Life is busy, we get it. That’s why simple, tasty dinners are the name of the game and these meatballs are extra delicious and oh so easy to whip up.

INGREDIENTS
1 medium carrot
2 small apple’s
1cm knob fresh ginger
1 cup of shredded coconut
2 table spoons of coconut amino
500g of ground pork mince
1 lightly beaten egg
Chilli flakes to taste
Pinch of salt
Coconut oil for cooking the meatballs

INSTRUCTIONS
Grate the carrot, apples and ginger, place in a bowl and combine. Add the shredded coconut and combine. Add the mince, coconut aminos, chilli and pinch of salt to the mixture. Beat the egg in a small bowl and add to the mixture, combine ingredients. Use a teaspoon to roll the mixture int o meatballs. Heat a pan over a medium heat on the stove with the coconut oil, when the pan is hot place the meat balls in in the pan. Be careful not to over crowd the pan and do a couple of separate batches. Gently turn the meat balls individually in the pan until they are brown and cooked through. You will be able to see that they are cooked because the apple will start to caramelise in the pan and they will look and smell delishimo! Serve with your favourite dipping sauce and a side of steamed vegetables or on a bed of cauliflower mash.

For more great recipes by Gold Coast local Caralee Caldwell, check out her page here.

A huge selection of smoked meats, beers the size of your head and an impressive range of whiskey’s are the name of the game at Burleigh Heads’ latest eatery Buffalo Sears.

The space offers a relaxed, outdoor dining vibe and that ever-present salty ocean breeze. Located underneath the Swell building the restaurant opened recently introducing the first authentic smokehouse to the beachside suburbs’ dining scene.

Owner Luke Fatooros combined his love of business with childhood friend Jason Nettmann’s extensive Chef experience to create the vibrant Southern American BBQ smokehouse and grill.

The pair make their secret sauces, rubs and spices in-house and use wood flavoured with the likes of bourbon, apple and hickory to smoke their produce. The process is known as a slow smoke and the outcome is multi-layered, mouth-watering flavours and melt in your mouth meats.

Meal portions are generous and there’s plenty to make all your meaty dreams come true.

Start with the Sears’ Buffalo Wings – slow smoked hickory wings chargrilled in a secret sauce with blue cheese dip and pickled cucumber and carrot sticks.

If you’re extra hungry don’t go past the Jim Beam Bourbon Glazed Pork Ribs. They’re smoked for six hours then chargrilled with a Jim Beam sticky bourbon glaze and served with coleslaw and beer battered fries.

The Smoked Salmon salad is a standout if you’re after something lighter. Made up of Tasmanian cold smoked salmon, lettuce, tomato, red onion, capers, pickled cucumber, roast baby potatoes and horseradish dressing.

If you’re up for a whiskey tasting session, Buffalo Sears is the place to be. With tipples from both ends of the scale including The Balvenie and Laphroaig and the better known Monkey Shoulder and Hudson, there are plenty of flavours from all around the world to become acquainted with.

It’s a meat eaters paradise and paired with a whiskey or two, you can’t go wrong.

LOCATION: 1 Ocean Street, Burleigh Waters (underneath the Swell building)
HOURS: 7am until late every day

Words and photos by Kirra Smith

First and foremost: our sin-sear-est apologies in advance to our plant-based brethren, with this roundup including exactly zero cauli steaks.

For the meat eaters among us, if it’s sear-riously good steak you seek, you are definitely in the right place. There are not many dishes that compare to the satisfaction of a succulent steak cooked to perfection, though there is often a lot more to the art of this dish than meats the eye.

When the urge for a next level steak won’t quit, sometimes you just have to leave it in the hands of the pros. Sit back and grillax, we’ve got those carnivorous cravings covered. Here are 10 of the GC’s most lit steak restaurants worth getting fired up over.

Lars Bar & Grill

Lars Bar & Grill burst onto the Nobby Beach scene last year, firing up the grill and bringing a perfect blend of woodfired magic and laid-back luxury to The Oxley 1823. Led by Lars Kollrepp – son of local legend Marty Kollrepp – this hotspot serves up a fine dining feast with a coastal twist. And when it comes to steak, they are a cut above. With over ten cuts on the menu (yep, you read that right!), from melt-in-your-mouth eye fillet to a beastly T-bone, they’re seriously raising the steaks. Whether you’re soaking up the vibes indoors, kicking back alfresco, or feeling extra fancy in the private dining room, Lars has everything you need for a sizzling night out.
Where:  2217 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach

Mike’s Kitchen

Craving a homemade feast but don’t feel like firing up the stove? Mike’s Kitchen has you covered. Housed in a charming Tudor-style building, this spot is serving up old-school steakhouse vibes with a fresh twist. The legendary ribs – slow-cooked to perfection, then flame-kissed for that smoky, finger-licking goodness – have a fan club of their own. Now let’s talk about the steak. These premium aged cuts are matured for peak flavour and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, setting the bar high for serious carnivores. Got little foodies in tow? No worries – there’s a dedicated kids’ menu to keep the whole family happy. So loosen that belt, grab a seat, and get ready to dig in!
Where: 2 Gooding Drive, Merrimac

