Eating your way around the Brisbane Ekka

From dagwood dogs and meat pies to steak sandwiches to oysters and champagne to strawberry sundaes - there are sweet and savoury, healthy and hearty foods available at the Ekka - 5-14 August.

Not to be missed is the new food court "Gourmet Harvest" and the Seafood and Wine Bar located inside the Woolworths Fresh Food Pavilion.

My personal picks - Coffin Bay Oysters and the Country Women's scone and jam. Also hard to pass by will be CJs Pasta, Confit Bistro and Bretts Wharf.

Dine in Options

Sit down, relax and enjoy something delicious. The Ekka offers visitors a huge selection of cafes and restaurants throughout the Showgrounds including Delicious Delights (Woolworths Fresh Food Pavilion), Alex Cafe, Commercial Swimming Club (outside the Main Arena), Delany's (Machinery Hill), Stockman’s Bar and Grill, Brett's Wharf at the Agforce MEATing Centre, and new for 2010, Gourmet Harvest - an alfresco dining area.

Brand New Alfresco Dining Precinct

For Ekka goers who like the finer things in life, this year there will be a brand new outdoor food court. Sit down to a lunch by award-winning chef Jason Peppler's Confit Bistro or taste delicious Italian fare from CJ's pasta, or even some authentic Indian cuisine from Sultan's Kitchen. The choices are endless! Branded "Gourmet Harvest” the alfresco dining area will be located across from the Auditorium and features a stage hosting live performances.

Seafood and Wine Bar

Freshly shucked Coffin Bay oysters matched with award-winning wines from the Royal Queensland Wine Show await you this Ekka.

Fine Dining

Alastair McLeod will recreate his well-known Brett’s Wharf restaurant at the RNA Showgrounds for Ekka 2010.

Fresh Fruit Stations
Ekka has new food options for fresh food lovers! There will be eight fruit and juice stands roaming around the grounds stocked with Goulburn Valley Fruit cups and bottles of water.

Woolworths Fresh Food Pavilion and the Taste of Queensland Kitchen

Freshly baked breads, lamb shanks, sushi and wood fire pizza, ice-cream, juices, strawberries and fruit salad. With 66 food vendors selling their delicacies the hardest part will be choosing what to eat! This year a brand new seafood and champagne bar will be introduced to entice those with a taste for the finer things. Building on the success of its inaugural year in 2009, the Royal Queensland Deli will be back again this year with gusto.

Foodie celebrities Peter Howard and the unflapable Hilton Masterclass genuis, Alison Alexander will be back to show you how to cook dishes at home using all the best ingredients and best of all you get to taste! Some of Brisbane’s best chefs will also visit the kitchen to share their tips and cook for Ekka visitors.

The Royal Queensland Show Deli Bag

This year the RNA is offering the public two great value deli bags to choose from that feature Australian produce. For the first time, the public can sample a $15 bag or a $25 bag featuring some of Australia’s finest award winning foods, as judged during the RNA Food and Wine Show season. The deli bags are:

• The Savoury Sampler ($25) will include a cooler bag, brie/camembert, blue, smoked cheddar, Kurrajong crackers, pork sausages, GianCarlo Coffee 250g, Cobram, Estate olive oil, Madura Tea sample, Taboo hot chocolate sample, and Copperpot dip.

• The Nibbler Bag ($15) will include a cooler bag, brie/camembert, blue, smoked cheddar, Kurrajong crackers, and Copperpot dip.

Agforce MEATing Centre

Enjoy the best of the red meat industry with sumptuous steaks and delicious meals at the MEATing Centre Restaurant, catered by Brett's Wharf. If time is short, you can grab a yummy take-away from the Cafe to enjoy on the run and the bar is a great place to catch up with friends. Also in the MEATing Centre are daily cooking demonstrations that will show you in four steps how to serve up a great Barbie, a sensational stir-fry, a boast-worthy roast, and a beautiful braise. See celebrities put their culinary skills in action competing to see who can cook up Queensland's best steak sandwich. Competitors will include politicians, sporting celebrities, radio and media personalities.

Brisbane Markets Kids in the Kitchen

Donning white hats and pensive faces, Kids in the Kitchen is a hands-on program that teaches children basic recipes that they can cook. A professional chef takes children through such recipes as vegetarian pizza and the best bit is, the kids get to sample what's been made! Located in the

Agricultural Hall, this is a great a great and informative way to entertain the kids.

CWA

The old-school eatery located under the John Macdonald Stand will be run this year by the Country Women's Association. Serving up traditional country fare and tea and scones, this traditional-style canteen is sure to be a crowd pleaser.