BACK FOR SECOND HELPING

Acclaimed Burleigh restaurant Rick Shores is back with a new menu ... and the view is better than ever, writes Amber Macpherson

WHEN life gives you lemons, make a Rick’s Martini Number Four cocktail with vodka, fig liqueur, lemon, vanilla, egg white and star anise.

When Rick Shores was forced to close for seven weeks due to major building renovations, they made the most of the break.

Rather than bemoan lost revenue, co-owner Nick Woodward took the chance to refurbish the restaurant and reimagine the menus.

“You try and make the most out of an unideal situation,” Nick says. “I think having some time to step away and reevalute, and coming in to summer, everyone’s reinvigorated again. There are plenty of positives to come out of it.”

Head chef James Brady used the time to travel and work in Asia, searching for inspiration to spice up the menu.

Nick says the current food selection has had a “few tweaks”, however, a fresh spring menu is about to take over.

“We are looking to do a complete (menu) revamp in September, using a lot of the knowledge our head chef gained while he was overseas,” Nick says. “He travelled through South Korea to Vietnam, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore. He came back inspired.”

Never fear, bug roll fans — the signature fried Moreton Bay bug bun isn’t going anywhere.

The current menu focuses on seasonal ingredients and southeast Asian dishes.

“We have a new section of the menu with dishes cooked over coals,” Nick says.

“We do a beautiful charred wagyu, with miso hollandaise, crispy kale and smoked pickled onions cooked over coal. The size is in between a starter and a main, to share between two. That’s one of my favourites.”

The coal-cooked menu also includes crispy pork belly with chargrilled prawn and pomelo som tum, Chinese black chicken with corn, fermented chilli and coriander seeds, and spiced mackerel with kimchi, cured pork and burnt spring onion.

Refreshments have been rejuvenated too, including the aforementioned citrus martini.

“We’ve got a completely new cocktail list,” Nick says. “They’ve been twisted with seasonal ingredients. We’ve got 14 new wines, a lot of new natural wines, a lot of Australian wines.”

The renovations have made the ocean vista even more incredible.

“The landlord needed to do some work and rip our roof off,” Nick says.

“In doing that, we’ve gained a much higher ceiling right down by the water. With that extra metre or so height, we’ve gained floor space and a few more tables down the bottom.

“These new windows have really opened up the bottom level. The view we didn’t think could get any better … it has.

“I’d just like to think with these little touch ups, we’ve got a more polished product.”

Rick Shores, 3/43 Goodwin Terrace, Burleigh Heads