Co-owner at Burleigh Australiana bar, Rosella's.
Co-owner at Burleigh Australiana bar, Rosella's.
Jack Connor is one half of Burleigh’s beloved Australiana bar, Rosella’s and one of the Gold Coast’s most talented mixologists. He began his career as a shit-kicker (same), went on to shake things up in some of Australia’s most impressive venues and now co-owns one of the best.
We sat down for a chat with Jack about his thoughts on making the perfect Martini ahead of Martini Week and the epic changes in the works for Rosella’s in 2020.
How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
I was born in Melbourne but moved here when I was still a little baby at the age of 1. I’m getting old now… so been a local for a while ha.
What do you love most about living here?
Living here so long, its great to be on the Gold Coast having so many friends and family within a stones throw is pretty special. Also pretty good living in such a beautiful small and growing city.
You co-own Burleigh Australiana bar Rosella’s, how’d you come up with the concept?
The concept was sort of an evolution from a mix of other concepts that needed work. It was a great collaborative effort between myself and Jon (co-owner) to use only Australian products and to tie that in with the more nostalgia Australiana feel. I think it’s a great way to showcase the rapid growth of Australian cuisine and hospitality in a fun and super sustainable way.
What can someone expect if they’ve never been?
If it is someone who has lived in Australia for a long time, they should expect a trip down memory lane and to be very impressed with what Australia has to offer. If it is someone from overseas, they should expect the latter from the previous statement. It’s a very common surprise for guests to see how much we have to offer in terms of amazing cocktails, spirits, wine, beer and food.
Tell us about career before Rosella’s, what did you do?
I have been in this industry for 12 years now and on the Gold Coast. It all started when I was 19, finding a job after the GFC to get me through university. I landed a job as a bar back at Elsewhere. Slogging out the shit kicker jobs (which are still very much apart of every day work still to this day) for six months, I got myself into the bar tending drinks. After a good innings of bar backing, bartending and DJing, I moved to FIX Bar at the Hilton to find the more cocktail and service aspect of hospitality, which I fell in love with. This is where I worked my way up to a management role and have been managing venues ever since. I had a quick stint in Brisneyland where I managed The Charming Squire but found myself coming back to the Gold Coast. This is where I then started at Aloha Bar and Dining for three years before opening up little ol’ Rosella’s.
What’s your favourite cocktail on the menu right now?
My favourite on the menu right now would have to be Blinky Bill. It’s a cocktail using a lot of progressive techniques in order to create a very pleasing visual experience and something that is bloody delicious. Plus the customer is donating to a very good cause. With every Blinky Bill sold, $2 of that cocktail is donated to WIRES Wildlife Rescue Organisation, with our country copping one of the worst bushfire seasons to date, this helps those centres that were overwhelmed with injured native animals. This is also by far our most popular cocktail, which makes it so much sweeter! Super fun for us to make, giving to a good cause and bloody delicious…. WIN WIN WIN!
It’s Martini Week this week, talk us through making the perfect martini…
A perfect Martini, in my opinion, is the hardest cocktail for anyone to make. There are very few ingredients (2-3), with an incredible amount of room for error! My favourite martini however is a Half-Half Gin Martini. This means upping the vermouth so that you are using half gin and half dry vermouth. Low ABV… high NRG! My preference would be Never Never Southern Strength Gin (40mls), Regal Rogue Lively White Vermouth (40mls), stir in a mixing glass till perfectly diluted, garnished with a bush lemon coin! Delicious!
FUN FACT: Before the Vodka Martini was called a Vodka Martini it was known as a ‘Kangaroo Cocktail’! However with vodkas popularity in the 1940s and onwards, saying a Vodka Martini was a little more appealing than ordering a smelly, Australian marsupial.
Rosella’s has done a few collabs with local businesses, why is it important for you to support them?
I think collaboration in any aspect is hugely important for any business and more so, personal growth. From our Rosella’s Blend Rum with Bundaberg Rum to all our takeover nights with specific brands, winemakers and/or other local restaurants. It brings us together to work towards something that is in both of our best interests. Sharing ideas, tips and tricks, techniques, and the same vision helps both parties personal growth and brand awareness. This industry [hospitality] moves forward very quickly! It is imperative you move forward with it… or stay ahead!
