3 August 2022
Best wear your stretchy pants to the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers this September because this year there’s a RECORD NUMBER of #trEATS on offer!
#trEATS of course is the regional food trail that takes place throughout September as part of the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers. Introduced in 2020, #trEATS (standing for Toowoomba Region EATS) features signature springtime dishes from cafes, restaurants and bars inspired by Toowoomba’s most famous event, all priced at $10-$20.
From an edible dessert representation of the famous Table Top Mountain by Muller Bros, to a reimagined Tiramisu featuring Persian rose fairy floss and a flower petal lollipop from Cobb & Co, to Life is Peachy waffles from Jilly’s Café, a Carnival Cocktail Salad from Kajoku, Coconut Cherry Bloom Gelato complete with edible flowers from Gelatissimo Toowoomba, and a cheesy potato bhaji and sesame fried toast with nasturtium and chilli threads from Burrow Café, the #treEATS lineup this year is a floral-inspired, flavour-filled banquet!
In 2021, 36 operators took part, with dishes covering the whole taste spectrum, from sweet to savory to spicy and all in between. This year there are 43.
“Flowers and flavour are one of the world’s great double acts and this year Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers will once again celebrate our regional flavour makers with the #trEATs program,” said Toowoomba Regional Council Environment and Community Committee Chair Cr James O’Shea. “We are famed for our incredible produce and flavours, and during the event where Toowoomba shines on the national stage, we can give locals and visitors alike a tasty food adventure for the whole month.”
2022 #trEATS for the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers
Another Life Coffee & Wares: Tropical Mango Madness featuring Caribbean chicken burger with house made crispy Caribbean fried chicken, crispy bacon, tomato salsa and lettuce, finished with mango chutney. Served with a mango and macadamia freak shake.
Blue Mountain Hotel: Smoked marinated lamb skewers with harissa puree and petit salad.
Burrow Cafe (photo attached): Cheesy potato bhaji and sesame fried toast with crispy fried egg, spicy green sauce, turmeric pickled onions, kewpie, nasturtium and chilli threads.
Café de Velo: Oat and chia bircher with raspberry compote, mango lime curd, coconut yoghurt and maple roasted macadamia.
Chimac Toowoomba: Dong-Geu-Rang-Ddaeng Rice Bowl – Korean meatballs made with beef and pork. This delicious dish is often enjoyed during family holidays such as Seol-nal (Korean New Year’s Day) and Chu-Seok (Korean Thanksgiving Day).
Club Glenvale: Salmon and Sweet Potato Salad featuring Atlantic Salmon on a bed of spinach and sweet potato, topped with pickled cucumber, tomato, red onion and asparagus, finished with toasted walnuts and a delicious mustard and maple dressing.
Cobb’s Coffee Shop: Cobb’s Reimagined Tiramisu featuring mocha mousse layered with Anzac biscuit crumble, salted caramel sauce and vanilla cream, topped with a Persian rose fairy floss and accompanied with a flower petal lollipop.
De Dutch Café: Homemade Oma recipe Dutch waffle stack with lemon curd and meringue, with ice cream.
Flaming Knights: Cafe XO Patron and Metiisto Artisan Chocolate panna cotta served with raspberry sugar, coconut meringue, pistachio and honey gelato and edible flowers. With Cafe XO Patron a discontinued coffee liqueur, this is a once in a lifetime dessert!
Gelatissimo Toowoomba: Coconut Cherry Bloom Gelato featuring creamy and refreshing coconut gelato with a sweet cherry ripple, garnished with edible flowers. The family deal offers 2 x single flavour cup/cones and 2 x double flavour cups/cones (try this special spring flavour alongside one of Gelatissimo’s classics)!
Gip’s Restaurant: Crispy Chicken Burger featuring panko crumbed chicken fillet, tomato, avocado salsa and spicy mayo, served with thick fries, and includes a soft drink or coffee.
GPO Bar and Café: Grilled salmon on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes, topped with smooth avocado and basil sauce and served with a side of fresh roasted vegetables.
Greenwattle Café: Devonshire Tea of light fluffy fresh scones, strawberry jam and cream.
Hog’s Breath: BBQ steak burger – tender steak, cheese, tomato, slaw and BBQ sauce on a toasted bun, served with straight fries.
Jilly’s Café (photo attached): Life is Peachy Waffles featuring toasted Belgian waffles, house made peach sauce, raspberries, diced peaches, vanilla ice cream, peach popping pearls and gingernut crumb with dragon fruit dust, topped with a gold dusted dried peach.
Kajoku – Korean & Japanese Cuisine: Carnival Cocktail Salad of salad greens, cherry tomato and cream cheese dressed with crisp sweet potato, coconut and edible flower with a sweet fruit cocktail dressing. Add Kajoku’s famous Korean fried chicken or Bulgogi beef (extra cost).
Karan-An: Asian Boutique Restaurant: Asian Fusion Arancini with chicken and mushroom adobo – a traditional Filipino braised dish of soy sauce and vinegar with raw sugar, black peppercorns and bay leaves. A perfect balance of sweetness, sourness and saltiness, garnished with edible flowers. Vegetarian option available.
