Belinda Lorimer
‘The food was absolutely delicious – so fresh and full of flavour. You can tell they really care about what they serve. The vibe is great too – relaxed, stylish and welcoming – and the staff are super-friendly.’ – John Allen
Nine months ago restaurateur Belinda Lorimer and her son Jake brought the site of the former Vinyard restaurant back to life. ‘I just fell in love with the premises and the amazing location on the Esplanade, with its sweeping panoramic views to the islands,’ she recalls. ‘I had a vision of what I wanted and now, with Thyme @ The Vinyard, my dream has come true.
‘Hospitality is in my blood. My parents owned restaurants in Sydney, and my Dad was a classically trained French chef. From a young age, I was fascinated by the creativity and care that went into every dish – and of course, the best part was tasting them. Those experiences gave me a real love and respect for the industry.’
Belinda’s philosophy for Thyme @ The Vinyard is simple: great food, excellent company and a welcoming atmosphere. She uses fresh, high quality ingredients to create delicious dishes made in-house and all presented in a relaxed setting with friendly, attentive service that makes you feel right at home.
‘Our food is Modern Australian,’ says Belinda. ‘That gives us the freedom to bring together flavours and ideas from all over the world and we aim to serve something exciting and cater to most dietary requirements.’
Among the menu highlights are Beef Cheek which has been braised for 12 hours and is served with a Port Jus, Parsnip Puree and Salsa Verde, and a popular Duck Bacon dish. The Duck Breast is cured for three days and then hot smoked in the oven and served with Organic Honey, Pistachios, Ricotta and either fresh Figs or Cherries depending on the season.
For fish lovers, there is Barramundi with a Brown Butter Dashi sauce, capers and shallots and, for vegetarians, Roasted Cabbage, Lentil sauce, Blue Cheese and Sunflower seeds (check website for the current menu – the team is working on a new Spring menu – gift cards and details of wine and beer tasting events).
‘Moving on to desserts, we offer a Banana Pudding served with homemade Banana Ice Cream and a Salted Caramel sauce, as well as a delicate Basque Cheesecake with fresh Orange segments and citrus gel,’ adds Belinda.
‘Our drinks menu has been carefully chosen and features exclusive wines sourced from boutique wineries. I’m always happy to recommend food and wine pairings to enhance the experience.
‘We also have a tempting selection of cocktails, including our house-made Limoncello – it is dangerously easy to enjoy – and the Strawberry Cheesecake cocktail, a clear white rum-based cocktail that tastes just like boozy Cheesecake.’
With seating for up to 50 in the restaurant and 25 in the bar and space for 100 people for canapés and cocktails, Belinda and her team can cater for all types of functions and events, including weddings, birthday parties, baby showers and corporate events.
‘We love meeting new customers,’ she says. ‘We will provide a stylish, memorable occasion, whether that’s an intimate dinner for two, a night out with friends or a special family celebration.’
Thyme @ The Vinyard
552 Esplanade
Urangan
Hervey Bay
Queensland 4655
hello@thymeatthevinyard.com.au
https://thymeatthevinyard.com.au
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