Vegan restaurant Lord of the Fries opens first Queensland store on Gold Coast

ATTENTION all vegans (and lovers of fried chick’n). Plant-based fast foodies Lord of the Fries have finally arrived on the Gold Coast.

IT looks like fried chicken, it tastes like fried chicken — but it’s not fried chicken.

Instead, it’s a concoction of mushrooms, plants and soya.

And it regularly fools meat-eaters, according to Surfers Paradise Lord of the Fries franchise owner Kev Ramen.

Nom nom! Picture: Jerad Williams

“It’s not just only targeting vegans,” Mr Ramen said.

“The taste is very similar (to real chicken), even non-vegans don’t know it’s vegan food.”

The recently opened store on Cavill Avenue offers plant-based options on traditional junk food, ranging from chips, nuggets and fried chick’n to hot dogs, burgers and milkshakes.

LOTF offers a range of vegan burgers and hotdogs. Picture: Jerad Williams

Burgers have smoked ‘bacon’, ‘cheese’ and ‘beef’ patties while vegan sausages are slathered in mustard and rolled in a bun.

A well-known destination to vegan fanatics down south, Mr Ramen said it was the “right” decision to open LOTF right in the heart of the Coast.

HSP, like loaded fries with ‘beef’ strips and lots of sauce. Picture: Jerad Williams

Even vegans crave some cheat food every now and then. Or every day, like some locals. Picture: Jerad Williams

“We get people coming in every day, sometimes twice a day,” Mr Ramen said, adding tourists visiting Surfers could now easily find a vegan fast-food option.

“We get people from the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Tweed and Byron Bay.

“People like to have a cheat meal.”

“Eating vegan doesn’t mean missing out,” says co-founder Amanda Walker Koronczyk. Picture: Jerad Williams

LOTF co-founder Amanda Walker Koronczyk said they had been looking for a suitable Queensland store after years of requests.

“We always to try bring the Lords to the people and there are a lot of people enjoying the Paradise vibes of the Gold Coast,” she said.

“Cavill Avenue is jam-packed with ... Lord of the Fries fans. Eating vegan doesn’t mean missing out.”

You might think vegan food is always healthy, but even vegans crave something a bit naughty. Staff member Priya Mann digs into a burger. Picture: Jerad Williams

Taste Testing

Reporter Amanda Robbemond headed into Surfers to taste-test the vegan cheat food. Tough day at the office, we know.

Here’s her recommendations for those who haven’t been to the store before:

Peanut butter and chocolate milkshake: The milkshake is delicious. It’s very peanut butter-y and creamy, just like a normal shake. 9/10

Poutine burger: A pretty good burger when you are craving something naughty. It has smoked bacon, cheese and a ‘beef’ patty. 7/10

Melbourne hotdog: Well, this just tastes like an ordinary hotdog. You won’t even know you’re not eating meat with this dawg. 8/10

Fried chick’n drumsticks: This seriously has similar texture to real chicken and the taste is oh-so-close. A must try for first-timers. 9/10

Sauces: The sauces went really well with the chips and even for dunking the fried chick’n drumsticks in. 8/10