We’ve been Dining at The Fireplace Restaurant at the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort
I hope you’re still enjoying my blog. It’s been a while, but I have been busy researching, judging food competitions, 
testing and tasting fabulous foods and exploring all things Gluten Free. See my fun work in progress Gluten Free Delite
Therefore, a relaxing weekend for Mel and I was long overdue; so we booked into the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort.
The InterContinental Resort is situated on the northern end of the Gold Coast within the prestigious Sanctuary Cove Resort. Many people would remember the worldwide publicised opening “The Ultimate Event” spectacular at the Sanctuary Cove with Frank Sinatra and Whitney Houston some 25 years ago.
InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort has the style, elegance and grandeur of a beautiful Queenslander. The resort is set amidst lush tropical gardens, a marina and a famous golf course. The Palms is considered a championship course rivalling some of the best golf courses in Australia. To top all of this off, there is a most magnificent one-acre beach lagoon pool, ready to dive in.
I’ve missed an earlier opportunity to write about dining at The Fireplace restaurant and to meet the rising star chef Parashuram Pathak. I was told, that he had amazingly transformed the dining experience at the Resorts Fireplace restaurant since his stint at Noma Copenhagen, Denmark.
Dinin
g at the Fireplace
The Fireplace is the InterContinental Resort’s signature restaurant where the chefs are showing off their skills cooking in open, wood-fired ovens. 
Thus, the atmosphere is magic and relaxed and the food extraordinary.
The InterContinental Resort’s Sommelier and Maitre D’, David Stevens-Castro, with an impressive portfolio, was looking after us exceedingly well. David lives and breathes wines.
His enthusiasm for everything wine took us on an international journey of wine revelations. His sense of humour serving our sparkling water, to his deep passion and knowledge for the wines he had chosen to match our exquisite dinner, made the evening a very special one.
The Fireplace Degustation Menu
Freshly baked artisan bread, Pepe Saya butter and olive oil
1st Course
New Zealand King Salmon Tartar
Lettuce gazpacho, nasturtium flower, tobiko
2013 Xanadu ‘DJL’ Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia
2nd Course
Slow Braised Pork Cheek
Texture of nectarine wood ear mushroom
2012 Delas-Frères Saint-Esprit Shiraz-Grenache, Côtes-du-Rhône, France
Intermezzo
House Made Raspberry Sorbet
3rd Course
Wagyu Rump ‘Grilled on a Bed of Coals.’
Parsnip cream, baby turnip, seasonal root vegetables, garlic flower
2012 Aquitania ‘Reserva’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley, Chile
4th Course
Delicate Gianduja Mousse Bombes (GF)
Rosewater marshmallow, sour cherries two ways, coconut jelly cores and flower petals
2012 Barambah ‘Rack Dried’ Semillon, South Burnett, Queensland
5th course
Mt.Tamborine Witches Chase Cheese
Mixes of three kinds of cheese, assorted crackers, quince jam and lavosh
Fonseca ‘Bin No 27’ Tawny Port, Douro, Portugal
Our dining experience at The Fireplace, InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort was second to none; because of an outstanding, friendly and attentive team! It was that extra bit of effort that made an excellent dinner so enjoyable. A Birthday celebration for Mel, he will not forget soon.
