DINING A cup of our coffee is best described as memorable and we’ve lost count of the number of people, many from the ‘coffee capitals’ of Sydney and Melbourne, who’ve told us it’s the best coffee they’ve ever had. You could arguably say the Gold Coast’s Burleigh Heads, or just ‘Burleigh’ to locals and long time visitors, is the new Byron Bay. There are great falafels to be found, green juices to try, and it’s fast becoming a place for creatives to flock to –be they emerging and seeking to hone their craft, or established and relocating to make a sea change. You’d be amazed at the influx of Australian companies, many of which operate well within the ‘surf culture discourse’, that now call this area their headquarters. Like all creative catchments, there are hip hospitality offerings to be found (all the creatives need somewhere to congregate don’t they?), but none more so than Canteen Coffee, and its sequel, Canteen Kitchen. Canteen Coffee opened in a backstreet and down a laneway in August of 2011, care of Brendan Elcham. From a long line of seasoned coffee wholesalers and operators, Elcham recognised the Gold Coast’s need for a true espresso bar, so he set out to create one where every element of the business was orientated around one product - the coffee. Previously Elcham lived in Sydney and spent time in Melbourne, where holein the-wall espresso bars occupied institutional status. “They serve as social hubs, and my endeavour was to recreate this in Burleigh Heads,” he says. “Our offering was to resemble a vintage military base - ‘a canteen’. It was the place where soldiers would not only receive their rations and supplies, but would also go for entertainment and recreational activities.” “It was their meeting place.” Always taught you’re better off playing your strong hand and focusing on your strengths, he set out to run a streamlined offering; one with a meticulous operating system to ensure consistency and excellence in every customer’s cup, all made on beans from his family’s business, the long established Deluxe Boutique Coffee Roasters. They source their beans internationally, always focus on seasonality and roast twice a week. Although originally told he’d need to also sell toasted sandwiches or food to survive, and that serving coffee ‘wasn’t enough’, he fast proved critics wrong and exceeded his own high expectations, with Canteen now serving more coffee per day, than most cafés on the coast do in a week. “A cup of our coffee is best described as memorable and we’ve lost count of the number of people, many from the ‘coffee capitals’ of Sydney and Melbourne, who’ve told us it’s the best coffee they’ve ever had.” Canteen Coffee does a roaring takeaway trade, but also caters to those with the time to sip and settle into one of the chairs and wooden benches lining the alleyway. You might too order from a small selection of their baked goods, or if seeking something more savoury and substantial, head next door to their second operation, Canteen Kitchen. It’s a place where beautiful, well-sized and delicious contemporary style meals, with Middle Eastern inspired flavours await. Opened in April 2013, after the coffee had garnered a somewhat cult-like following, it came to fruition when the small 27 square metre tenancy two doors up, previously a dated internet café, became available. It took six months for Canteen Kitchen to eventuate, with time and consideration given to developing the concept and design of a space that hosted both 50 seats for diners, and an onsite open plan kitchen. Elcham desired for the food to be focused, just like the espresso bar, as well as an extension of himself. “My father is Lebanese and I grew up eating Middle Eastern food. I wanted people to feel as though they were sitting in my family’s dining room, with a view of the kitchen, as we prepared their meals.” The desired dining room reference holds true, with the walls decorated by sepia toned photos of the Elcham family, in Lebanon, post World War Two, when it was considered the ‘Paris’ of the Middle East. It’s a touching nod to generations gone before. Seasonal produce and traditional family recipes combine and give light to the sometimes long lines for a table, particularly on the weekend mornings, as locals and clued in visitors line up for arguably one of the best breakfasts on the coast. Dense slices of artisan made sourdough come with generous avocado chunks sprinkled with pistachio spiked dukkah and creamy labnah. Scrambled eggs sit alongside smoked trout and za’atar flat bread, while lamb koftas match back with beans spiced with cumin, cinnamon and a little chilli. Muesli fiends will take delight in a chunky housemade version served with tangy sheep’s milk yoghurt and seasonal fruit. All boast of being clean, light and fresh. As Elcham notes, “Middle Eastern food has a reputation for being unsexy and primitive. We sex it up a little and move away from the traditional stigma”. Come noon, some of the breakfast dishes remain for the late risers, and are joined by other savoury dishes. Tabouli is reinvented via the addition of pearl barley and smoked eggplant ($14 or $20 with the addition of lamb koftas), and the zesty broad bean and quinoa salad is laced with pomegranate, goat’s cheese, fennel and radish ($16). It’s only made better by the addition of grilled za’atar chicken ($4). The ever-popular lamb kofta burger is piled high with beetroot relish and Lebanese cucumber. Should there be room for a sweet something, Middle Eastern pastries served with seasonal fruits await. Beverages are run out from the coffee premise, and also feature locally made kombuchas and sinfully iced chocolates as well as a host of bottled drinks. Whether a Gold Coast resident, or a visitor here for a short stay, a trip to the slowly but steadily built Canteen empire never disappoints, and the attention to detail is nothing less than impressive. pm Canteen Coffee & Canteen Kitchen. 23 Park Avenue, Burleigh Heads. pindaramagazine.com.au Pindara Magazine 103
Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue One
To see the actual publication please follow the link above