Australian Gourmet Traveller - (10)October 2020 (1)

Newowner,FrenchexpatTimLepoutre,is a front-of-

housewhizandalreadyknowsalltheregulars’names.

HecleverlysnappeduplocalheadchefMichaelTrask

toleadthekitchen.Lunchinghereis likesteppingback

intime,butinthebestway.Takea seatat theriver-

facingbarandyoumightspota seaeaglecatchits

lunchasyoutuckintocreamyleekchowderpiled

highwithmusselsandlocalscallopsandprawns.

257 GympieTce,Noosaville, (07) 5449 7144,

gustonoosa.com.au

VanillaFood

Bananabreadcomeslacedwithteffandthatbowlof

oatmealandnuttybuckinisis prettilyflowerbedecked,

madewithhouse-madecashewmilk.Crisp,crumbed

barramundichunksarrivespicedupwithcornsalsa,

sittingatopbluecorntortillas,withlime– theperfect

post-beachwalkbreakfast.Vanillamightbea byword

forblandbutthere’szerodrearyaboutthislightand

airycafé.OrganicMaydeteaandlocallyroasted

Clandestinocoffeesealthedeal.

2/10LanyanaWay,NoosaJunction, 0448600 889,and

59 ReneSt,Noosaville, 0490 016 232, vanillafood.com.au

Jungle& Co

You’dbeforgivenforthinkingthiscafé,billedas

Australia’sfirstgut-healthbar,is onlyforthewellbeing-

obsessed.There’swaterkefirontap,spiralisersforsale

andcollagenboostersonofferforyourcoffee.Butyou

don’thavetoknowthedifferencebetweenprobiotics

andprebioticstoappreciatethecomfortofthesesimple

dishesmadewithcare– a dahlonturmericrice,say,

toppedwitha tangyblobofkefirwithpepitasand

chiasprinkles;ora lightlyspicedburritobowlofchilli

beans.Gowithyourgut– thisis real,feel-goodfood.

19-21 Sunshine Beach Rd, Noosa Junction, jungleco.com.au➤

EAT

Pucca

Smart,light-filledinteriorschimewiththekitchen’s

confidenttakeonsouthernIndiancooking,where

co-owner/chefNealeWhite(PapaGoose,Melbourne)

gentlyshakestraditionwithtasty,beachytwists.Dad’s

puchkas,akacrisppanipuriballs,arefeatherlight

flavourbombs,whilea fermentedbeetrootsaladwith

toastypuffedrice,spicybeetrootpachadiandpaneer

is morerefined.AuntyCarol’slovecakeis pukka,too.

ThePavilion, 19 SunshineBeachRd, Noosa Junction,

(07) 5613 3202, pucca.com.au

SumiOpenKitchen

Thishiddenaway,clean-lined27-seaterfeelsso

utterlyJapaneseyoumayfindyourselfdouble-

checkingduringdinnerthatit reallyis owner-chef

GilesHohnenmanningthegrills.Fromopening

snacks,a silkychawanmushi,perhaps,andoctopus

seasonedwithkarashi,throughtotextbookmatcha

andgomamochi– youcandestressandtrustthe

chef.Thepaceis leisurely,diningis omakase-style.

Shop4,19-21SunshineBeachRd,NoosaJunction,

(07) 5447 3270,sumiopenkitchen.com.au

SomedaysPizza

It’snoisy,funandanon-trendwinelistleanstowards

tastylo-fivino.SomedaysPizzais thekindofsmart

after-surfsnackingyou’dbehappytoindulgeinany

day.SizeableNapoli-stylepizzasemergefromthe

wood-firedovenproperlypuffedupwithpliant,

char-freckledbasesandabundanttoppings.Somedays

getsextrapointsforplayingvinylandrepurposingthe

formerdigsofa PizzaHutwithitshipbutpared-back

benchseating,concreteflooring,andtrailingplants.

2/3SunshineBeachRd,Noosa Junction, (07) 5372 8706

somedayspizza.com.au

Gusto

ThisbreezyNoosavillestalwartsoldinJulyaftertwo

decades under Kay Callander and chef Nathan Hall.

WHAT IS THE SUNSHINE

COAST?

MentiontheSunshineCoastandmostthink

ofNoosa– withitscelebratedbeaches,broad

riverreachesandpicturesquehinterland.But

thissliceofparadise,traditionallandsofthe

GubiGubi(akaKabiKabi)andJinibara

people,startsat Caloundraabout 90 minutes’

drivefromBrisbane.It stretchesnorthtothe

GreatSandyNationalPark,takingina swathe

ofverdanthinterland,includingtheeye-

catchingpeaksoftheGlassHouseMountains,

ontheway.Untilthe1960s,it wasknownas

theNearNorthCoast.

116 GOURMET TRAVELLER

PHOTOGRAPHY

AMY

HIGG/LUMEA

PHOTO

(SUMI

OPEN KITCHEN), ANASTASIA KARIOFYLLIDIS (VANILLA FOOD INTERIORS)

& JESSE LINDEMANN (NOOSA MAIN BEACH).