Muller Bros: The Tabletop … an edible representation of the famous Tabletop Mountain. Featuring a layered cake of local native violet cream, Genoise sponge cake, chocolate custard covered in Bunya nut marzipan, chocolate powder, candied native violets and Warrigal green sugar.
Ortem: Coconut Pannacotta with pistachio cake, szechwan poached pear, orange curd and fresh berries.
Phat Burgers: The Big Red featuring Pepperberry kangaroo loin, roasted beetroot, grated carrot, bunya nut skordalia, warrigal greens and riberry chutney with a side of Phat Kumera chips.
Piccolo Papa: Banoffee Calzone of a folded pizza stuffed with banana, ricotta, cream cheese and caramel fudge.
Potters Hotel Toowoomba: A rustic style Mille Feuille with macerated strawberries, chocolate Kahlua mousse and sweet puff pastry.
Rak Thai Kitchen: Fresh seasonal vegetables stir fried with homemade spicy sauce and Thai herbs topped with crispy fried prawns.
Sage and Butler Neighbourhood Cafe: Chia Bowl of coconut and vanilla chia pudding layered with house made berry compote, fresh fruit and house made granola, topped with coconut yoghurt.
Shingle Inn Clifford Gardens: Freshly made bagel with either smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onion, tomato and rocket OR chicken breast, bacon, avocado, cheese, rocket and aioli.
Sofra Turkish Cuisine: Turkish Semolina Cake – a soft semolina sponge cake steeped in rose infused syrup and drizzled with berry coulis. Topped with pistachio crumb and cream.
Stellarossa: Herbed beetroot trout gravlax with whipped goats’ cheese, radish, blueberries, and cucumber curls on sourdough toast.
Stoney the Fishmonger: Homemade Thai salad and Thai fish cakes served with Stoney’s signature sauce, coriander, chilli and lime.
Tailgate Sports Bar: Spring Lamb Burger with beetroot relish, onion, cucumber, tomato, lettuce and feta tzatziki.
The Bakers Duck: Lamington Choux Bomb featuring coconut craquelin Choux bomb filled with a chocolate coconut cremeux and vanilla sponge layered with strawberry gel then topped with a tempered dark chocolate disc, toasted coconut pastry cream, a mini lamington and edible flowers.
The Coffee Club: Loaded Nutella waffles served with mixed berries
The Finch (photo attached): Miso glazed eggplant, pickled ginger and herb salad, dukkah and flat bread.
The Plate Restaurant Toowoomba: Eton Mess featuring stabilised mascarpone, passionfruit curd, raspberry compote, macaroon shell and malted meringue.
Tina’s Place Cafe & Catering: Brisket Confetti Bowl of beef brisket, boiled egg, kidney beans, pumpkin, corn, onion, red capsicum, mixed leaves and ranch dressing.
Toowoomba Coffee House: Quiche with a buttery pastry crust, hearty egg filling with cheese and fabulous vegetables; a homemade egg pie!
Urban Grounds Café: Pan fried parrot fish with a crisp slaw set on a nest of house fried hokkien noodles finished with a zesty mango salsa.
Urth Café & Co: Urth HavÁÇhat Benny featuring sourdough toast layered with spinach, avocado, haloumi, eggs and hollandaise, finished off with chorizo and pineapple salsa.
Yodthai Restaurant (photo attached):. YOD Choux Ice Cream – homemade coconut ice cream with sticky rice covered with Choux pastry, served with fresh mango, mango bubble pearls and edible flowers.
But wait, there are some road-trip worthy #trEATS on offer from regional venues outside of Toowoomba too. Take the opportunity to explore more of the beautiful Toowoomba Region during September with these tasty options.
Colours of San Cris: Fiesta Cake showcasing local fruits served with cream and a decadent blackberry syrup, served with a regular tea or coffee.
Preston Manor and Village Chapel: Berry Sponge with Rose Moscato Syrup featuring fresh baked sponge cake with berries, layered with fresh vanilla cream and served with a sweet rose moscato syrup.
Rosalie House: Roulade of meringue with mascarpone, local rhubarb and raspberry.
Savour This Eatery: Spring Chicken Burger of house made Southern style fried chicken thigh fillet, chargrilled maple chilli glazed pineapple, Bannock Brae bacon, tomato, lettuce and burger sauce served on a brioche roll.
The Mill Inn Tavern: The Pork Parmy, a twist to the Mill Inn’s signature ranch parmy. Pork schnitzel topped with smoky barbecue sauce, bacon and mozzarella cheese.
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers will be celebrated throughout all of September. Taking centre stage will be over 190,000 flowers and local flavours, as the event blooms into a truly region-wide experience for both locals and visitors. Along with the beautiful blooms, the famous three-day Festival of Food and Wine will be held from 9 to 11 September, showcasing the best in regional produce and Australian music in Queens Park.
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers 2022
1 – 30 September 2022
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers – A History
Since its inception in 1949, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers has flourished and is now an iconic Queensland event. The brainchild of Essex Tait and the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce, Carnival was introduced as a way for the city to use its “Garden City” reputation to promote increased economic activity following the hardships of war. On 21 October 1950, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers commenced with a street procession that stretched three miles in length. Led by a bullock team and watched by a crowd estimated to be 50,000 strong, it was a resounding success, as it has been ever since.
For more information contact Kath Rose & Associates on 0416 291 493 or kath@kathrose.com