The details
Eddy + Wolff is small, it’s hidden out of plain sight and lies off the beaten track – which was exactly the intention of its owners, husband-and-wife duo Thao and Vien Nguyen, who are also behind Runaway Bay’s popular Vietnamese restaurant and bar, Can Tho Kitchen. Unless you’re a Robina local, have visited the tavern, or dined at Cambodian restaurant Bunnath Kitchen, you’ve probably had no business venturing down Commerce Drive – until now. Eddy + Wolff’s arrival in Robina marks an exciting new chapter for Thao and Vien. Back in 2014 they took over Can Tho Kitchen from Thao’s mother and transformed it into a bustling group-friendly eatery and bar. They have now set out to spread their culinary wings a little further south with this slick new 22-seat restaurant and bar, which is essentially a sophisticated melting pot of tastes and experiences from their travels across Asia, with an undercurrent of authenticity from their native Vietnam.

The food
Thao and Vien both came to Canberra as refugees with their parents back in the 1980s, and (thanks to their parents) were exposed to the ins and outs of a bustling restaurant kitchen. While the Gold Coast is now home, a fair chunk of their lives were spent eating their way through Asia. As such, they became well-versed in the art of pushing culinary boundaries while still remaining true to their roots – an ethos woven into both Can Tho and Eddy + Wolff’s offerings. Where Can Tho serves up more home-style share plates (perfect for group gatherings), Eddy + Wolff’s imaginative menu is more about punchy bar snacks and small barbecued bites, with a brief selection of larger plates to share. As for snack-sized eats, there’s the eye-catching grilled barramundi on toast with Asian herbs and Yarra Valley caviar, Vietnamese-style ‘con hau’ jumbo chargrilled oysters with scallion oil and crushed roasted peanuts, and the steaming-hot 48-hour baby pho. Larger shareables include Vietnamese-style ‘bo luc lac’ beef with a watercress, tomato and vinaigrette salad, a refreshing scallop and lychee ceviche in nouc cham sauce, and a whole Korean-style barbecued quail.

The bar and interior
Taking inspiration from small hidden dining dens in the back streets of Tokyo and Hong Kong, Eddy + Wolff’s cavernous cement-clad interior is centered around a stately oval-shaped bar. Blush-pink velvet buffet seating circles the restaurant’s only two group tables, while the rest of the seating lines the bar, giving diners an up-close view of the action in the kitchen. The bar is equipped with an enviable collection of Japanese whisky, a considered array of Australian wine (with a nod to Canberra producers), and a concise list of just four cocktails. There’s also low-alcohol lychee ciders and mocktails crafted with Seedlip on pour. Oh, and for those wondering, ‘Eddy’ and ‘Wolff’ are the names of the streets that Thao and Vien were living on when they first met back in Canberra. Everything has a story here – from the venue’s name to the dishes and the wine list – so pull up a bar stool and let this duo share their memories with you.

Eddy + Wolff opens on Wednesday March 27. For contact details, location and opening hours, head to our Stumble Guide.