Using a gift voucher from Christmas last year...

On Saturday, DH and I travelled north of Brisbane to the Sunshine coast hinterland. We headed for the lovely town of Maleny and specifically to the Terrace Restaurant just a little way out of the town centre.

We've left the Motorway and are on the old north road now with the pine plantations on either side

One of the Glasshouse Mtns, Mt Tibrogargan; as a child I loved this mtn because it reminded me of a giant ape! Shame about the skips at the side of the road.

We've just turned off into the town of Landsborough

lovely old house in Landsborough

more buildings in Landsborough

For a while now I've been giving DH gift vouchers as gifts, as like me, he 'wants for little'. Last Christmas I bought a 'Seafood Indulgence Meal for two' through Red Balloon. It works well; I don't have to go out to the shops and in some cases I get to enjoy the gift as well and the gift does not add to our list of possessions. DH's daughters have previously given him a similar gift of a 'Seafood BBQ cooking class' which also involved some eating.

The weather was glorious, although just a bit cold. The view from our table in the restaurant looked out towards the Sunshine Coast. I had meant to take photos of each course, but as each one arrived, we just 'dived' straight in! lol Firstly we had a small bowl of chowder each which was delicious. The next course was a 'tower' of cold seafood, interspersed with fresh fruit. We had a crab to share, a Moreton Bay Bug (sort of like a small crayfish), huge prawns, mussels,oysters and some wonderful slices of smoked salmon. And then the next course arrived...this was the 'hot' seafood course and it was yum!!! It came with bowls of lovely salad. There was lovely chunks of grilled fish, little crispy fish like whitebait, coconut prawns, some calamari, scallops and some little chat potatoes.

A view from the window of the restaurant

Another view from the restaurant windows

Pauline, the co -owner of the restaurant suggested a sampler plate for dessert but we had had plenty of food, so we just finished off the meal with a cup of coffee each and then 'waddled' back to our car! lol (The 3 courses of seafood were all paid for by the voucher  and we reckon we got good value) When we arrived at noon, there had only been one other table occupied. By the time we were leaving the restaurant had become very busy. A good sign that it's popular!

I'm already thinking of what I can buy DH for Christmas this year...he doesn't like heights so it won't be 'Hot Air Ballooning' or a helicopter ride. The time I bought him a half hour in a flight simulator was a popular one and I sat in the back. Now I knew it wasn't real, (from my seat I could see the bank of computers that 'drove the thing) but when DH was 'landing' the simulator at 'Brisbane airport', I found that my fingernails were digging into the seat...and I'd stopped breathing...