be sure to give them a try, the rustic surroundings are appealing and relaxing. Couple this with the delightfully fresh food and service, you now have a winning combination!

More photos are posted on Instagram and Facebook. Be sure to follow Dine Live Travel on all platforms, as you never know where we will be next. Stay safe everyone!

Pullman King George Square – Brisbane

We live in a different world now, with 2020 delivering a sharp reminder to us all, that at the end of the day, we are human, we are vulnerable.

A time for reflection

Lockdowns completed, with restrictions on everyone’s lifestyle, beginning to ease in Queensland, it was time to start venturing out and try to make sense of our new world. After weeks at home, we treated ourselves to a night for an anniversary celebration.

Having never stayed at the Pullman King George Square, we decided to give it a test run, and we were not disappointed. Staff here were fantastic, friendly and very helpful. Hospitality staff have not had it easy over the past few months and it was great to see them smiling and carrying on their work professionally.

Fresh, clean and relaxing at Goldfinch Restaurant

After being treated to an early check in, we headed downstairs to the Goldfinch restaurant for an enjoyable lunch. Spacious, airy vibes greeted us, along with the wonderful staff, as we were seated next to an huge windows. Our view was of King George Square, with a constant moving canvas outside as everyone went about their business.

Little Gem Salad
Antipasti

Remember, anywhere you wish to dine now, you should book in advance and don’t be surprised if you are time limited. We were lucky here as the expansive area easily catered to the number of diners at that particular time. You still need to sign in, so that your party can be traced should there be any outbreaks of Covid.

View from Sixteen Antlers

After a break in between venues, we headed up to our booking at the rooftop bar, Sixteen Antlers. The Mercure and Pullman share all of these areas, which includes the pool, gym, Goldfinch and Sixteen Antlers. The rooftop bar is a very popular area so you will be time limited to 2 hours during current climate.

One night off a full moon rising

As the sun set in the West, we were treated to the rising of an almost full moon to the East. The corner table we had been allocated was perfect for viewing. Enjoying cocktails, and an evening beverage, this was a fantastic space to sit and wile away some time.

Sixteen Antlers Rooftop Bar

As the evening progressed, more patrons began to enter the popular venue. This was also at a time where you could not approach the bar, so friendly staff will seat you in one place, ensuring they are then attentive to your needs.

Reflections on the moon rising

This venue really is worth a visit, remember to book well in advance, as it is very popular.

Thank you to all the staff, we very much enjoyed our stay and the special gift in our room as well as the upgrade, was very much appreciated for our celebration night away.

Executive Room at Pullman King George Square

We look forward to seeing you all again soon!

Further photos are available on Dine Live Travel Instagram and Facebook. Thank you for your interest, it’s been fantastic to start moving around again, as our restrictions ease!

Cafe Wisteria – Ascot

Happy to have started our regular brunch, random choice sessions again for this year. This choice was picked simply by going for a drive and choosing what looked like a nice venue.

Located on the edge of the Coles Complex, the cafe is split easily across the footpath. With partial walls, giving open an airy open space feeling, decorated with hanging wisteria and herbs, the dining area next to the road edge, is definitely a relaxing place to sit and enjoy your meal.

Menu choice was enough to cover for all tastes, so we were interested as to what ordered meals would be like.

Staff here, were not only exceptionally friendly and helpful, they were very accommodating, giving only their best attitude to visiting customers.

Presentation of the tea was intriguing. So often tea is overlooked as everyone scrambles for coffee. Luckily, I’m not a coffee drinker, hence tea presentation is what I notice. And yes, i liked this simple eye catching assortment for the tea ordered,

Meals arrived in a timely fashion, nicely presented, with a complete order looking very tasty.

My choice on this occasion was the Salmon on corn fritters with a side of mushrooms.

Yes, it did taste even better than what it looks. Fresh, light and very enjoyable, this was quite a filling meal.

An interesting choice was the bacon pancakes with maple syrup and ice cream. Pancakes were light and airy, topped with tasty bacon rashers and a side of maple.

They have a pretty awesome selection of juices and other drinks here. You can choose your own ingredients to try something a little different. Worth a try, you. Never know what you might end up with!

