Koi

Wave Building
Cnr Albert and Surf Parade, Broadbeach
Ph: (07) 5570 3060
Open: 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner



FINDING a top meal on the Gold Coast is like hunting for a needle in a haystack. Navigating the hundreds of restaurants and cafes touting to tourists is not easy and who wants to risk a bad meal when so many good ones can be had on holiday?

With no idea, we stumbled across Koi in Broadbeach, the slightly less trashy version of Surfers.

Close to the beach and Oasis shopping precinct it was in tourist heartland. But breakfast hunger pangs prevailed and we gave the funky looking cafe a go.
A comprehensive brekky menu was on offer boasting a heart smart brekky and one aptly named get stuffed.

The (almost) 60-year-old opted for heart smart ($14.90) which featured roast tomato, asparagus, spinach, and tofu topped with thyme on crusty bread.

Her daughter went for the opposite, the Get Stuffed ($17.90) which was a plate piled high with two fried eggs, roasted mushrooms, piles of bacon, hash browns and tomato.
Eggs Benedict ($14.90) was piled high with a generous serve of bacon, poached egg and dollop of hollandaise on a piece of toast, not an English muffin.

Pancakes with compote, strawberries and maple syrup ($13.90) was a generous serve stacked with three thick pancakes and ice cream. A bit too much sugar for breakfast.


Side orders of thyme roasted tomatoes ($2.90), sautéed mushrooms ($3.90) and baked beans ($2.90) bolstered the feast.

A poppy seed breakfast bagel looked good ($12.90) with a fried egg perched on a tower of bacon, tomato and rocket.

All agreed the coffee ($3.50) was problematic – too weak – but gave the breakfast the thumbs up.

For seven of us, the bill totaled $173 which included fresh orange juice ($6.50), a hot chocolate ($4.50) and tea ($3),

Hearty fare at tourist prices.

6.5/10

- Kate

The Botanical

169 Domain Rd
South Yarra
9820 7888
Mon-Fri From 7am
Sat-Sun From 8am


IT'S been found! A contender for Melbourne's best bircher. Surprisingly right under my nose at the good old Bot. Not only is the Domain Rd stalwart a top spot for an afternoon champagne or a fancy steak - it boasts the most incredible bircher ($8.50).

A stunning crunchy combo of grated apple, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and more goodies mixed through a delicious chunky texture of soft soaked rolled oats, topped with rhubarb compote gets my vote. Not gluggy or overpowering, it was the best I've tried yet - and i am always trying.


Mr Maximilian Bircher-Benner knew what he was doing when he invented bircher muesli back in the 1800s. The Swiss doctor believed a diet rich in raw fruit, vegetables and nuts was essential for good health. He was served up a form of bircher on a hike by shepherds alps and proceeded to serve it to his patients.

Lucky for us, Melbourne has adopted Mr Bircher's invention with gusto. And I get to continue my love affair with bircher as I hunt down the best.

The Bot could have got lucky but back a second and third time, proves its bircher is genuine gold. The porridge also gets the thumbs up - but unlike most places, the large actually means just that ($8.50). My friend wished for the small ($5.50) despite the yummy mix of bananas, rhubarb and maple syrup.

The Bot isn't cheap. But as its loyal clientele know, brekky and coffee is a more affordable way to experience this stellar eaterie. Warning - brekky finishes at 11am.


Bircher: 9.5/10


- Kate