Locked and loaded
The Loaded Lizard, 121 Mudjimba Beach Rd, Mudjimba
Ph: 5448 9677
The Loaded Lizard, 121 Mudjimba Beach Rd, Mudjimba
Ph: 5448 9677
The mains are a meal unto themselves at this Mudjimba eatery. The Loaded Lizard is a funky little Mudjimba restaurant and takeaway on the corner of Mudjimba Beach Rd and Mudjimba Esplanade. Decked out with orange furnishings, it is bright and cheerful with a relaxed and casual atmosphere. I was quite comfy on the cushioned benches, sitting back with a Corona ($6) in hand as I settled in to my home for the evening.
The name itself is a bit curious really. So much so I felt compelled to ask its origin. Apparently the owner likes lizards and, when not being able to go with the first choice of The Loaded Aces, a simple substitute was made and The Loaded Lizard was born. The menu boasts quite the variety; a little Mexican, a little Italian, some tapas, albeit not traditional, and a scattering of Australian favourites woven in between.
Some nibbles seemed as good a place as any to start so we selected the grilled Turkish bread and house dips ($10), and the bruschetta ($10). The house dips were an olive tapenade, sundried tomato dip, basil pesto and, as a special request, a guacamole dip stolen from the chilli con queso. There was some debate between my dining buddy and I as to the favourite. His was the sundried tomato dip and mine the quite robust tapenade, although I was partial to the guacamole and it did satisfy the hankering I had for it in the first place.
I quite liked their version of the bruschetta; tomatoes, red onion, olives and basil loaded on to toasted bread. In keeping with the ‘loaded’ theme, it had loads of flavour. We visited on a Tuesday night, which is The Loaded Lizard’s schnitzel night, so while we both toyed with the main menu for some time we ended up going with the schnitzels ($12.90). There were a whole host of toppings to choose from — bolognaise, parmigiana and Hawaiian to name just a few. They all sounded pretty good but the alfresco won out for me and Ithe supreme for my dining buddy.
The servings were absolutely huge. Had I known in advance I probably would have taken it a bit easier with the nibbles. The schnitzels were chicken and were accompanied by a huge serving of crispy chips and salad. The toppings were also very generous. The alfresco was quite tasty, with a combination of tapenade, red onion, sundried tomato and sprinkled with olives and fetta. My dining buddy’s supreme was equally substantial; lots of cheese, bacon and mushrooms.
Fortunately he had more success at clearing the plate than I did. The serving was so huge that after my mini feast on the nibbles I could barely make a dent on mine, but it was in no way a reflection of the food. Definitely value for money. For one of the few times in my life there was no room for dessert. My dining buddy, however, was a different story and managed to tease me with a coffee log ($7) from the dessert cabinet, served with ice cream. A pinstriped combination of cream, icing and cake, I managed to sample a small few spoonfuls so I could give my approval. I am kind of wishing I could have that dessert now.
I have to say this is a great little venue. While it is fairly casual dining, it is a great location — just opposite the beach. Although there are no immediate views, it is an easy walk after spending a morning or afternoon on the beach. The service was easygoing and fun; the young girl who served us was a delight and very accommodating. Worth noting is Saturday nights are Mexican themed with a range of dishes on offer. The Loaded Lizard also has an all-day breakfast menu as well as being open for lunch. It also has a little takeaway booth too and you don’t need to be loaded either, pardon the pun.
Petra Frieser’s visit was unannounced and she paid for her own meals and beverages.
The Loaded Lizard
121 Mudjimba Beach Rd,
Mudjimba
Ph: 5448 9677
FOOD FACTS
Open Daily 7.30am-11pm
Cuisine Casual modern Australian
Cost $6-$24
Verdict Definitely good value
Story: Petra Frieser, weekender Issue 637, July 29th, 2010.
The name itself is a bit curious really. So much so I felt compelled to ask its origin. Apparently the owner likes lizards and, when not being able to go with the first choice of The Loaded Aces, a simple substitute was made and The Loaded Lizard was born. The menu boasts quite the variety; a little Mexican, a little Italian, some tapas, albeit not traditional, and a scattering of Australian favourites woven in between.
Some nibbles seemed as good a place as any to start so we selected the grilled Turkish bread and house dips ($10), and the bruschetta ($10). The house dips were an olive tapenade, sundried tomato dip, basil pesto and, as a special request, a guacamole dip stolen from the chilli con queso. There was some debate between my dining buddy and I as to the favourite. His was the sundried tomato dip and mine the quite robust tapenade, although I was partial to the guacamole and it did satisfy the hankering I had for it in the first place.
I quite liked their version of the bruschetta; tomatoes, red onion, olives and basil loaded on to toasted bread. In keeping with the ‘loaded’ theme, it had loads of flavour. We visited on a Tuesday night, which is The Loaded Lizard’s schnitzel night, so while we both toyed with the main menu for some time we ended up going with the schnitzels ($12.90). There were a whole host of toppings to choose from — bolognaise, parmigiana and Hawaiian to name just a few. They all sounded pretty good but the alfresco won out for me and Ithe supreme for my dining buddy.
The servings were absolutely huge. Had I known in advance I probably would have taken it a bit easier with the nibbles. The schnitzels were chicken and were accompanied by a huge serving of crispy chips and salad. The toppings were also very generous. The alfresco was quite tasty, with a combination of tapenade, red onion, sundried tomato and sprinkled with olives and fetta. My dining buddy’s supreme was equally substantial; lots of cheese, bacon and mushrooms.
Fortunately he had more success at clearing the plate than I did. The serving was so huge that after my mini feast on the nibbles I could barely make a dent on mine, but it was in no way a reflection of the food. Definitely value for money. For one of the few times in my life there was no room for dessert. My dining buddy, however, was a different story and managed to tease me with a coffee log ($7) from the dessert cabinet, served with ice cream. A pinstriped combination of cream, icing and cake, I managed to sample a small few spoonfuls so I could give my approval. I am kind of wishing I could have that dessert now.
I have to say this is a great little venue. While it is fairly casual dining, it is a great location — just opposite the beach. Although there are no immediate views, it is an easy walk after spending a morning or afternoon on the beach. The service was easygoing and fun; the young girl who served us was a delight and very accommodating. Worth noting is Saturday nights are Mexican themed with a range of dishes on offer. The Loaded Lizard also has an all-day breakfast menu as well as being open for lunch. It also has a little takeaway booth too and you don’t need to be loaded either, pardon the pun.
Petra Frieser’s visit was unannounced and she paid for her own meals and beverages.
The Loaded Lizard
121 Mudjimba Beach Rd,
Mudjimba
Ph: 5448 9677
FOOD FACTS
Open Daily 7.30am-11pm
Cuisine Casual modern Australian
Cost $6-$24
Verdict Definitely good value
Story: Petra Frieser, weekender Issue 637, July 29th, 2010.
