This weekend was a very special weekend in our household. It has been a long awaited day, one of celebration and joy. It had finally arrived, my brand new BMW adventure bike, my beloved GSA. I wont bang on about It as this isn’t a bike blog, but it is a thing of beauty. The bike itself represents more than just a mode of transport to me; it’s adventure and freedom incarnate. But enough about the bike, this is about our first adventure together. It had to be a worthy first journey, and so it was. There wasn’t any real planning put into the day, mostly just aimless, blissful adventuring, filled with breath taking views and interesting new roads to discover, namely Rick’s Diner and Garage.

Think of a 50’s diner; add some classic car memorabilia, some fantastic food and atmosphere and you’ll soon arrive at Rick’s. Nestled in Palmwoods, about a fifteen-minute drive from Maroochydore, you’ll find one of the coolest places to get a truly fantastic burger, with real meat and actual accompaniments that will sate even the biggest of appetites without having to supersize for an extra fifty cents.

The decor is unique to say the least. The walls and ceiling are papered with old school posters and news articles covering any number of vintage cars, bikes, automotive products and events from the past. The entire bar is chrome, even the stools, with their accented plush leather padding. Instead of the usual tall stand-at drinking tables of most pubs, they have chosen to use oversized wooden barrels stamped proudly with any number of classic motoring logos.

The menu was limited, but it didn’t matter. Everything on it was a classic. Everything was delicious. Everything was plentiful. The burgers were big and the homemade patties were juicy and thick, made of real beef, chicken, fish and fillet steak. The tomato relish was tangy and tasty, the aioli fresh and creamy. The burgers were comforting, and satisfying, everything you want from a country pub burger. But other than burgers, Rick’s also offers a selection of gourmet sliders – Mussels fresh from New Zealand, Spicy Chicken Wings, Prawns and even a Cheese platter, along with a short menu of deserts, delicious shakes and a selection of beer and wine. After leaving the diner I decided to leave a review, and by the search results of my googling, so did many others. I failed to find a single negative comment; everyone was just as impressed by their friendly and considerate staff and beautiful food as I was.

One thing that caught my eye was a flyer on the bar for a night of Rockabilly funk and classic car sex appeal, every Friday night. For those of you who are still pining for the sixties, here is your chance to get dressed up with your best guy or gal and head out in Greased Lightning and shake it to the beats of yesteryear, well into the evening. Get your friends together, have a few drinks and let loose, rockabilly style.

Rick’s Diner and Garage is one seriously groovy place to be on a weekend. I’ll definitely be going back, not just for the beautiful food and friendly service, but also for that unique and fun atmosphere that is missing from most mainstream restaurants and pubs. For those looking for more information on Rick’s, check them out on facebook.