Find Date Night Romance at These 5 Venues

Love is definitely in the air and romantic Spring dinner dates on the menu this weekend! 

Those looking for the perfect restaurant to wow their sweetheart have plenty of choice as venues around the country put their best foot forward as the ideal romantic destination. Here are five we think you should try for your next date night:

Taste life, enjoy food at Johnny Franco’s Place on Commercial Road in Murwillumbah. Expect a stylish vibe of polished concrete floors, arched windows and white-clothed tables as you peruse a menu of fresh local produce, showcasing Southern American and European flavours.

 

Ideal for a romantic rendezvous any night of the week, say I love you with a starter of macadamia crumbed prawns and sriracha mayonnaise, moving onto pork belly, truffle polenta chips, baby spinach, apple chutney and rich Port jus; seal the date deal with a decadent dessert of strawberry crêpes, Cointreau sauce and vanilla ice cream. 

Rich & Rare on Boundary Street in West End offers premium fare without pretension to discerning Brisbane foodies. Open your collar, order a whisky and settle in to enjoy succulent, dry-aged steak and freshly caught seafood, nestled in the heart of the city’s vibrant West Village precinct.

 

Start your date night with raw kingfish, tomato water, finger lime and coastal herbs, or seared scallops, caramelised cauliflower purée and jamon crumb; find the romance in mains of whole live lobster, lemon butter dressing, salmon roe, kipfler potatoes and mixed leaf salad., enjoyed with a glass of sparkling wine.

Lola at The Provincial Hotel on Lydiard Street North in Ballarat offers stylish European-inspired dining, beautifully shaped each season by the region’s best locally sourced produce. Settle into a relaxed and elegant dining room, beautifully styled in the signature hotel design, with blue leather banquette seating, fresh flowers and intimate tables ideal for a romantic rendezvous.

Wow your partner with entrées of citrus cured kingfish hiramasa, Yarra Valley caviar, avocado crème fraiche, cumquat vinaigrette and buckwheat crackers; move onto lovingly prepared mains such as braised duck ravioli, roasted celeriac purée, figs, pecorino and hazelnuts. Nothing says romance more than a dessert of raspberry cheesecake, white chocolate ganache and vanilla bean ice cream.

Discover Modern Italian dining at Ollie’s on the exclusive waterfront dining precinct of Marlin Parade in Cairns. This North Queensland restaurant boasts a team of European trained Chefs whose passion is to deliver you a taste of modern Italy; with fresh local produce and seafood delivered every day the food is what the Italians call squisito (exquisite).

 

From delicious Australian steaks dry-aged in-house to fresh local seafood and artisan housemade pasta and pizza let Ollie’s take you on a romantic culinary journey through the Bel Paese (the beautiful country). You can be forgiven for thinking you are no longer in tropical North Queensland and instead in Positano while you sip on your Nebbiolo overlooking Trinity Inlet, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.

From Bangkok to Borneo, Melbourne restaurant Miss Mi takes you on a culinary journey across Asia, exploring traditional ingredients, iconic flavours and enticing aromas. Located in the Mövenpick Hotel on the corner of Godfrey and Bourke Streets, enter a romantic interior of vibrant wall murals, warmly glowing lighting, an open bar and couches for chilling with a Vietnamese Espresso martini.

 

Miss Mi’s diverse culinary team presents a menu that reimagines Asian cuisine with dishes like chilli crab and prawn dumplings, sea vegetables and Yarra Valley caviar to start your date night; then snuggle up to mains such as Singapore katong laksa, or butterflied quail, atchara, aromats and annatto oil, enjoyed with a glass or Pinot Noir.