The first thing I noticed was the twinkle of the fairy lights on the deck, glowing against the night sky. The sound of rippling water in the pond and a certain cosiness that was amplified when owner Erin Mitaros walked over to say hi.
Erin and her husband Carl have owned The Loose Goose in Twin Waters since 2013 and it’s obvious how much they love their little slice of heaven. You can see it in the way Erin greets guests, chatting to them on the deck as she serves up their meals. It’s in the finer details: the music, the lighting, the smiles on everyone’s faces.
“Carl was working as a chef in Sydney and I was an apprentice chef there when we first met and fell for each other,” Erin says. “It was around that time he had the opportunity to return to the Sunshine Coast and open a restaurant with a few of his friends.”
“So, they purchased this space in 2011 and then we bought out his business partners two years later so we could make this restaurant our own,” Erin says. “We both have such a love of food and wanted to create something special.”
They have certainly done just that. The Loose Goose took flight after the pair invested in setting up a place where good vibes and great food go hand in hand.
While the restaurant name, The Loose Goose, may have been inspired by a nursery rhyme and derived in light-hearted spirit over a few drinks, the place is anything but unrefined. The unique location lets the outside in and the inside out with high ceilings and an open-plan bar, kitchen and dining area inside. It possesses that unique kind of laid-back Sunshine Coast charm, overlooking a tranquil pond and clusters of bushland, the ambience is warm and inviting and the food, well, let’s just say it’s divine.
“We have the freshest produce available to ensure our food is always of the highest quality. I love food, it is definitely a passion of mine, especially when it comes to desserts, cakes and cookies or wine,” Erin laughs. “I love wine – drinking it, studying and learning all about it. And in here, I work the bar and I run the front of house. Carl and our chef Matt run the kitchen.”
Chef Matthew Thomme describes the cuisine at The Loose Goose as classic European, with a twist.
“It is all about simple food cooked with advanced techniques and quality ingredients,” Matt says. “We want food that isn’t intimidating but still has the wow factor when it comes to both presentation and flavours. And I think we do that really well. To the point that there are certain dishes we can never remove from the menu because the locals and regulars love them so much,” he laughs.
“We source only the best produce from local suppliers because we want to put the best food possible on the plate.”
So, if the sound of twice-baked three cheese soufflé with roast pumpkin and truffle cream, house-made gnocchi with beef cheek and gremolata, or pistachio and white chocolate parfait with pistachio tuile and Persian floss make your tummy grumble, then your taste buds will feel right at home at The Loose Goose – exactly how Matt, Carl and Erin like it.
“We want our place to feel like your place, somewhere our guests can feel comfortable and enjoy amazing food, a few drinks and a great time,” Erin says.
“We have so much support from our locals and they make this place so wonderful to run, it adds to the atmosphere. We can stop and have a chat to them, get to know them and we love to see these friendly faces on a daily basis.”
The Loose Goose has also made a bit of a name for itself when it comes to cocktails too.
“Our cocktails are like the food, a balance of the classic flavours and favourites combined with new inventions created by our staff,” Erin says.
“We are happy to switch up the ingredients to suit what the customer wants, like change out tequila for vodka, or adding new elements to crowd favourites such as a lychee martini with added passionfruit giving it a sweet, tart and zesty edge with a fruity twist,” she says. “The customers love it,”
“We also took the good old Toblerone and espresso martini and made the Violet Crumble version, a dessert cocktail and the most popular on the menu for sure,” Erin says. “The cocktails are always met with an ‘ooooh and ahhhh’ every time we bring them out too.”
And I can personally attest to this being true.
So, what else is on the menu for The Loose Goose?
“We want to do wine and dinner events, sip and paint events and collaborate with local artists too,” Erin says.
“It is all about community, good food, good wine and good times.”