SWEET DREAMS

Palm Beach’s new dessert and cocktail bar will bring food fantasies to life, writes Amber Macpherson

INFINITE Dessert and Cocktail Bar promises you’ve never experienced anything like it before.

While the sweets and alcoholic treats model is nothing groundbreaking on the Gold Coast, coowner Kye Sheehan reckons his new Palm Beach venue will be pushing the boundaries of culinary delights when it opens this Friday.

“Nothing on the menu has been done before. The cocktails have never been seen,” Kye says.

With a head chef trained by none other than dessert extraordinaire Adriano Zumbo and a list of 40 creative cocktails, it’s safe to say we can take his word for it. Gold Coast businessman Kye says he wanted to open a restaurant that was at the forefront of the hospitality industry.

“It’s an untapped market at the moment. Everyone’s doing burgers, cafes … there’s no dessert bars around,” he says.

“We just wanted to create a setting we’d want to go to. I love gold, liquid nitrogen, stuff lit on fire. I’m a big desserts man.

“I haven’t been to a place like that here and that’s why I’ve done this.”

Bubbling, blazing and smoking, the menu offers about 20 desserts bursting with colour and flavour. Head chef Aurelio Gulino says the most impressive options are the 24 carat gold dessert, Watch Me Burn creme brulee, and Mist in the Woods black forest pudding.

“We do have a dessert that is 24 carat, it’s basically covered in gold — edible gold flakes, powder. It’s a blood orange dome cake, and mousse, covered in gold. And also when you cut through the cake, you’re going to have whiskey ganash. It’s very theatrical.

“There’s a creme brulee, we’re going to light it up with fire, with hot alcohol on top when it’s brought out. We’re using smoke for Mist in the Woods. The plate is going to be filled up with smoke and once you lift up the dome, you’re going to find a cherry and chocolate cake representing the woods.”

Mixologist Anthony Curtis says one of the most exciting cocktails will be the Chilli Time martini, where a chilli will be set ablaze to garnish a vodka-based martini.

Anthony says no cocktails are off limits when he’s behind the bar.

“I know about 1200,” he says.

If you’re worried about the price point for such an otherworldly experience, don’t be.

Kye says he’s purposely kept prices low so customers come back for the value as well as the experience.

“The 24 carat gold dessert is $14,” he says. “I want everything reasonably priced. I don’t want people to think they’re getting ripped off. “The price point is cheap. The cocktails — nothing’s over $16.”

The industrial chic dining room seats about 40 people and is decked out in black, white and green. Diners order from an iPad and wait for the show to arrive at their table. “It’s full table service,” Kye says.

“When the waitress comes out, she puts on a show for you. There will be fire in front of you, pouring liquid nitrogen, steam rising.

“I want the customers to love the food and love the people here. All my employees are well trained and experienced.”

And when you’re not watching a dessert or cocktail unravel before your eyes, you can watch the ocean view from the dining room.

Kye says the Palm Beach prototype is just the beginning, with big plans to expand the business in all directions.

“My plans for this are huge. I want to franchise this,” he says. “It’s about to take off. I’m going to open up again in Boadbeach next, then Brisbane and Sydney.”

Infinite Dessert and Cocktail Bar opens this Friday, and will continue to open Wednesday to Sunday from 2pm to midnight at 2/2 Nineteenth Ave, Palm Beach.