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Alex Perry Hotel & Apartments

Located in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley area, Alex Perry Hotel & Apartments provides an ideal venue option on the outskirts of the inner city.Here you have the option of a studio room, one or two bedroom apartments. Rooms are spacious, with plenty of comfort on offer. If you’re planning a longer stay, the full sized fridge, spacious kitchen with plenty of storage and utensils supplied, will be perfect for your own in house catering.Storage has been well thought out here, with plenty in the bedroom plus a full laundry stored behind a large folding door, in the bathroom.Muted decor is accentuated with splashes of rich gold and black creating an opulent feel without being over the top.A private balcony off the lounge, gives you a choice of indoor or outdoor space to relax in. The gold and black theme is continued throughout.Even the carpet in the lift continues the colour theme!

A bonus here too, is the onsite, undercover parking, a very reasonable $12 per night.

But, the jewel on the crown, is the well thought out rooftop area. Complete with pool, barbeues and shaded or open seating, its a fabulous place to chill out or catchup with family and friends also staying at the complex.

Across the road from the complex, is an array of shops and food options. The menu displayed in the room, is for Buzz Bistro Emporium. We chose this venue for an early breakfast. Quality meals and service, definitely worth a visit.

The savoury mince above very tasty, not spicy and easy to consume.

Keep the apartment complex in mind should you need some accommodation options in this part of the city. Sometimes its nice to be just out of the city itself. The rooms all presented well, being clean and tidy. For a shorter or longer stay, youre sure to find Alex Perry’s will meet your needs. Remember to follow Dine Live Travel on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter, for further photos and information.

Royal Rajputana – Fitzgibbon Chase

Royal Rajputana has just turned one year old. Part of the Fitzgibbon Chase community shops, this is an innovative venue, bringing city style to the suburbs.

Rajputana means “Land of Rajputs”. This was an area in India which included some of the modern day Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan as well as parts of Sindh in southern Pakistan, covering a total of around 343 thousand square kilometres.

The Rajput race is considered the proudest and most noble race in India. Hence the inclusion of Royal in the name.

If you are seeking a good Indian curry, spiced to your taste, then you’ve come to right place.From butter chicken through to vegetarian or meat, the extensive menu is catering for a majority of tastes. Saffron rice was light, fluffy and very aromatic, making for an awesome accompaniment to your choice of curry.

All food was well presented, fresh, tasty and definitely a winner for our group. Prices are not expensive for the meal quality delivered. Those Naan breads too, very tasty!

The atmosphere is casual relaxed, with a good sprinkle of quality. Service is attentive, friendly as well as being focused on making sure you are comfortable, relaxed and enjoying your experience.

Water is plentiful, refilled regularly, whilst the well stocked bar provides for your wine or non/alcoholic preference.Take some time to stop by. Have a chat, watch the world go by and enjoy some good quality Indian cuisine.

Maybe we will see you there? Remember to follow Dine Live Travel on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and snapchat to stay updated. You never know where we will be!

Stellarossa – Aspley

A relative newbie to the Robinson Road complex, Stellarossa is a surprisingly large cafe, with an equally surprising, menu.

Prices are reasonable and the food, is nicely presented, in generous portions.

Savoury mince can even be added as a side, and trust me, it is worth it.

The cafe is clean tidy and expansive, with a number of table choices. Staff always appear friendly, helpful, aiming to make your experience a pleasant one.

This is another cafe born from a passion for good coffee, flavours and service. From what we have experienced so far, they do seem to have incorporated all of those into this venue.

Ok I’m not a coffee drinker, but Hubby was more than happy with his coffee choice. There is a small tea selection and a number of other drink choices for the non-coffee drinkers amongst us.A great way to kickstart your day with one of the all day breakfast choices, or choose from burgers, sandwiches or general cafe food.

These guys support a great cause too, assisting in raising funds for the PA Research Foundation. This foundation helps to bring research projects to the lab, and on to becoming patient trials for those in need.

The Robinson Road complex is a great little shopping area, housing a few of the essential shops, without having to go to a bigger centre.

Stop in when you’re shopping and give this cafe a try. It certainly is worth it.

Max Steak and Seafood, Broadbeach, Gold Coast

Billed as a steak and seafood restaurant, with some enticing specials and attentive staff, we chose Max’s for an evening dinner out.

Broadbeach itself is just below Surfers Paradise, a foodies haven in its own right, with plenty of food and accommodation choices. Trust me, here there is no shortage of good quality food at reasonable prices.A myriad of highrises and shopping centres make up the Gold Coast. Amazing the view you gain from a little height.

Within a short walk of most Broadbeach accommodation, Max Steak & Seafood is one of the many choices on offer.

After persuading the extensive menu, we decided on Max’s. And overall, pretty happy with the choice.

No surprise that Hubby as hungry, so we ordered a few dishes to satisfy his hunger.A novel concept for a seafood chowder, Hubby was definitely happy with his entree choice!

