Omeros Fish Bar, Benowa

Omeros Fish Bar, Benowa

On the Gold Coast, Omeros Brothers and seafood are words that often go together, the multi award-winning Marina Mirage restaurant famous for its elegant seafood dishes enjoyed overlooking the sparkling Broadwater.

In September 2020, the brothers opened Omeros Fish Bar on the outside of Benowa Gardens Shopping Centre, a smart move considering the affluent demographic of locals who have relatively few dining options in the immediate vicinity.

Unlike its older sister restaurant, this modern dining room has no view to draw trade. However, the design team has dealt well with the space, lowering the ceiling, adding textures of white wood and sophisticated decorative panelling for sound buffering above banquette seating.

The venue is decked out in a urban maritime theme created with marine rope, elegant lighting choices and neutral colours with blue accents. We may not be beside water, but we still get to enjoy a sophisticated modern Greek-inspired seafood experience, the venue tells us.

We dine at lunchtime on a Friday lunchtime, thankful we’ve booked, as the 40 – 50 seat restaurant is filled to capacity.

With a shorter more casual dish menu than the Omeros Marina Mirage, prices are also more affordable, encouraging week day dining rather than a special occasion splurge.

For entrée, we order Lobster Sliders, the crisp tempura Moreton Bay bugs seated in their own soft milk bun with lettuce and tartare; a good dish to share as the serve provides two sliders ($19).

Though there is no special lunch menu as such, there are specials of the day. I choose the King Prawn special ($21), four huge King Prawns cooked on the grill in butter, herbs and chilli. It’s so delicious that I can’t let any of the sauce go to waste, using the accompanying serve of crusty bread to mop up the juices.

My husband’s Seafood Pasta is similarly well received, the tagliatelle crammed with fresh bugs, prawns, crab and calamari ($33). A plate of deliciously crisp French fries also arrives at the table, though we’re unsure which dish they accompany.

Treading a fine line between aesthetic and practicality, white linen-clad tables are topped with paper, after all, eating seafood is messy business. Music is ambient and we are easily able to hear conversation, an important point for over 40s. Service is good and efficient, with no long wait for food, making the venue suitable for a business lunch.

Though we’ve dined in, we notice several appealing takeaway options such as Seafood chowder, Fish and chips, Fish burger and King Prawn cutlets, the seafood takeaway delivered in a purpose-made box. Picnic packs for two or a family ($39 – $79) are also available, a bottle of wine included for an extra $25.

We also note that even though the venue is licensed, you can BYO wine, a considerate move that will be appreciated by locals.

The seaside has come to Benowa. While there was already a seafood takeaway beside the site Omeros now occupies in the centre, Omeros is a welcome addition to the area’s dining options, offering both good casual and takeaway service in a classy venue, all within a short Uber drive of home.

Omeros Fish Bar, Benowa Gardens Shopping Centre, 203 Ashmore Rd, Benowa Ph: 07 5679 2245

Open: Tuesday – Saturday from 12pm onwards

Open: Tuesday – Saturday from 12pm onwards
      
203 Ashmore Rd, Benowa QLD, Australia