The Russian mafia is having a raucous time on the table behind us. They are attracted by the wine list that feature some top notch wines at somewhere near $1,750 a bottle but really are a too young and a waste to drink now.
Food on the Gold Coast seems not to be a priority. Most of the trade for restaurants is transient and hence restaurants rely on passing trade. There are no guides on the local restaurant scene that are not paid for editorial.
The Gourmet Traveller 2004 Restaurant Guide features five local joints.
One is restaurant Fellini, on the first floor of the Marina Mirage.
We walk past the Omeros fish restaurant (in it’s fourth location in ten years) established after the Greek brothers were sacked by my father in law on behalf of the Southport Yacht Club when they refused to cook beef.
Up the steps and past Fellini’s wine cellar and pasta preparation area curiously located in an old glass shop front.
The room is simple and square with open windows overlooking the marina. Fans flutter on this warm and humid night.
A table of Aussies know that the local thing is seafood. Linguette ai fuilli di mare is their choice at $24 for each steaming paper bag of pasta and seafood. And we should be ordering seafood as that is the thing on the Gold Coast. It seems every restaurant has its variation on the Morton Bay Bug theme stacking them with improbable ingredients specially selected to please the middle of the road tastes of the conservative Australian.
I don’t like my food mucked around in this way and demand it be flavoursome. The food at Fellini is simple fine Italian and the chef has resisted the local habit on fanciful cooking.
On this hot night I have already decided I must have vitello tonnato (veal with tuna mayonnaise) tonight or perhaps a carpaccio di carne
The bargain $65 carne (meat) degustation menu offers just that.
I say a bargain because it includes bread, which although made in the kitchens costs $7.90.
The veal and the carpaccio are good and served as they should at room temperature.
We put our trust in the youthful cellar manager James Smith. Our brief was something European, Italian but light for this warm night. He guides us beyond our choices to a Antinori Peppoli 2003 chianti at $60. It was a complex full bodied red but subtle and light enough to be drunk on a warm humid night.
Service at Fellini is attentive and excellent.
Of the three deserts the sticky fruity semifreddo rates a special mention. $260 later we want more.
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Tedder Ave at Main Beach is where the locals eat and has much better restaurants. There is also an excellent little restaurant at Labrador run by the woman who originally had A Tavola at Tedder Ave. I can’t remember the name but it seats about 20 inside and 10 outside. If you take a drive up that way you can see the houses where the Russian Mafia live. Ignore the guards on the gate and drive onto (what are, I think, man made) islands.
Thanks for the tip. We were thinking where to go for our last lunch and may try Labrador. Jackie’s a native and pre food blogging days we’ve spent a lot of time on Tedder. I’ve got a couple of other places to add when I’ve time like Bumbles on Budds Beach. You are right many of the Islands are man made and JAckie’s dad is the man that made them and the canals! At 88, he’s anything but mafia though.