The round-up: must-try market eats – and where to find them!
Gold Coast food markets are pulling some seriously big crowds. With so many deliciously cool foodie markets across all corners of the city, it can be a little hard keeping up with the ‘who, what and where’ of the market scene. Each food truck or market stall is pretty unique in its own right, so it’s a given that there will be a decent array of sweet and savoury delights on offer across the Gold Coast on any given weekend. We’re all for putting our stomachs first and stalking food trucks (in a non-creepy way), so we’ve rustled up a bunch of must-try market bites, and where you can find them. Go forth, foodies, and get these in your gob.
Nutella ice-cream doughnuts by Minus32: This dessert bar is pure genius and one of the few places where you’ll find all of your weaknesses under the one roof (in a good way). We’re talking rolled ice-cream, jam-packed doughnuts and cronuts in the most mind-blowing flavour combinations, ever. The Nutella ice-cream doughnuts go a little something like this – doughnut (or cronut, depends how you roll) with ice-cream, chocolate wafers, fudge chunks, drizzled with Nutella and topped with chocolate chips. Grab a few napkins, pals, this could get messy. Catch up with Minus32 for some sweet, sweet lovin’ at Miami Marketta.
Gorditas and Columbian yuca fries by Little Wahaca: This is most certainly not your average food truck grub. Similar to a pita pocket, the gordita is made with masa (corn meal) and flour. It puffs up when it’s fried, and it’s then filled with achiote-marinated pulled pork, cabbage slaw and charred pineapple salsa. The yuca fries are ahh-mazing – this Columbian root vegetable is similar to a potato, which is fried and topped with Peruvian yellow chilli-cheese sauce, fresh shallots and smoky paprika. Add a few splashes of Little Wahaca’s own hot sauce, made from smoked dried chilies. You can find the olive green 1940s-style caravan parked up at The Social Markets.
World Famous Funnel Cakes: If you love ice-cream, doughnuts and dancing, then you need World Famous Funnel Cakes in your life immediately. You’ll be mesmerised by the entertaining exhibitionism of this circus-style production line – and what pops out at the end is truly amazing. Funnel cakes are are golden brown treats with a light, aerated texture that is a mix between doughnut and churro, yet it tastes as sweet as a waffle. There are a bunch of sweet ways to dress your funnel cake, with toppings like sauces, cookie dough, popcorn, salted caramel – or call on your second stomach and get your mouth around a banana split funnel cake. You can find these carnival creations at NightQuarter.
Run DMC burger by Grillest: So, there are plenty of fabulous burger joints around town, but we really needed to introduce you to Grillest’s Run DMC, which is code for a double mac ‘n cheese burger. So, double beef, double cheese, a hefty scoop of super-cheesy mac ‘n cheese on a brioche bun with secret sauce and … wait for it … a syringe of beer-infused cheese. This is not a joke. Run, don’t walk, to Miami Marketta to get on this.
Ice-cream sliders by Sweet Bliss Doughnuts: Ice-cream and (tiny) burgers – our two favourite things. A warm jam doughnut is opened up to form the ‘bun’ – a scoop of vanilla ice-cream jammed is inside, then its topped with lashing of caramel sauce. It’s life-changing, right? Head to NightQuarter for some sweet bliss.
Mussel bowls from the Mussel Brothers: Grab yourself a bucket o’ mussels, they’ll equip you with a plastic bag for the shells, then sit back and inhale the saucy goodness of these incredibly fresh mussels. The bowls come in flavour combinations like a classic tomato, white wine and garlic sauce, Thai-style in a coconut broth, or ‘drunken’ with cider and bacon. You’ll find these tasty morsels at Miami Marketta.
Barbecue seafood superfood plate by Brazza BBQ: Seafood superfood plate … now that’s a mouthful, and what a tasty mouthful it is. Follow your nose to the mouth-watering barbecue goodness, where you’ll find the delicious seafood plate featuring a mix of charcoal-barbecued calamari and baby octopus atop a seasonal superfood salad. You’ll also find barbecued haloumi and tender meats if seafood ain’t your jam – however you roll, you’ll get that drool-worthy barbecued taste from the natural charcoal grill. You’ll find the Brazza boys at The Social Markets.
Injectable cronuts by Bruce the Food Truck: We heart Bruce and his rad little vintage caravan. When you’re given a syringe filled with (identifiable) sweet liquids with your cronut, you know that first bite is going to take you to a really, really good place. You choose your favourite cronut, like peanut M&M or Mars Bar, get it topped with a giant scoop (as big as your head) of vanilla ice-cream before your flavoured syringe is jabbed in the side. What a dream. Bruce does the rounds between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, but you’ll find him pop up locally with the Gold Coast Design Collective Markets.
Waffle sliders by Notorious E.A.T: That’s right – waffle burgers exist. This gangsta food truck serves up phat hip-hop eats like the Straight Outta Chooklyn slider, with a golden chicken schnitty with apple slaw and Biggie’s special sauce, The Piggie Smallz with pulled pork and housemade barbecue sauce, and the Mac Daddy slider with beef, mac and cheese and juicy pickles – all served on housemade waffles. You’ll find these notoriously good waffle sliders at the Miami Rooftop Street Food Truck Party this Friday March 10.
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