FLIGHTS OF FANCY

Promising the prettiest plating in town, Dragonfly Espresso and Wine Bar lands in Broadbeach, writes Sally Coates

SOMETIMES when a new restaurant opens, it’s best to let the food speak for itself.

While pretty pictures of Dragonfly’s dishes jump right off the page, an in-depth description never goes astray.

Owner and head chef Michael Smith does it well, starting with their breakfast waffle.

“The Hong Kong egg waffle is big in Singapore and Hong Kong at the moment,” he says.

“Basically it’s a waffle mix made out of like a custard that’s cooked in individual bubbles ... it gets all crispy on the outside but stays fluffy on the inside.

“Then it’s twisted into a waffle cup with all the ingredients spilling out of it on to the plate.

“It comes with a mini Magnum, a variety of summer fruits and berry compote.

“Over in Hong Kong they serve it like a waffle ice cream cone, but we’re doing it as a whole seated breakfast experience.”

Next up is the tuna sashimi, available for lunch or dinner and drawing international inspiration from Michael’s expansive resume.

“Our tuna sashimi is Queensland tuna caught off the Pacific Coast,” he says.

“It’s brought to us to portion it out, roll it, sear and serve it with a salsa of capsicum, zucchini, tomato and golden French shallots.

“We finish by dressing with a sherry vinaigrette. The influence is from Bali where the heat makes it refreshing not to have hot fish. It’s very similar to our Gold Coast climate.”

That’s just the tip of the culinary iceberg, but the ongoing theme is everything on Michael’s plates has its proper place.

“My dishes do have a lot of elements but they all play their part,” he says.

“Five or six elements on a plate to me is not a lot ... our baked field mushroom is a good example. It’s a heavier dish, being baked with butter, and it’s got those flavours of goat’s cheese, basil, tomato and mushroom with a spiced balsamic reduction

“All those flavours go together, but you still need a crunch element, which is where the garlic sourdough breadcrumbs come in.”

Every element has its role in terms of flavour, but also in achieving visual harmony.

“Most of my experience is in plating,” Michael says, referring to his previous stints in Michelinstarred restaurants.

“Everything is plated and presented in a style you’d see somewhere like southern France.

“You’ve got to follow the rules of a clean plate – always fresh garnish, clean lines, no tardiness, no drips and a plate that’s the right temperature. The result is always worth the time and effort.”

The wine bar offers another way to experience Dragonfly. Michael wants to encourage diners to stop in for a cheese board and paired wine.

“To cover everyone’s palate we have something for everyone,” he says.

“We have more than 90 wines and in champagnes we have everything from a dessert prosecco to Dom Perignon and Cristal. We outsourced the wine list through sommeliers so they could go out and find the best for what goes with our dishes, from entrees to desserts, and match three to four wines with each dish.”

Despite the obvious effort and elegant setting, Michael promises they’ve set a price point that’s affordable for locals and holiday-makers, even if they’re on a budget.

Dragonfly Espresso and Wine Bar, 73 Victoria Avenue, Broadbeach