Thai Tapas Heaven – Balcony 69

WORDS: PHOTOGRAPHY

When Friday afternoon rolls around, and you want to step into the weekend buzz – Thai Mudgee’s new Tapas menu (upstairs at Balcony 69) is exactly what your tastebuds are craving.

 

The world looks different as a breakfast radio host. Importantly, the mornings start incredibly early – the wrong side of 4am early. So, making the most of afternoons becomes an art form.

“Friday afternoon is a magical time. I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than bring my wife here, gather a few friends, and make the weekend start as early as possible!” ORM meets Hot Tomato’s breakfast radio Sean Flanagan at Thai Mudgee, ready to share tapas and a cocktail or two.

Being a Mudgeeraba local is an added bonus because Flan says he can wander home after a Friday or Saturday afternoon session. Minimal travel equals maximum fun, after all.

The awesome new tapas menu at Thai Mudgee’s ‘Balcony 69’ is inviting. Chose from Pork Belly (brazed pork belly bites with a citrus caramel glaze topped with a green tropical salsa), San Choi Bow (Thai inspired pork within a salad green & cucumber cup), Yummy Yabby (Morton Bay bug tail BBQ with an aromatic lemongrass, chilli & fresh lime butter on bed of garlic rice) and many more tasty offerings. And yes, they’re all as good as they sound. Wash them down with beer, cocktail or mocktail, depending on your mood.

 

 

“Our breakfast show [which Flan hosts with Emily Jade O’Keefe and Christo on 102.9 Hot Tomato] is on a roll. We had a challenge, we had to think our way through when EJ was on doctor’s orders to be on bed-rest at home,” he says. “We had all that facial recognition going between the three of us that makes radio slick. You know each other so well, you know by the way someone raises an eyebrow they have something to add, or a nod signals they want to pick up the story. So, we worked our way around it. We put a box on EJ’s chair, put her iPad on the box so her face is in exactly the same spot, and it works brilliantly!”

EJ, 41, is currently pregnant and on bed rest with an incompetent cervix. This is indeed a genuine medical condition, which, as you can imagine, has proven to be a real gift to the spectacularly hilarious duo she joins for breakfast each morning.

 

 

She and husband Gerard Murtagh had been vocal about their struggles to conceive. She had openly discussed her IVF journey with Gold Coasters on the show for the last five years. This was an emotional journey of 32 embryos; every miscarriage they mourned.

“EJ is a natural mum,” says Flan, sipping eagerly on his Midori Splice (Coconut and melon with hints of pineapple – like a liquid version of the popular ice-cream). “If she could have ten children, she would mother them all. There is no limit to how much love she has!”

 

 

He turns to greet owner of Thai Mudgee, Boo, like a long-lost friend. “Tell us again about how you learnt to cook Boo…” he says giving her a big, friendly hug.

“All my family cooked,” she replies. “When I was little I watched my grandmother, my mother, all my relatives cooking at home. I watched and I learned and put it into practice!”

“This food is beyond amazing,” Flan says, taking another bite of Yabby. “This is my perfect Friday night right here. I’ll be here at 3pm as soon as you’re open. I’ll be here with my wife, sitting on the deck, eating some Thai tapas; this is living the dream mate! This is my Friday dream, right here!”

 

 

Creative chef

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Siranee (Boo) is Head Chef at Thai Mudgee.

“Downstairs in the restaurant we serve Thai; Thai curry is very popular as are our pork burgers. Upstairs we wanted to create a space that has a different vibe, a totally different feel, where people can come, share food, enjoy cocktails and have a good time.”

 

Where: Balcony 69 – 69 Railway Street, Mudgeeraba.

Open: Thai tapas, Friday & Saturday, Dine-in from 3pm.

Please call to arrange large bookings and parties.

Phone: (07) 5559 2337.

http://www.thaimudgeegoldcoast.com.au

 

• Thai Mudgee is the only restaurant on the Gold Coast to have its own hot room herb garden.

• Every type of dietary requirement is catered for (including gluten free etc.), please call ahead.