The mouthwatering steak pictured first was my choice today. Accompanied by a side of vegetables, the steak was delivered resting in its own sauce. Cooked to your liking, and a reasonable steak, I was happy with the dish.

But this is a steak and seafood restaurant right, so seafood is obligatory. Lobster Mornay, was by no means a small meal. The succulent lobster, burst from its shell, topped with melted cheese. A tempting treat, which oozes opulence.

We are early eaters but the venue filled quickly, as did the others around. Depending on the night, you might find live music in the middle of the eateries. Certainly a drawcard for the little ones who were happy to dance and make friends.I will leave you now with a sunset from Broadbeach. Not something you see too well in Queensland, unless you are up high. We do some incredible sunrises, but we are on the opposite of the county to where the sun goes down. Sometimes though you get to nail it.

Stop by Max Steak & Seafood, it is worth trying!

Sunday’s Cafe Rocklea

Directly across the road from the Rocklea train Station, you will find Sunday’s Cafe. Clean, sharp and fresh looking, the cafe sports a large covered area outside, on two sides of the building. Heavy wooden tables and long wooden seats, invite you to stay a while. Bring your furry friend too, they are most welcome.Inside, a couple of small tables sit in front of a cleverly painted mural, framing the kitchen area, yet giving you a peaceful desert feel.

Quite a popular cafe, on this particular day, and I was informed it usually is busy on weekends, most trade coming from the local markets, yet surprisingly, not really anything from the train station.

Sorry commuters but you are seriously missing out here. Perhaps we should all take sometime to actually see what surrounds us.

Menu covers pretty much any taste. Short, simple and catering to your required choice.

Smoothies, coffees, plenty to choose from here.

Staff were friendly, helpful. Could not do enough in that regard, including asking if the dog needed a water bowl. Nice touch.

Service of food was quite adequate, we were there to chill and catch up so enjoyed the no rush, jam it down approach. If you’re expecting something nice you cannot expect that to arrive instantaneously.

Totally recommending this dish. Vege salad can be hard to balance and still be appetising, especially when its cold, but this dish, was seriously delicious. The turmeric paste mixed so well with the Vegetables. Not hot or over the top, just a really nice mix.

Add to your big breakfast with this seriously incredible pulled lamb. Tasted totally devine. I was lucky to try a small morsel.

Or, check out the mushrooms.

Topped with a poached egg, again lovely presentation, another delightful dish. Also, Im told, somewhat tasty.

This cafe has a few siblings. Check them out if they are in your area. Definitely worth a look,

And to those train commuters, stop and look around, you really are missing out.

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Jaylianos Steak and Seafood Restaurant -Strathpine

One of the venues we have visited earlier this year, was the all you can eat buffet at Jayliano’s, Strathpine.

Now for me, all you can eat isn’t usually worthwhile, however hubby is a fan. It was a pleasant surprise to find the venue of a much higher quality than expected. No plastic chairs and tables here, a lot of thought has gone into the decor, including furnishings and set up.

So much to see here, with attention to detail really having been taken into account. The flooring helped to soften the background noise, steel has been used to create some interesting pieces.

Staff have a very efficient system in place, from greeting and table allocation at the door, to prompt clearing of tables and swift attention to drinks orders. It certainly helps to ensure you have sufficient staff levels, and Jayliano’s ensure the staff to customer ratio is well balanced.

Drinks prices were reasonable with jugs of soft drinks available too.

But it’s a buffet and its about the food. What a huge variety of food! From fresh seafood, steak, meats, salads, through to Asian style foods, pasta, fried food and a most impressive array of desserts.

The choice of foods is more than enough to satisfy anyone, no matter what your taste or diet. they really have catered well. Not only that, staff were quick to move any serving spoons customers did not remove and top up dishes as required.

The dessert selection included ice cream, miniature desserts, banana fritters, fruit and, the icing on the cake, marshmallows plus a selected fruit which could be dipped under the fast moving chocolate fountain. At $30 for lunch or $35 or dinner, thats pretty good value for the choice you have. A good venue if you have a group of people to cater for, who have varied tastes. At least you know what your meal cost will be.

There’s a well set up tea, coffee and water station too. Why not wash down your meal with a hot drink, or keep the water glass full during your meal.

Also there is a sister shop, over Kippa ring way, Ariala. Pricing is slightly different, however the concept looks similar. Would be interesting to check this one out too and see how it fares next to the Strathpine model. Keep up the good work!

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