Dine on a dime – where to find $5 eats on the Gold Coast
Frugal feasts are the best kind – that’s just a fact. Feeding your face as cheaply as possible is a skill many of us originally acquired out of necessity, but have continued into adulthood for the inherent satisfaction that comes from a belly full of food and pockets full of change. If you too wear your penny-pinching label with pride (we see you, friend), add these dishes to the top of your must-try list, stat.
Thursday, or as we here at The Weekend Edition call it, ‘Almost Friday’, is the ideal time to venture out in search of savvy snacks. Make Garden Kitchen & Bar your new ‘Almost Friday’ go-to, as the Container Kitchen on The Lawn pumps out a selection of plates for just $5 each every Thursday evening. Here’s what’s on offer …
Kingston school prawns
You’re under the stars, the ocean is lapping at the shore on the horizon, there’s live music floating through the air … sounds like a Southeast-Asian holiday to us! While you may not be able to travel right now, you can still soak up those tropical vibes on The Lawn, topping it off with these flash-fried school prawns, with Asian-inspired flavours of coconut, chilli and coriander. For. Only. Five. Dollars.
Sweet-potato empanadas
If you’re anything like us, you can’t say no to a good pastry. Sure, there are a lot of contenders for best savoury pastry out there, but empanadas sit pretty high up on our list. The Container Kitchen is dishing up delectable sweet-potato empanadas with a delectable Bajan-spiced avocado dip for an equally delectable price of just five buckeroos. We won’t judge you if you order two serves – we did.
Fried cheeseburger dumplings
Fried. Cheeseburger. Dumplings. Need we say more? These babies have become somewhat famous around the coast so if you’re yet to try them, now is your chance! All you need to do is rock up on a Thursday, hand over a crisp fiver and you’re on your way to cheeseburger dumpling heaven. Yum!
Thin-cut chips
Is there ever a time when you’re not craving hot chips? We’re asking for a friend. If the answer is no, then consider Thursdays the best time to crave them – when they’re $5, of course! Dig in your bag for a handful of coins and you’ll get a serve of perfectly crunchy chippies, topped with a fancy sprinkle of truffle salt. They make the ideal side to any order, but are equally acceptable as a meal on their own – just like a salad, right?
That, friends, is a bonafide bounty of bites for just $2o – brilliant! If your budget can stretch a little further, there’s a whole menu of Container Kitchen eats, featuring bites such as Jamaican jerk-chicken burgers and mini Cuban sandwiches. These $5 eats are available from the Container Kitchen every Thursday from 6:30–9:30 pm as part of the venue’s incredible Live on The Lawn sessions, which dishes up a smorgasbord of free live music every Thursday, Friday and Sunday. There is also an exciting line-up of headline acts every Saturday night, but if it’s cheap eats you seek, get along on Thursdays to kick back with a beverage and soak in the tunes from Lima TA (May 20, June 3 and June 10) and Michael Hickey (June 3). If you can’t wait for Thursday to roll around to dig in to these bites, you’ll be pleased to know they’re available as part of the Container Kitchen’s regular menu – but you can only get them for that sweet $5 price on Thursdays.
The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Gold Coast dining guide with more than 870 places to eat, drink, shop and play.
