When the modern Indian-style restaurant located at Salt Village closed its doors, Kingscliff and the wider community shed a collective tear. Thankfully though, locals didn’t have to wait too long before another operator took the helm to ensure folks weren’t without flavourful Indian cuisine to fill their bellies. That new operator just so happens to be Robyn Cheah, who has owned and operated the suburb’s popular Mahsuri Thai restaurant at Salt Village for the past 16 years – so it’s fair to say she knows a thing or two about running a successful venue. Robyn had big plans for the light-filled space and set to work assembling her dream team, as she sought to create a truly authentic Indian experience rather than catering exclusively to Australian tastes. Her first recruit was the venue’s head chef Akash, who grew up in Ranchi in India, cooking under the tutelage of his father who was also a chef. Akash learnt to cook the traditional way and couldn’t resist the opportunity to bring a taste of his homeland for us to enjoy. The next recruit was Amrit, who is a specialised tandoori chef. For those who are not familiar, a tandoori chef specialises in cooking with a tandoor, an Indian-style oven using special sauces and spices. Between the talented trio, Darbaar Indian Restaurant & Bar delivers a kind of authenticity previously unseen here on the Gold Coast and surrounds.

Darbaar Indian Restaurant & Bar’s menu is as vast as it is tasty. Begin your culinary adventure with a plate or two from the vegetarian entrees section, which features starters such as Cauliflower Brazule (cauliflower tossed in southern spices, ginger and curry leaves before being deep-fried) and Tandoor Paneer Tikka (cottage cheese marinated overnight and lightly spiced with honey-based yoghurt and cooked in tandoor). Meaty entrees to savour include Tandoori Prawns (king prawns marinated in tandoori sauce and saffron, grilled in a clay oven served with mint sauce) and Indian-style fried chicken. The next page is dedicated almost entirely to curries ranging from mild Chicken Tikka Masala through to a fiery Vindaloo, which is made using a speciality meat from Goa. Long before the restaurant’s doors open, Akash, Amrit and the kitchen team is busy prepping each and every dish – from the spice rubs through to the curry sauce, it’s all made in-house, no shortcuts. Sure, it’s time-consuming but when it comes to flavour, some things cannot be rushed. Food-filled adventures abroad may still be a distant dream but Darbaar Indian Restaurant & Bar is here to fill the void for truly authentic Indian cuisine, which is the next best thing.

Ready to rip into a Naan? Roll over to our Stumble Guide for opening times. 

Image credit: Wanderer and the Wild