Coast Beach Bar & Kitchen

For a steak night with a side of glamour, make your way to Coast Beach Bar & Kitchen, perched on the first floor of the jaw-dropping 76-storey Ocean by Meriton in Surfers Paradise. This coastal hotspot serves up a high-steaks dining experience that’s worth every bite. Spread across multiple dining areas, it’s got room for you, your crew and all the indulgence your heart desires. Every cut is kissed by fire in a Josper charcoal oven, infused with the rich, smoky magic of native red gum wood. Sharing is encouraged (but no judgment if you’re steaking your claim on the last bite). For pure carnivorous bliss, sink your teeth into the Tajima wagyu rump or WX wagyu rump cap – so tender and juicy, you’ll be back before your cravings have time to cool.
Where: Level 1, Ocean by Meriton, 86 Esplanade, Surfers Paradise

Glenelg Public House

Mermaid’s moody gastro-pub has garnered itself a solid rep indeed for punching out sear-riously good steaks over the years. These guys take their meat even more seriously than that one mate bordering on a situationship with their smoker, with a full breakdown of cut / weight / breed / producer / paddock / region / feed to agonise over. There are no less than nine top-quality cuts on offer from all over Aus (and that’s not including the stacked selection of share-style dishes) – making this a must-try destination for even the most discerning steak critics (*cough* looking at you, aforementioned mate with smoker).
Where: 9/2460 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach

kōst Bar & Grill

Oh yes, Broadbeach’s standout gem is so much more than a (breathtakingly) pretty face, elegantly gliding on in last year and securing a rightful place on this list. This euro-chic vibing contemporary bar & grill boasts one of the city’s only charcoal wood-fire grills, meaning anything not already nailed down is treated to that signature flame kissed treatment. There’s an assortment of steak cuts to acquaint yourself with, including a signature Dry Age Steak if you’re feeling a little lot extra.
Where: 3 Oracle Blvd, Broadbeach

Cavill’s Steakhouse

For born and bred locals, the former Labrador icon (affectionately known simply as Cav’s in our youths) summons a whole lot of nostalgia, and thankfully it still stands up to the hype and fond mems all these years on. In fact, this is one GC institution that has aged like fine wine (they’ve got those too), with a rooftop vibing re-location and grown up new look to match that signature Cav’s experience we’ve known for ~40 years now. They’ve got this steak business down to a fine art, with a sister butchery, an extensive selection of cuts and that traditional steak experience with all the classic trimmings – bc sometimes you just need a decadent, garlic prawn laden steak in your life.
Where: 6 Bayview Street, Runaway Bay

Moo Moo The Wine Bar + Grill

Another GC mainstay, Moo Moo’s has been serving up all the mouth-watering meat action (and resulting meat sweats) to Broadbeach and beyond going on 20 years now, and they’ve got the receipts – aka slew of awards to prove it. Specialty steaks are kind of their thing (as are fine wines), with ten mouth-watering options to choose from – though if you and a willing participant have brought your appetite, take on the infamous Spice Rubbed 1kg Wagyu Rump Cap Roast. Carved at the table served with Wagyu Fat Fried New Season Potatoes (and some green stuff for good measure).
Where: 2685 Gold Coast Highway, Broadbeach

Nineteen at The Star

A spot well known for dishing up the finer things, with a little help from some epic views of the GC skyline, The Darling’s crowning jewel Nineteen at The Star is the kinda place that has it all. Naturally, there’s an equally impressive selection of swanky steaks, which are almost exclusively sourced locally on the Darling Downs (with exception to the Cape Grim Grass Fed Rib Eye, which, we can definitely manage to let slide, quite frankly). If it’s truly time to treat yourself, these guys boast one of the largest selections of sumptuous 9+ MBS (aka ‘excellent’ grade) steaks on the Coast – the only thing higher is that stunner of an outlook, tbh.
Where: 1, Level 19, The Darling at The Star Gold Coast, 1 Casino Dr, Broadbeach

Reds Kitchen & Bar

Tucking into a Rib Eye of the Fillet surrounded by a cool couple of milli worth of yachts and marina views for days? #thatslivin. A fine dining style steakhouse, though the more upscale take will come as a surprise to absolutely no one given it’s situated within the swanky Sanctuary Cove dining precinct #ohshefancyhuh. This carnivore oasis has got your steak needs covered from A-Z, (or technically W) with a hefty offering including everything from Angus through to Waygu. Got a ravenous crowd of beef buffs on your hands? Tackle one of the mammoth 1-2kg  Black Angus T-Bone steaks  for your feasting pleasure.
Where: Sanctuary Cove, 46E/4601 Masthead Way, Hope Island

Hurricane’s Grill & Bar

If it’s stellar steak you’re after, this cosy Surfers Paradise spot is certainly serving it up (along with some mighty fine beach views). Hurricane’s definitely lives up to the ‘Grill and Bar’ title, with a grilliant array of meaty morsels to choose from. On offer is everything from petite Sirloin cuts through to some very boujee beef options indeed – with the pièce de résistance, a MS7+ Tajima Wagyu Beef Sirloin sure to impress even the staunchest of steak snobs.
Where: 1/4-14 Esplanade, Surfers Paradise

Words by Lisette Drew