Gold Coast Taste: Finger lickin’ classics arrive at Mermaid Beach’s Fingers and Bones

TWIRLY wirly sausages and Anzac crumble granola are on the menu at this new cafe, writes Sally Coates

Fingers and Bones’ Leigh and Dennis Duncanson. Photo: John Gass

DENNIS Duncanson is a strong believer in fate and going with his gut.

It’s how he went from being an at-risk London youth to an apprentice chef at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Restaurant, it’s how he met his wife, the TV show’s teacher, Leigh, and it’s how he landed the perfect permanent spot for Fingers and Bones, which opens tomorrow at Mermaid Beach.

“We had a spot of breakfast at Vivre a Vie a year ago and thought it was such a beautiful, airy space with a little gem of a garden down the alleyway — what a lovely little space,” Dennis explains.

Fare at Fingers and Bones. Picture: John Gass

“But not long ago I had a meeting across the road and went in to get some pastries for the people I was meeting with and the owner was in there and said they’d closed.

“I only went in for a pastry and walked out with a lease.

“I came home to my wife and said ‘I think I’ve just put down a lease for a cafe’ ... it took a couple of nights to smooth that over.”

After bouncing around the Gold Coast for three years, it was definitely time for Fingers and Bones to lay their roots somewhere more solid.

“We sort of had it up and running for about three years. We started by jumping into food markets to get in touch with the community, create a base and get the name out,” Dennis says.

“Then we started catering, doing tonnes of weddings, birthdays, occasions, secret supper clubs, and ‘dine at mine’ at the customer’s house.

“Doing it that way was great for us because starting out you don’t have the funds to jump in and get a lease and all the equipment but still get into it.”

Fare at Fingers and Bones. Picture: John Gass

Despite working for and with the rich and famous, even catering for Brad Pitt’s birthday, Dennis says he and Leigh just love good, honest food.

“We love the street food vibe, we’re very rustic in ways of food and sharing and getting together. In our brains and bellies it’s all about food.

“We’ve both been in the kitchen for 15 or more years, worked in some of the biggest and best places around the world, but it all comes down to making it simple.

“We’ve gotten a bit of a fan base of loyal customers at events and markets and for a while they’ve been saying ‘When are you going to open up somewhere? Hurry up!’”

Dennis and Leigh will start with breakfast and lunch, Wednesday through Sunday and make additions like dinners and a Sunday pig on the spit as time goes on.

For now, they’re finetuning their opening menu and there’s no shortage of ideas.

“We’re going to do a menu of the month, I’ve been a chef for as long as I can remember and everywhere you hear ‘seasonal’ but it’s the same menu all year round,” Dennis says.

“Before December I’ll call up my supplier and say ‘Hey Jeff, what’s good at the moment?’ and he’ll say ‘Stone fruit and figs’ and then next month it’ll be different.

Chef Jamie Oliver with trainee Tim Siadatan (right) and the executive chef at Fifteen restaurant in London, Eamon Fullalove in 2003.

“We’ll keep maybe five favourites each month but other than that every month will be different.”

The dishes are intended to be eaten for either breakfast or lunch and cover everything from granola to seafood.

“Everyone loves a good granola, so we’re going to do an Anzac crumble granola that people relate to, it brings up memories and beautiful stories,” Dennis explains

“Take those lovely oats and honey local, smashing it up with roast fig, peaches, mascarpone, vanilla — light, beautiful and easy for everyone to understand.”

“We’re also going to cure our own salmon, gin and beetroot cured salmon, cucumber shoestrings, pickle and horseradish cream for a bite, a bit of aggression.”

It’s not just about the patrons memories, though, as many dishes are reminiscent of Dennis and Leigh’s time back in England.

“Gammon steak is on the menu, takes me back to the local when you’d get it with chips and egg on top — but we’ll refine it,” Dennis says.

“We’ve got a wonderful supplier with beautiful free-range Bangalow pig, jerk spice marinade it; add some juicy pineapple and a duck egg.

“It’s got that lovely sweetness but a hum ding of chilli coming through.”

Fingers and Bones will also do the Katherine Wheel Sausage, modelled around the Katherine firework, with fennel seeds, chilli and wine, what Dennis describes as a “twirly wirly sausage” and their twist on a classic.

While they don’t mind a twist, they’re not into gimmicks, preferring instead to just get messy and enjoy food.

“So 12 dishes, do them proud and don’t overload them with ingredients — not a big fan of squiggles and foams and smoke guns and whatever else is happening — we just believe in food,” Dennis says.

“Fingers and Bones came from sitting down getting a bit messy gobbling on ribs and chicken bones.

“That’s what we’re all about: getting in there, licking your fingers, not being too fussed and just enjoying the food.”

Fingers and Bones, 2364 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach