Hola, Frederico
A lively Latino restaurant has said ‘hola’ to the Coast, injecting some fun and flavour into Gosford’s sparkling waterfront.
It’s all in the name – Frederico’s, which is the cheeky Latino take on Point Frederick where the restaurant is located.
Frederico is the younger, fiery, fun-loving brother of Ettalong’s elegant The Box on the Water.
Where the Box offers modern Australian in an elegant waterfront setting, Frederico’s is colourful and loud – though still elegant and overlooking some water.
Co-owners Monique Keogh and Natasha Nicholson said they wanted to do something new and different that would liven up the Coast after dark.
“Our motivation was to create a happy, fun, light-hearted space that would brighten up Gosford waterfront,” Natasha said.
Enter under the neon Frederico’s sign into the bar area where bartenders are mixing up zesty and fresh cocktails.
The Coctel Especial – a pink concoction of gin, passionfruit, lemon and guava jurriot – goes down a treat on a balmy night.
The DIY margaritas ensure whatever is poured is just right – simply add lime, jalapeño or grapefruit to silver or gold tequila and shake or chill for the perfect tipple.
There’s also an interesting wine list highlighting South American wine makers with drops including Torrontes, Malbec, Carmenere, Tannat and Pais.
Mention Coastal Chic when you arrive to receive a free welcome drink like the Sangria Spritz, a refreshing glass of white wine, rum, lychee liqueur, passionfruit and mint that awakens the senses for the exotic feast ahead.
Follow the fronds upstairs to the restaurant where you’ll be greeted with a hearty ‘hola’.
It’s a light-filled oasis of plush Amazon-green booths, hanging ferns, palm fans and chic cane chairs.
The restaurant is located on Masons Parade right across the road from Gosford’s waterfront, offering pretty views from its second-storey perch.
The staff mightn’t be from Latin America but they’re friendly and knowledgeable, which comes in handy when trying to decipher the sometimes unpronounceable menu (dishes are in Spanish and Portuguese with an English explainer).
There are a few easily recognisable Latino faves such as fajitas, ceviche, tortillas and paella, as well as some new words to add to the vocab like picanha (Brazilian-style rump steak) and palmita (heart of palm).
In the kitchen, there’s lots of charring and chargrilling and plenty of subtle and no-so-subtle spicing going on.
This is a restaurant you’ll need to frequent a few times to find your favourite dishes – between cheesy tapioca cubes, spiced fried chicken wings, charred calamari and churros, there are just too many things to fit into one fiesta.
A heads up – don’t get too excited if a box of Cubans lands on your table, it’s only the bill.
Like his owners, Frederico loves all things Latino so expect loud and rhythmical music, colourful cuisine, margaritas galore and a lively atmosphere.
As Monique says, “At Frederico’s, it’s a fiesta all day long!”.
Frederico’s is open Wednesday to Sunday from midday.
