New dining spot Mr. brings a touch of sophistication to Nobby Beach
The Nobby Beach dining precinct is home to cafes, bars, burger joints, Italian, Greek, Mexican and Japanese eateries – but sisters Shonel Alloway and Kylie Fitzgerald, the owners of popular venues The Arc and Forreal Kitchen (which sit side by side on the southern roundabout) knew there was a piece of the puzzle missing. It needed a touch of sophistication – a space where locals could enjoy refined, modern-Australian fare and quality sips, away from the hustle and bustle. So, in a bid to fill the gap, they created Mr.
The details
When the site of the real estate agency that neighbours their cafe Forreal Kitchen became vacant, Shonel and Kylie knew it was time for them to spread their wings and create a sleek new restaurant and bar for Nobby Beach. It took around six weeks for the duo to bring Mr. to life – what started as white walls and concrete floors has been transformed into an elegant 45-seat dining den, adorned with timber, brass details and hues of dusty pink and emerald green, all cocooned by sheer curtains to gently screen the hidden oasis from the action on the street.
The food
As for the eats, Mr. leans toward a more progressive style of dining. The seafood-heavy menu is split into sections – smaller plates, a little bigger, and larger plates, all designed to be shared and rolled out gradually throughout the sitting. Start with the extensive shucked-to-order oyster offering (all of Mr.’s seafood, including the oysters, arrives fresh daily), before moving on to small seafood-based plates like the kingfish ceviche with pea mousse, Chinese-style prawn toast and in-shell scallops with chorizo and pancetta. From there, progress to plates like Peking-duck wontons in a dashi broth, pumpkin tortellini with sage beurre noisette and a colourful burrata and heirloom salad. Things get slightly more carnivorous for the larger plates – beef short ribs with smoked-potato puree, masterstock crispy pork belly with sweet-corn puree and scallops, and confit duck legs with braised red cabbage and port jus. To finish? A house-made lemon-spiked mille feuille or deep-fried ice-cream with salted-caramel sauce.
The bar
Cocktails form the core of Mr.’s bar offering. With everything from a cinnamon old fashioned and hazelnut margarita to a hefty series of gin and tonic variations, there’s sure to be a concoction to suit your tastes. The back bar is lined with a series of top-end whiskies, bourbons and tequilas, accompanied by a substantial wine offering that covers all of the shades. It’s not just after-dark fun to be had here – Mr. also opens from midday Friday to Sunday (on top of its Wednesday to Sunday dinner trade) for those wanting a long, cocktail-soaked lunch.
For all of the Mr.’s details, scoot over to our Stumble Guide.
The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Gold Coast dining guide with more than 870 places to eat, drink, shop and play.