An exciting fun collaborative initiative we are working on now is with Husk Distillers. In the coming months we will be releasing a collaborative bottled cocktail pack, where we have designed four different signature cocktails utilising the four main products from Husk Distillers.
What’s in the works for the rest of 2020 for you and Rosella’s?
The biggest project we are working on at the moment is our kitchen renovation. We have acquired some very special chefs (Hamish Penner-Wilson ex Sous Chef at Fish House and Angus McCombe ex Jimmy Wahs) on board at Rosella’s now, and want to represent that in our food offering. Another big focus for us is making everything very sustainable. Using all local ingredients and minimising waste and plastic. We have acquired some compostable cling wrap so now we can say we are 99% single use plastic free. We are also working on a project to have an urban garden on top of our coolroom and storage shed for little herbs for the kitchen and bar, while also using home gardens for herbs and David doing weekly/fortnightly foraging endeavours. We have an amazing team at the moment at Rosella’s, so expect an exponential growth over the coming months in all aspects!
Tell us your favourites on the Coast…
Cafe for breakfast: Elk Espresso, Commune, Stable (if I’m awake early enough)
Coffee spot: Stable
Bar for a drink: Lockwood, Iku or Scottish Prince.
How does your weekend usually look: My weekend usually is a whole lot of work, sleep and coffee!
They say Australia is the lucky country and in particular those of us who call the Gold Coast home (made that bit up, but look around friends). Well, in the last week the lucky country got even luckier and (again) in particular a little place on the south east coast of Queensland, we like to call Burleigh Heads.
The latest little pot of gold comes to us in the form of a brand new bar but not just any brand new bar friends, it’s the kind that dreams are made of.
Rosella’s Bar flew into town just last week ahead of the Australia Day long weekend and it is the refined Aussie-inspired bar you never knew you needed in your life. But need it you do and, as usual, we’re here to tell you why.
It’s the work of local lads Jon Debeere (next-level wine connoisseur) and Jack Connor (ex-Aloha cocktail creator extraordinaire) who are both passionate about all-Aussie adventures and wanted to showcase the work of local wine and craft beer makers, plus do a little making of their own.
It’s an intimate space found on the highway in Burleigh, where a little hairdressing salon once lived, and streuth is it a beauty. Louvered windows open out into the street so you can perch yourself up there and watch the (unfairly good looking) world go by while a couple of booths and high tables line one wall and, of course, you can perch at the bar and have a chat with the boys (or talk their ears off if you’re us).
Brightly coloured, Aussie-inspired artwork is hung throughout, vintage, stained glass light shades hang overhead and Ken Done cloths line the bar. It’s beautifully put together, refined with a side of tongue in cheek and we are absolutely here for it.
Let’s chat drinks though because they are, of course the star of the show. The cocktail menu is unlike anything you’ve seen before with over 10 signature cocktails plus all your old faves. Each one is made with Australian spirits and each one is way more epic than the last.
The Ironman, for example, is made with Beenleigh white rum, Bundaberg small batch rum, lime, banana and a Nutri Grain Orgeat (a housemade syrup type situation) and topped with, you guessed it, our beloved Nutri Grain. It’s a gamechanger and our new go-to tipple.
The Rosella is made with White Light Vodka, rosella jam, Australian bitter, lemon and lilly pilly and served in a rosella shaped glass, all delightful and refreshing. Honestly, they’re all some of the best we’ve ever sampled so do yourself a favour and get there ASAP.
The wine list is equally as impressive, filled with natural, Australian-produced wine made with minimal intervention, many of which you won’t find anywhere else on the Gold Coast (or Queensland for that matter).
Rosella’s are all about showcasing Pet Nat wines (Pétillant-naturel) which refers to sparkling wines produced in the ancient way where the wine is bottled before primary fermentation and finished without the addition of secondary yeasts or sugars.
Sounds fancy, is amazing. We taste-tested quite a few and, let it be known, they are some of the most flavour-filled, clean tasting wines we’ve ever come across. And we’ve come across a lot.
Oh and there’s also Fosters. In a can. Not to mention MANY other Aussie beers you’ve probably never seen before. We’re in love.
Now to the food.
The menu has been designed with a nostalgic nod to the Aussie eats you know and love but minus the throw-it-on-the-barbie-and-hope-for-the-best attitude your Dad was all about.
Think Vegemite Beef Jerky, Bug Sambos, Raw Aussie Beef Burgers and Prawn Cocktails but all made with a refined, sophistication to match the exceptional drinks menus.
