Ma Mensa, Noosa Heads, Sunshine Coast

There's nothing like a spot of Italian for a group of hungry foodies and so on a recent Noosa sojourn I headed along to the well known Ma Mensa in Hasting Street.

Located at the northern end of Hastings Street, Ma Mensa has an indoor/outdoor setting with more than a touch of Italy.  It's popular amongst visitors and locals and the prices are in the reasonable range, especially for the pasta, risottos and pizzas.

Our selections included Grass fed beef fillet with pumpkin puree, olives and liquorice, Noosa Red tomatoes, mozzarella and olive salad, Fettuccine with cured salmon, hazelnuts and goat's cheese and  Spaghettini with local bug meat, chilli, garlic and lemon.  The fettuccine with salmon was my main and I really enjoyed it.  It was a rich dish but the goat's cheese was a good contrast to the salmon and the hazelnuts added a delightful crunch and a nut flavour that's sadly under used.

For dessert we had Bomboloni - doughnuts, hot chocolate and hazelnut sauce with ice cream.

I had the company of two other food writers and partners so we were a formidable group all up.  Ma Mensa answered all our needs and we stumbled back up the hill to our accommodation at The Rise. The sunset before we left for Ma Mensa was superb.  Staying at The Rise was a real bonus as parking in Hastings Street is always at a premium and The Rise is easy walking distance from all the action.

Ma Mensa, 6 Hastings St, Noosa Heads
+61 7 5449 2328 

The Rise, Noosa, 37 Noosa Drive, Noosa Heads
          +61 7 5473 6500