Free sideshow at Kailis Beach/Trigg Island Cafe

If you haven’t been to Trigg Island/Kailis Beach Café for a while you might want to take a peek inside next time you’re at the beach. You’ll have to be quick though as it will be undergoing another change soon, evidently. Last time I popped in I got a free sideshow thrown in with the meal.

Kailis Cafe Trigg © The Ponder Room

Now called Kailis Beach Café the décor is a vast improvement, making the restaurant feel fresh, modern, relaxed and cleaner somehow. The boards on the wall help with the relaxed feel. No doubt this change of direction will bring in more punters off the beach. Mind you with more seating outside and more options on offer at the outdoor kiosk you don’t have to come inside to get some great meals.

With the name change you’d imagine fish would be on the menu. Indeed it is … 

Kailis Cafe Trigg © The Ponder Room



Traditional Fish and Chips $21.50
BBQ Marinated Squid and Chips $25.50
BBQ Garlic Carnarvan Prawns and pilaff rice $27.50
Trigg Island Seafood Platter $35.50

When I dropped in it was in between lunch and dinner. Not wanting a huge meal I opted for the grilled vegetable and feta salad. Wow was that a mistake.

Now when I say mistake, I mean in a good way.

The portion size was huge.

A mound of char grilled vegetables, roast pumpkin, walnuts, marinated feta cheese, and pesto dressing, yum. The vegetables were fresh and each mouthful was a different flavour experience. The addition of a piece of garlic bread was a surprise. It was one of the best vegetable salads I’ve ever had.

Roast Veg Salad Kailis Cafe Trigg © The Ponder Room

The only negative was the struggling air conditioning. This has been a problem for many years and the waitresses are always helpful, cranking it up every now and then without having to be asked. Hopefully this will be fixed in the revamp.

View from Kailis Cafe Trigg © The Ponder Room

Another common problem for restaurants by the beach is the flies. There was one pesky fly hanging around this afternoon. It wasn’t really an issue for me, as it was easily moved on with a quick swipe of the hand, or by covering your plate with a serviette. However being only one of two occupied tables, the fly kept zeroing in on me, closely followed by the Spray Queen.

Flyspray can in hand, she moved around the restaurant letting out generous blasts every time her pray landed. With all the zeal of a lioness tracking a meerkat, she was soon spraying across the table next to me. I tried to give a look that said maybe there could be a better strategy, but clearly my face is not built for mime.

Kailis Cafe Trigg © The Ponder Room

Just as I was contemplating leaving, the fly issue was trumped, as another waitress cranked up the vacuum cleaner and cleaned around my table in readiness for the next shift.

As another mouthful of delicious pesto infused roasted pumpkin reached my mouth, I decided not to let the actions around me taint the experience. Instead I pondered …. 

1. How lucky I was to have a free floor show thrown in with the price of my meal
2. I must remember not to visit restaurants in between lunch and dinner service
3. Here’s hoping the next revamp will see better air conditioning, a less intrusive fly strategy, and the same generous tasty grilled vegetable salad. If so I’ll definitely be back, perhaps sporting a new fashion statement, gas mask ala Costarella.

Please don’t let this (hopefully) one off experience put you off, the food was wonderful.