Five of the Gold Coast’s best cocktails

There’s nothing quite like a cocktail to put you in a party mood. Denise Raward finds five of our favourite potions.

Comuna Cantina Pacific Fair owner Tim Johnson sampling a creation from the cocktail bar. Photo by Richard Gosling

THERE’S nothing quite like a cocktail to put you in a party mood. Denise Raward finds five of our favourite potions.

The Oil Change

Aloha Bar & Dining, 18 Main Place, Broadbeach

Oil Change, a favourite from Aloha Bar and Dining, Broadbeach

One of Aloha’s most popular creations has been on its list since the doors opened almost three years ago.

The Oil Change comes from a classic Barbados cocktail, the Corn and Oil, although the Aloha mixologists have given it their own twist.

It’s a mix of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum; a house brew of falernum, a rum-based syrup infused with pimento, ginger, cloves and lime peel; coconut puree and coconut water fresh from a cracked coconut.

“It’s my personal favourite,” co-owner Tim Glasson says. “We serve it in an upcycled tin — hence the oil reference — and we add lime wedges, bitters and dried coconut to serve.

“Some people describe it like an alcoholic chai tea because of its spicy undertones.”

GET FULL DIGITAL ACCESS FOR 50C A DAY

White Magnum Dream

Infinite Dessert and Cocktail Bar, 2/2 Nineteenth Avenue, Palm Beach

The White Magnum Dream from Infinite Dessert and Cocktail Bar, Palm Beach

Infinite specialises in both desserts and cocktails but its White Magnum Dream blurs the line between the two.

The house creation combines Mozart Gold Chocolate Liqueur, Licor 43, Baileys and Persian fairy floss served with a partially submerged white chocolate magnum ice cream.

“We were inspired by wanting to put something on the menu that could compete with our bestseller, the espresso martini,” co-owner Kye Sheehan says.

“We wanted something that would ‘wow’ when you first saw it and thought the alcohols were the perfect blend.”

As it turns out, the White Magnum Dream still trails the classic espresso martini in sales but is right up there in social media appearances.

Infinite Dessert Bar owners Matthew Hartnett holding a Golden Espresso Martini and Kye Sheehan holding a 24K gold dessert. Picture: Jerad Williams

Purple Haze

House of Brews, 17 Orchid Avenue, Surfers Paradise

Amanda Wynn at House of Brews with the signature Purple Haze cocktail served from a glass bong. Photo: Richard Gosling

Although the house special Purple Haze looks like something from a Harry Potter movie, it remains a hands down favourite more than two years after its launch.

Served in a chemistry beaker style alcohol bong, its smoking vapour delivers a wow factor before the palate even gets a look in.

Bar manager Nick Hodgson says the brew sprang from a collaboration of several fine mixing minds and features ink gin, elderflower liqueur, cloudy apple, grape juice, fresh lime, orgeat almond syrup and rhubarb bitters.

“It’s still our best selling cocktail,” Nick says.

BEST OF THE GOLD COAST 2018: BARTENDERS

House of Brews has recently refreshed its cocktail offerings coinciding with venue renovations. It’s worth checking out the revamped list.

Rest assured, the Purple Haze is going nowhere.

Tim Tam Espresso Martini

Comuna Cantina, Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, Hooker Boulevard, Broadbeach Waters

The Tim Tam espresso martini at Comuna Cantina, Pacific Fair

After long hours of retail therapy, there are afternoon pick-me-ups and then there are Tim Tam espresso martinis.

Comuna Cantina’s manager Rafael Jesus says the cocktails are popular in the afternoon, mainly with young women who’re taking a break from their shopping.

“We use the house vodka, crème de cacao, cold drip coffee and chocolate syrup,” Rafael says.

They are served with a classic Tim Tam resting on the creamy foam top.

Customers have been known to employ the Tim Tam straw technique for full effect.

For the uninitiated, it involves nibbling diagonally opposite corners of the biscuit and drawing liquid through the Tim Tam’s chocolate filling — not strictly from the cocktail etiquette handbook but a distinctly Australian variation thereof.

Fruity cocktail options from Comuna Cantina, Pacific Fair including the Comuna Colada, Comuna Candyman and Bye Bye Mai Tai. Picture by Scott Fletcher

BEST OF THE GOLD COAST 2018: NIGHTCLUBS AS VOTED BY YOU

Banoffee Toffee Pie

Ravens Lounge Bar, 55 Thomas Drive, Chevron Island

Banoffee Toffee Pie cocktail at Ravens, Chevron Island

The cocktail list is extensive at Ravens but when owner Sarah Hargraves has to come up with a recommendation, she says it’s hard to go past the house Banoffee Toffee Pie.

It’s a luscious concoction of banana liqueur, caramel syrup, frothy egg white with a melted marshmallow floater, all served in a glass generously rolled in Nutella and crushed Flake.

“It’s very popular with younger women,” Sarah says. “But I’ve seen men ordering it too, pretending it’s for their girlfriends but drinking it themselves.”