Doing restaurant reviews I spend a lot of time looking at menus and whenever I eat out I always have a quick scan of the kids menu. I am not sure why I do it; I guess I keep hoping to see something interesting on a kid’s menu – just once. It is something that is apparent on every menu, and I am sure it is not just the Sunshine Coast, I am sure it is Australia wide, and that is that every kid’s menu is filled with crap!

A healthy main leaves plenty of room to indulge in dessert. ‘’A blessing or a toast to good health.’’ That’s the message that welcomes you to Saha Noosa Fine Food Emporium. And it’s exactly the kind of blessing/motto I love. Saha is only a small space, with indoor and outdoor seating and a nice comfy couch that was unfortunately already taken. However, we were happy to sit streetside and watch the world go by as we chatted. My lunch buddy and I pondered the food options in the cabinet and were immediately greeted by staff, who gave us a sincere and friendly overview of their lunch goodies.

It was ages since I had really taken the time to stop and explore Coolum Beach. So much has changed in the interim, Birtwill St especially. It has become quite the trendy little street. Wandering through gift shops on my way to lunch I was momentarily captivated by the Richard de Chazal dress in the florist’s window, finally managing to tear myself away to journey on to my end destination – lunch…

Sometimes it’s worth a visit to an old favourite haunt. I have always loved River House, and as it had been such a long time between visits, I was excited to re-acquaint myself with one of Noosa’s more iconic restaurants. It is such a beautiful venue; stylish, classic, ambient and white. Very much the picture-pretty house…

This Nambour gem has food that makes you want to linger a little longer. Nambour is one of those curious little towns. It has undergone plenty of changes over the years with the demise of the sugar mill and the changing face of the Coast in general. But one thing that has always remained constant is the ability to unearth a treasure there. Husk & Honey is one such little treasure I have known about for quite some time and revisit whenever given the opportunity. And trust me, the locals know about it too.

The mains are a meal unto themselves at this Mudjimba eatery. The Loaded Lizard is a funky little Mudjimba restaurant and takeaway on the corner of Mudjimba Beach Rd and Mudjimba Esplanade. Decked out with orange furnishings, it is bright and cheerful with a relaxed and casual atmosphere. I was quite comfy on the cushioned benches, sitting back with a Corona ($6) in hand as I settled in to my home for the evening

When you’re hungry it takes something special to fill the void. Sunday morning usually lends itself well to a leisurely visit to Noosa. It’s not like I ever really need an excuse to go there, but if I do, visiting the fabulous farmers’ market is always a good choice. However, being surrounded by such wonderful fresh produce does make you hungry, so once our shopping was complete we went in search of somewhere to refuel while we sat and watched the world go by

When you’re in the mood for variety bite size can be the right size. “It just is.” That is the motto of iS Tapas Bar. And it seems a fair statement because on the night we visited “it” was just perfect. For those who haven’t discovered it yet, iS is a very Spanish style restaurant, which graces Noosaville’s ever popular Gympie Terrace. With views of the water, the location really doesn’t get much better…

Sometimes a tasty treat is right under your nose. The presence of Simon King Chinese Restaurant came as a surprise, I must admit. I have passed that particular Pacific Paradise eatery dozens of times, but the ever-changing sequence of the adjacent traffic lights has always been my major focus.

There are fish and chips and then there are fish and chips. This classic Aussie meal is a bit of a tradition with a particular dining buddy of mine and it usually takes the form of way more than we can eat and a walk on the beach. I think the theory here is to walk it off, although we never actually venture very far.