Let’s get one thing straight, you do make friends with salad when it’s bursting with pops of mint and coriander and drizzled with zingy sauces and topped with crisp noodles. Just ask Benn Eichhorn, the owner of Banana Blossom’s first Gold Coast location. He’s made plenty of friends since opening the doors to the Broadbeach outpost just prior to Christmas last year. Previously in software development, Benn first fell in love with Banana Blossom salads while he was working in Sydney. Upon relocating back to his old hometown on the Gold Coast, there was one thing that Benn missed about Sydney life – Banana Blossom. He found himself craving the kind of Thai-infused flavours and nourishing bowls he’d grown so fond of, so much so that he eventually bit the bullet and started the process of bringing one to the sunshine state.

So, what is it about Banana Blossom that Benn missed so much he was willing to stake an entire career change on it? Well, the sprightly salad slinger is on a mission to not only change the perception of salad but ultimately redefine the notion of fast food. Banana Blossom is a quick-service restaurant, that combines authentic Asian flavours with a modern, fresh take, and while it might seem like a lofty goal, since launching in 2003 there are now more than a dozen stores around New South Wales and Queensland. There are fifteen tried-and-tested different salad combinations to choose from, ranging from the Tokyo Classic, which is Broadbeach’s best-selling bowl, loaded with soba noodles, cucumber, cherry tomato, avocado and a splash of white sesame sweet soy dressing, and The Blossom, rice noodles, edamame, cucumber, zesty green sauce. Meat-free mates can stick their chopsticks into one of four vegan-friendly bowls including the likes of Thai Tofu (rice noodles, cucumber, bean sprouts, edamame, peanuts and Thai-lime dressing). If you still aren’t sold on making friends with salad, opt for one of six protein-rich rice bowls. If you can handle the heat, the Triple Chilli Bowl is a flavour punch to your taste buds with the Triple Chilli dressing originating in the village of Nakhon Si Thammarat in South Thailand. The satay bowl, loaded with Malay-style satay, pineapple, peanuts and lemon, is another stand-out for those who still enjoy flavour without the fire. Just in the mood for a little something something? The Vietnamese-style rice paper rolls make for an excellent light bite.

Banana Blossom is now open! Skip over to our Stumble Guide for opening times.