On Fire Broadbeach

Aussies love a great night out. We also love Mediterranean food.

Where better to have dinner than at a Greek taverna, which carries the connotations of good times, great food and plenty of liquid refreshment.

But there are too few tavernas on the Gold Coast, a culinary gap that needed to be filled.

One of Broadbeach’s most successful restaurateurs, Asem Othman, former owner of Rocks on Broadbeach and Bistro Blanc, returned to Broadbeach in 2018 to open ‘On Fire’ in Albert Avenue.

“I wanted to do something from my own background,” he tells us, adding that he’s come out of retirement to add a different flavour to Broadbeach.

Open for lunch and dinner, On Fire takes its culinary inspiration from the Mediterranean, Asem’s homeland. It offers Greek-inspired small and large share plates brimming with seafood and meat, smoky and succulent, fresh from the flame grill.

The graffiti ‘wall of fire’ by artist Nate Stanbridge references both fire and the spices present in food from the Mediterranean archipelago, its cuisine offering a range of contrasting flavours, colours and textures that add new dimensions to current local offerings.

On Fire’s lunch and dinner menu features food made to share as a feast: a trio of dips: Taramasalata, skordalia and hummus, all made in house, served with pita bread; the most delicious fava bean falafel we’ve tasted, served with a pungent garlic sauce longing to be mopped up; sizzling saganaki with honey and oregano, a single chargrilled octopus tentacle or king prawns standing to attention with a dash of chilli.

Larger share platters include a succulent slow-cooked lamb shoulder with lemon potatoes, Greek salad and pita, souvlaki, or a chargrilled meat or seafood feast for two.

On Fire would be an easy vegetarian or gluten-free dining choice as well, with menu options clearly marked and lots of dining choice. There’s even a kids’ menu including their own souvlaki plate.

Weeknight specials, such as Wild Wednesdays, when mains are priced at $20 each, entice locals to visit.

Accompany your meal with a glass of the citrusy Domaine Zafeirakis Chardonnay Assyrtiko, a Mythos beer, an Aperol spritz or a cocktail, such as the ‘Greek martini’. Sweet tooths can finish their meal with a flaky baklava and an espresso martini.

“The mural is also about our ‘whole of heart’ policy,” Asem says, “creating an environment that supports its customers and staff alike.”

On Fire takes up that challenge, meeting the market on every front with quality food, price point and service. Its menu is full of interesting dishes to suit a range of diners, all made in house, at affordable prices.

Most of all, though, On Fire is all about having a fun night out. We’ll settle for that…at least until we can get back to Santorini!