The Fixed Price Lunch

The Fixed Price Lunch

On a recent holiday to Europe, we discovered the ‘Prix Fixe’ lunch.

In Spain (and many other European countries) many people have their main meal at lunchtime and a far lighter dinner late at night. It’s normal practice, even for business people, to sit down to a three-course meal at around 2pm. To cater for this, many restaurants offer a ‘menú del día’ of two or three courses with a drink for €10 – 12; a far more cost-effective way to dine than eating dinner at a restaurant!

It’s easy to check out what’s available, as restaurants usually advertise what’s on offer in their window. The price normally includes a choice of two or three simple starters (such as soup or a small salad), several main courses and a couple of desserts (often cake, ice cream or fresh fruit), with a glass of wine, beer, or soft drink.

The fixed price lunch has some advantages. Not only is it a chance for diners to try the restaurant’s fare, but also the total price of a fixed price meal is usually cheaper than the meal would be if the items were ordered separately from the restaurant menu.

On the Gold Coast, many casual restaurants offer special lunch menus which are fabulous value, mostly just main course, and they are rarely advertised.

Fixed price lunches, increasingly popular in capital cities, are most often seen on the Gold Coast on special occasions, such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas Day. At those times, the chef can concentrate on offering a few special dishes instead of an entire menu. However, here are some places that offer fixed price lunch menus on a regular basis:

Carmody’s Restaurant & Bar: 3 course seasonal set lunch (Wed – Fri only) $31.90pp Members / $34.90 Guests, Southport Sharks, Ph: 07 5532 1155

Clifford’s Grill & Lounge: 2 course lunch (entrée & main OR main & dessert) $35pp, Watermark Hotel & Spa, Ph: 07 5588 8333

Edgewater: 2 course lunch (entrée & main OR main & dessert) $60pp; 3 course lunch $70pp, Capri on Via Roma, Ph: 07 5570 1624

Vanitas: 2 course lunch special $60pp, 3 course $70pp, Including glass of Italian wine, Palazzo Versace, Ph: 07 5509 8000

Yamagen: Friday Lunch by Asahi includes seven of the restaurant’s most popular dishes; $49pp including an Asahi Dry or glass of wine. QT, Ph: 07 5584 1240

NOTE: This article was published in The Sun on 24 October, 2018.