Last but not least, there are jaffles. The very best jaffles at that. How does Vegemite, Cheddar and Wattleseed butter sound? Yep. There’s also Onepot Lamb with soft herb cheese and spiced chutney.
Okay we’re done. Seriously just go. Right now. We’ll seeya there.
Love you ‘Straya.
LOCATION: 6/1730 Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads
HOURS: 4pm until late weekdays and 12pm until late weekends
Words and photos by Kirra Smith
Who loves a dirty martini? Ummm, we do! And we love any excuse to drink one… enter: International Gin Day. June 14 is basically our second birthday – okay, technically it’s gin’s, but we’re claiming it.
Luckily for us, the Gold Coast is shaking (and stirring) things up with a bunch of bars serving epic gin creations using top-shelf local spirits.
So in honour of the juniper juice we all know and love, here are the best spots to get your gin fix this Gin Day – or, let’s be honest, any day ending in “y”.
Happy sipping, gin lovers.
Bringing a splash of Polish tradition to the Gold Coast, Panezski Artisan Distillery is a family-run gem crafting premium small-batch vodka and gin with heart, heritage and a whole lot of flavour. While vodka might traditionally be a northern hemisphere affair, Panezski is proving that Aussie soil can produce spirits with just as much soul. From their meticulous distilling process to their beautiful bottling, it’s clear this crew doesn’t cut corners. Drop in for a taste of Europe, GC-style.
Our pick: Northside Rickey – Panezski Gin, lime juice, simple syrup, mint leaves and dry ginger ale. Cool, crisp and straight-up refreshing.
Where: Unit 2/2 Sierra Place, Upper Coomera
Tucked away in an industrial shed near Harbour Town, this gin haven is serving up serious style (think festoon lights, a swoon-worthy pink vee-jay counter, and shiny copper stills that deserve their own Instagram account). Their gin spirits are stellar, and they taste even sweeter in the form of their cocktails.
Our pick: The Mango Weis Bar cocktail with mango gin, mango nectar, lemon juice, vanilla sugar and aquafaba does it for us!
Where: 211 Brisbane Rd, Biggera Waters
If there’s one place that knows its way around a gin cocktail, it’s the OG of Gold Coast distilling – Granddad Jack’s. They’ve seriously upped the ante with their bold new cocktail menu inspired by the Seven Man-Made Wonders of the World. Each drink is a flavour-packed tribute to an architectural icon – think a dry martini-style nod to the Great Wall of China with bold mandarin and umami notes, or a silky, spiced number inspired by the Taj Mahal. There’s even a foamy, tart twist on Chicha Morada repping Machu Picchu. Honestly, it’s a round-the-world trip without leaving Miami (and without needing a passport – bonus!).
Our pick: The Seymour Street, made with their house Greenhouse Gin, fresh lime juice and a dash of eucalyptus. It’s like sipping on an Aussie summer in a glass.
Where: 45 Lemana Lane, Miami
Far more than your standard distillery, Familiar Spirits focuses on crafting tailor-made spirits for cocktails, ensuring each drink is as smooth as a well-aged whiskey. Now we’re talking! Their signature cocktail menu rotates with the seasons, so there’s always something new to try.
Our pick: The Not So Familiar Negroni, with Macadamia Fat Washed Pudding Gin, Lemon Myrtle Campari and Rosso Vermouth is calling our name.
Where: 1/9 Calabro Way, Burleigh Heads
Meet the small-batch distillery that packs a big punch! Found on Scottsdale Drive in Varsity Lakes, Wildflower Distillery crafts exceptional and award-winning gin that can be deemed as ‘Burleigh in a bottle’. Crafted with locally grown botanicals, including cardamom, lemon myrtle and coriander, plus a little drop of honey from the owner’s very own Burleigh backyard, you can now understand why. It’s a very easy drinking drop, a little bit floral and paired perfectly with either tonic, solo over ice (tried and tested) or in their famous ‘Basil Fawlty’ cocktail- delish!
Our pick: The Basil Fawlty cocktail is worth the trip alone
Where: 2/486 Scottsdale Drive, Varsity Lakes
If you’re chasing sleek, sophisticated and seriously sippable, Burly Gin in Currumbin is your go-to. This dreamy gin bar is packed with artisan bottles so pretty, you’ll be turning them into vases when they’re empty (because why not have flowers and gin on display?). The team behind Burly serves up their entire gin range in a lineup of dazzling cocktails, each one more Insta-worthy than the last. The space itself is chic, the vibes are chilled, and the drinks? Let’s just say you’ll want to try the entire menu twice.
