the freshest catch Think the Gold Coast and food and you’ll likely think fish and chips. Fair enough. It’s true that being perched post-surf on Burleigh Headland, unwrapping that paper bundle of salt and batter is nothing short of Australian quintessence. But sometimes we want a little silver to our service and a finer viewpoint to toast the surfers down the line. And for a city that was born from an ardent fishing industry, our great seafood options are scarce. Cue The Fish House at Burleigh Heads, and a restaurateur that brings together the best of both worlds. Simon Gloftis took a risk by shifting the focus of this restaurant from the touristic come-and-go to the longstanding locals, especially on the Gold Coast, whose population is as transient as its tides. But with a steadfast philosophy that values coastal clientele, one that he’s carried across previous cafés, as well as Nobby Beach’s esteemed Hellenika, he was able to keep The Fish House busy from the get-go. “We don’t get as many tourists as we think we do,” he explains. “Sydney gets 100 times more. So you need to focus on the locals and make sure they come back regularly. And with them, they’ll bring the tourist anyway.” With its fishing shack-meets-studio design, crisp timber and tile fit-out and professionally conversant staff, The Fish House attracts a clientele that is as likely to be as spruced up as they are salty haired. Surf sophistication with an eye for detail. “I’d be kidding if I didn’t say the location definitely helps with business,” he gestures to the sand-to-Surfers panorama. “Here you see the people as well as the ocean, and then the city. The whole picture of the Gold Coast.” So, enter. From the first step in the door, welcomed by the attentive staff, it’s clear that Simon knows how to make seafood sightly. Split between olivegreen paint and pearly-white tiles overhead, the four walls run around a both spacious and cosy dining area, punctuated by exposed brick pillars and opened by north-facing sliding windows. The dark timber settings contrast splendidly with the stark-white crockery and warm hue of the tabletop candles, sending a twinkle of polished glass around the room like an indoor milky way. Second to welcome diners are the outsized portraits of a King George whiting (Simon’s favourite fish) and a red lobster, keeping the theme comically consistent. Third, perhaps, is the sinuous dining Story Lizzy Keen Pindara Magazine 103
Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue Three
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