Cured kingfish at Restaurant Labart – If you’re yet to try this new dining gem in Burleigh, let head chef and owner Alex Munoz Labart‘s newest sea-based spring dish lure you in. The kingfish is cured in new-season citrus (blood orange, ruby grapefruit, lemon and lime) and is served with julienne witlof, pickled red onion and a blood-orange and thyme-oil vinaigrette.

Crispy pork belly at Rick Shores – After temporarily closing its doors to make way for works on the surrounding Burleigh Pavilion, Rick Shores recently reopened with a refreshed look and a series of new pan-Asian-style dishes. The crispy pork belly is a must-try this season, served intricately with a chargrilled Ballina prawn and a punchy pomelo tom sum.

Pomelo parfait at Paper Daisy – Chef Ben Devlin, renowned for his simple sophistication and passion for local produce, is delighting diners with his new-season offerings. Waste no time in heading down to the Cabarita dining space this spring, just be sure to save room for this fresh finisher – a delicate parfait with pomelo, anise myrtle meringue and goats yoghurt.
Image credit: Kara Rosenlund

Spanner crab at Tasca – The quaint neighbourhood wine bar and dining space in the heart Coolangatta is keeping its concise menu fresh and colourful this spring. Nestled beneath a cave of endive, you’ll find delicious local spanner crab with soured cream, native finger lime and macadamia.

Ballina prawns at The North Room – Owner and chef Tim Stewart is embracing the new season in delicious fashion. He’s making Ballina prawns shine bright this spring – they are poached and served cold, and finished with a tomato and toasted sunflower seed gazpacho, green strawberries and crispy prawn legs.
Image credit: The North Room

Steamed coral trout at Nineteen at The Star – Make the most of the pristine views from the top floor of The Darling luxury hotel while experiencing the fresh flavours of Nineteen’s succulent steamed coral trout, which is caught wild just off the Cairns coast. Chef Kelvin Andrews ensures there is very little waste with the dish – the bones are salted and smoked to make a clean broth that is is used to sauce the fish. The delicate dish is then finished with a smoked-shallot and green-chilli salsa.
Image credit: The Star Gold Coast

Swordfish sashimi at Harvest – If you’re keen for a culinary roadtrip south of the border, Harvest’s spring menu is dotted with locally sourced and foraged delights. The local kingfish sashimi is a fresh and flavour-packed experience, drizzled with an apple and cider vinaigrette and finished with black radish sourced from Red Earth farm just nearby in Fernleigh.
Image credit: Harvest Newrybar

The Yosei at Kiyomi – It’s only fair to throw a sipping experience into this seasonal mix. In true Japanese style, the team at Kiyomi puts passion and finesse into its cocktails, with The Yosei making its debut this spring – it features Japanese botanical gin, house-made mandarin cordial, fresh grapefruit and house-made yuzu liqueur – which is crafted from yuzu acquired from a small farm on the foothills of the Victorian alps.
Image credit: The Star Gold Coast