Our pick: Italiano Spritz – Citrus Burly Gin, Sanbitter, Grapefruit, Rosemary Shrub & Prosecco. Bellissimo!
Where: 60 Currumbin Creek Road, Currumbin
Bringing a taste of Italy with a distinctly Aussie twist, Loborn Distillery is shaking (and stirring) up Tamborine Mountain’s sip scene in the most delicious way. Tucked among the leafy charm of Main Street, this boutique distillery is the perfect pit stop for a tasting or a cheeky cocktail session. Whether you’re vibing an Aperol Spritz in the sunshine or settling in for something stronger, Loborn delivers the goods with style, flavour, and plenty of mountain magic.
Our pick: The Classic G&T – Loborn Original Gin, Indian tonic water and an orange twist. Simple. Timeless. Perfect.
Where: Shop 4, 46-48 Main Street, Mt Tamborine
Home of the iconic colour-changing Ink Gin, Husk Farm Distillery is the ultimate gin-lover’s day trip destination. Set on a stunning working farm in North Tumbulgum, this spot is part cellar door, part bar, part café – and 100% worth the drive. While they’re also the brains behind Husk Virgin Cane Rum and Spiced Bam Bam, today we’re here for the gin (obviously). Expect garden-fresh vibes, paddock-to-glass pours, and cocktails that are as pretty as they are delicious.
Our pick: Ink Sloe Fizz – Ink Sloe & Berry Gin, lemon, soda. Light, bright, and berry delicious.
Where: Dulguigan Rd, North Tumbulgum
Words by Chelsea Ipsen
Burleigh Heads is on absolute fire with venues swinging open their doors left and right, much to the delight of locals who apparently can’t get enough of tasty eats and bunkering down somewhere warm with a wine in hand (same to be honest).
The latest eatery to grace us with its’ presence is Restaurant Labart (opening tonight), a stylish space on Burleigh’s West Street, where Burleigh Chinese once lived. It’s simple sophistication at its finest and unlike anything the Gold Coast has seen before.
Which is of course, due to the fact that Restaurant Labart is the work of Sydneysiders Karla and Alex Munoz Labart who bring quite the impressive rap sheet to our beachside city.
But first, the interior. The narrow space is beautifully designed with walnut leather bench-style seating lining the walls and not-quite-khaki paneling with dark wood furniture and low-hanging lighting completing the picture. The vibe is earthy, refined and understated and we quite like it thank you very much.
The menu is, happily, the star of the show and that is a concept close to our hearts (and tummies). It’s made up of snacks (best) and both small and large share plates all of which are absolute taste sensations.
To share we recommend the BBQ King Prawns with shellfish butter, crème fraiche and finger lime and the Veal Tartare with sun-dried tomatoes, tarragon and potato crisps.
The large plates are all kinds of goodness and in particular the Seared Mulloway with peas, dill and horseradish and the Grilled Lamb Rack with charred turnips and green herb sauce should make you happy.
For dessert (OUR FAVOURITE) Chocolate Mousse with popcorn ice cream and salted popcorn is probably the most exciting dish there is in the world. Keep that one coming please.
You may also indulge in a cheese plate and if that’s not enough to have you making a reservation right this minute, please explain.
To compliment the stand out menu, a carefully curated selection of wines (including biodynamic and natural choices) along with Australian craft beers and seasonal cocktails are on offer to delight your tastebuds.
As mentioned owners Karla and Alex made the move from down south where Alex was the Head Chef at famed Sydney venues Monopole and Cirrus Dining, both of which were awarded Chefs Hats during his tenure.
Restaurant Labart is their first venture and, with the philosophy of aiming to simply make people happy, they’re sure to fit in just fine around these parts.
Excuse us, we’re off to consume all the chocolate mousse before the rest of you get your hands on any.
The end.
LOCATION: 8 West St, Burleigh Heads
HOURS: Dinner Wednesday to Saturday 6pm until 11:30pm. Lunch Friday to Sunday, 12 until 3 pm
Words by Kirra Smith. Photos supplied – interior shots by Andy MacPherson – food images via Restaurant Labart.
